PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 3: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson #24 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket against Richaun Holmes #22 of the Philadelphia 76ers in the second quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on April 3, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Brooklyn Nets forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson can become a restricted free agent after this season, but has shown enough to stay for the long term.

Despite Rondae Hollis-Jefferson‘s recent injury while playing in Jeremy Lin‘s charity event in China last weekend, it is expected that he will be back for the opener of the Brooklyn Nets season in October.

With that being said, the Nets need to stick with RHJ through this injury, and keep him a part of the their long-term plan. At only 23 years old, the Nets have to keep Hollis-Jefferson around for the long haul due to the improvement he has already showed in his short career in Brooklyn.

Looking at the numbers, RHJ improved his mid-range shooting percentage from .347 two seasons ago to a much-improved .477 last season.

Hollis-Jefferson makes his living posting up and shooting from the mid-range, and with this kind of improvement in just one season, RHJ has proven that he has what it takes to be a part of the Nets’ young core.

Aside from his rising shooting percentage, Hollis-Jefferson shot a career-high from the field overall at .472 and from the charity stripe at .788.

The young Net averaged 13.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a small-ball power forward. What impressed many the most about Hollis-Jefferson’s extreme rise in numbers was the fact that he did all of these while Kenny Atkinson moved him from the 3 to the 4.

When commenting on the Nets organization as a whole, Hollis-Jefferson said at the end of last season:

“The program’s great. Just the structure, the organization, everything that they have in place is phenomenal and we believe in it.”

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has proved to be a team player in his career with the Nets and his leadership both on and off the floor must stay a part of the Nets long term plan.