SACRAMENTO, CA - JULY 5: Hunter Sallis #55 of the Brooklyn Nets plays defense during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks during a 2026 NBA California Classic game on July 5, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.
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Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images The Brooklyn Nets dont have offensive or defensive coordinators, but its been widely known around HSS Training Center that hes a guy whose forte is stopping the other team from scoring, whether in practices or at the end of games.
As Brooklyns Summer League head coach in Sacramento and Las Vegas, thats what to expect and in the two games so far in the California Classic, thats been what has drawn attention.
In both the last minute loss to to the Sacramento Kings Saturday night and Sunday afternoons 89-69 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, announcers were buzzing about how the Nets defense was thwarting the other squad particularly with physicality.
Sundays win was particularly gratifying for Gaitley for a number of reasons.
It was a homecoming.
He had worked for the Kings before joining Jordi Fernandez in Brooklyn and although there was good defense played against Sacramento and Darius Acuff through most of the game Saturday, in the end, they blew a lead and walked off the court a loser.
Not so on Sunday.
The Nets after a slow start got out in front early and just kept rolling.
By games end, Gaitleys charges had held Milwaukee to 24-of-74 shooting, 32.4%.
The difference: They did a better job with second chance points but as far as clearing the glass, we did pretty good.
Defense was the only improvement, either..
Nets Coach Gaitley on the team's improvement: "Big offensive improvement.
We also talked about sharing the ball,22 assists.
22 assists on 35 made field goals." The Nets had 8 total assists against the Kings yesterday.
Improvements defensively: protecting the paint & rebounding pic.twitter.com/BAQZ7SApN8 Shara Talia Taylor (@staliataylor) July 5, 2026 He got toasted afterwards..
Congrats Coach Dutch Gaitley on his first win as our Summer League head coach! pic.twitter.com/YDp7DmT5Dh Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) July 5, 2026 And perhaps the most gratifying part of the big win was who Gaitley did it with.
No Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Demin, Ben Saraf, Drake Powell, Danny Wolf, Joshua Jefferson, Tyler Bilodeau, Chaney Johnson! Whos left you might ask.
Well, Gaitley started with a hodge-podge of Exhibit 10s Ben Humrichous, a 69 sniper and Duke Brennan, a 610 big plus a trio of G League vets John Ukamadu, a 65 wing who played for the Motor City Cruise; Hunter Sallis, a 64 guard who played for the San Diego Clippers (whos also James Hardens cousin) and Dwight Murray Jr.
a 60 point guard from the College Park Skyhawks.
Not the A list.
Coming off the bench another Exhibit 10: Dion Brown, another wing at 64 from St.
Louis and 69 Dain Dainja who along with Brennan supplied the heft needed for the physicality.
It was Humrichous who supplied the scoring early.
Brooklyn went down 12-4 early, not surprising considering how new they were to each other.
At that point, the Illinois product who played with Keaton Wagler last season, decided the game was his, reeling off three straight threes.
The rout was on..
Former Illinois forward Ben Humrichous showed off his shooting ability for the Brooklyn Nets in their Summer League win 15 PTS (5-12 3PT) 8 REB 1 AST 2 STL pic.twitter.com/jmB5eA6wMe College Basketball News (@cbkportal) July 5, 2026 Gaitley told ND how impressed he was with Humrichous who will be in Brooklyn for training camp come October.
Coach Gaitley on Ben Humrichous: "Obviously getting up 12 threes,that's gonna be his superpower if he's going to have success in the NBA." "The thing I'm really proud of Ben is he misses it,and then the next shot he's shooting." Humrichous made 5 of 12 three-pointers today.
pic.twitter.com/Zyy2WwdILt Shara Talia Taylor (@staliataylor) July 5, 2026 Humrichous, who mostly came off the bench in Illinois, talked about how grateful he is for the opportunity.
Humrichous on the Nets' 1st Summer League win: "All the glory to God.Such a fun opportunity to go out there & play for the Nets organization today.Really proud of our team's effort,the way that we that we guarded,the way that we shared the ball the way that we made Hustle plays.
pic.twitter.com/Wyd1ZnPbyB Shara Talia Taylor (@staliataylor) July 6, 2026 Like the rest of the benchwarmers turned winners, the Summer League is going to be key to their futures and not just the three draft picks and three Exhibit 10s.
The leagues are among the most scouted in the NBA.
Teams from Europe and Asia in particular are looking for talent..
Coach Dutch Gaitley on how the team's play in Summer League impacts them staying with the team: "I think what we're trying to do here is we're trying to put them in the best position to be successful & whether that's with Brooklyn or whether that's with another ball club.
pic.twitter.com/fuoRAVrG9C Shara Talia Taylor (@staliataylor) July 6, 2026 Humrichous was one of five Nets in double figures.
He and Sallis finished with 15 each, Murray Jr.
had 14 and the two bigs, Brennan and Dainja had 10 each, Brennan adding 12 boards for a double double.
The two dominated underneath.
Next up The back-to-back-to-back ends Monday night at 8:00 p.m.
ET with a game vs.
the Warriors.
According to Gaitley, it looks like that the Nets will be at full force and that includes Brown Jr.
That is above my pay grade.
I think the plan is that he is going to play; but I dont make the final decisions, said the head coach.
Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 89, Milwaukee Bucks 69 NBA Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 89, Milwaukee Bucks 69 (Video) NBA Nets SL player grades: Hunter Sallis drops 15 in win over Bucks Sharif Keaton-Phillips USA TODAY.