The Brooklyn Nets are facing off the Sacramento Kings and the Nets are down a man. While going up for a rebound, Noah Clowney landed awkwardly on Domantas Sabonis’ foot and immediately went down. He was seen limping off the court after twisting his left ankle, and it looked pretty painful. He had to be assisted to the locker room.

Remember, he has already missed a decent chunk of the season after spraining that same ankle. Based on how things went down this time, it doesn’t seem like he’ll be back anytime soon. He had hurt his left ankle against the same team on November 25th and was sidelined for two weeks. Tough luck for Clowney, who was hoping to stay healthy this year.

And he has been ruled out for the remainder of the match. He will wrap up the game with six points (2-of-7 shooting, 2-of-7 from three) and grabbed one rebound in 12 minutes. Clowney, the second-year forward from Alabama, has been impressive from beyond the arc. With the Kings struggling to defend the three-pointer, he was an essential part of Brooklyn’s plan.

Sacramento sits 21st in three-point attempts allowed (38.7) and 29th in made threes (14.6), a figure that jumps to nearly 15 on the road. These numbers should give Clowney plenty of chances to hit his 3-point prop, but it wasn’t meant to be.

But as the Nets begin their rebuild, the 20YO forward looks like one player who could be a foundational piece for the franchise.

No one is certain about the Nets roster maybe except for Noah Clowney

While many players’ futures are uncertain, Clowney is expected to be a cornerstone. With a contract that runs through 2027, Clowney is a rare bright spot on a team undergoing major changes.

After a strong shooting stretch, Clowney, just 20 years old, has struggled lately. His shots haven’t been as easy, but he remains confident, telling The Post, “I’ve got to go out and make some of them. It ain’t much to it.” Despite his cold stretch, which included a rough 2-for-10 performance against Phoenix on Wednesday, Clowney is still one of Brooklyn’s key prospects.

Coming off a rookie year that saw him bounce between the NBA and G League, Clowney showed promise at the end of last season. However, it wasn’t until veteran Dorian Finney-Smith was traded that Clowney got his chance to secure the starting power forward role, and he’s been adjusting ever since.

Now, teams are starting to key in on him, making his opportunities more difficult. “Teams don’t leave me open like they did before,” he said. His recent struggles, averaging just 10 points and 4.8 rebounds in his last five games, are a result of the increased pressure. Clowney’s journey will be a key storyline as Brooklyn continues to rebuild.