Nets forward Jalen Wilson showing he could be part of teams future

The opportunity could be fleeting for Jalen Wilson.His window to start for the Nets — one that opened the last two games — could last only for as long as Cam Johnson remains out with a right ankle sprain and an already shorthanded Brooklyn lineup needs to adjust.But with Johnson the subject of trade rumors and a candidate for the rebuilding Nets to deal away before the Feb.

6 deadline, games such as Saturday’s could also provide a glimpse of the future.The Nets’ second-round pick in the 2023 draft, Wilson falls into the category of players who could stick throughout their rebuild — unlike Johnson, unlike now-Warriors guard Dennis Schroder, unlike now-Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith.Wilson falls into the category of young players head coach Jordi Fernandez wants to help develop and mold.

And during the Nets’ 106-97 loss to the Heat at Barclays Center, Wilson flashed the latest step in that growth by grabbing a season-high nine rebounds and posting a career-best eight assists to accompany 12 points in more than 35 minutes of playing time.The 6-foot-8 forward’s numbers have received a bump during his second season, with Wilson averaging 9.3 points (up from 5.0 as a rookie), 8.2 shot attempts (up from 4.2) and 4.5 3-point attempts (up from 1.7) per game.His expanded production in Brooklyn’s offense has coincided with his increased role.

On a night when he fell one rebound and two assists shy of what would have been the first triple-double of his career, Wilson delivered a blueprint for what his future contributions could resemble.“I know I can rebound,” Wilson said after the game, “and I just got to go out and do it.Obviously, not every game is going to be a high-rebound game, but just having the mindset to be aggressive on the boards is definitely something that I want to have always because it helps the team.”Wilson either assisted or scored on three of the Nets’ opening four baskets Saturday, with his layup coming in transition after ...