Investment in Tyshawn Taylor and Toko Shengelia looking like it will pay off

The Nets have invested a lot in Tyshawn Taylor and Toko Shengelia, more than most teams have on second round picks. Monday night, it looked like it would pay off as the two combined for 25 points, with Taylor scoring 14 points and hitting the dagger and Shengelia going for a double-double in the first game where played more than nine minutes.

The Nets had to pay $2.75 million for the picks they used to take them, $2 million to buy the #41 pick (Taylor) and $750,000 to buy the #54 pick (Shengelia). They also paid a reported $300,000 to buy out Shengelia's contract with his Belgian team. Both were given guaranteed two-year rookie minimum contracts, each valued at $1,262,476. Then add the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax the Nets have to pay and the grand total for the two of them is $8,099,904.

And they didn't have to invest any of it. The Nets had one second round pick on Draft Night last June, the #57 pick that they used on Ilkan Karaman, now playing in Turkey. Once picked, they could have been given non-guaranteed deals, like the one their teammate Kris Joseph got from Boston after being taken at #51. It's another value of having ownership that has been willing, thus far, to lay down big bucks, even for small things. Not to mention good scouting.

Although neither got much time on the court before Monday, their increasingly frequent forays to the D-League showed they can play a bit. Taylor finished third in D-League scoring at 24.6; Shengelia right behind him at 24.3. Both shot a little better than 36 percent from three and Shengelia hit 52.7 percent of all his shots. The big Georgian also averaged 8.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Shengelia also tied the Springfield Armor's single game scoring record at 39.

The two are unlikely to see much more time this year. Starters are back Wednesday and the two rookies are unlikely to see action in the playoffs, other than blowouts. Some in the Nets hierarchy would like to have seen them play more. Others would like to have seen them get more time in Springfield to enhance their development. Sill, after Monday night, it looks like Tyshawn and Toko have game. They're already fan favorites.

• Tyshawn Taylor Makes Most of Present While Preparing for Future - Michael Scotto - SNY Nets
• Tyshawn Taylor shines in the pick-and-roll in his "playoffs" - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game