NBA InsidersMultiple AuthorsSep 16, 2026, 07:10 AM ETOpen Extended ReactionsThe Brooklyn Nets had another troubling season in 2025-26, finishing near the bottom of the league with a 20-62 record — their third worst in franchise history. Plus, to add insult to injury, their crosstown rivals, the New York Knicks, celebrated with the city after winning their first NBA championship in 53 years.However, the Nets are looking toward the future, starting with the development of their young core after GM Sean Marks used his stockpile of a historic five first-round picks in 2025 to nab Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf, and added three more from this year’s deep draft class.Their biggest offseason acquisition was trading for Julius Randle, who will be joining Michael Porter Jr., Moritz Wagner and Keon Ellis to lead this young core under third-year coach Jordi Fernandez.But will this all be enough for the Nets to start building toward contention in an increasingly competitive Eastern Conference?ESPN’s staff of experts is looking back at the offseason and taking an early look at the 2026-27 season, with 30 previews — one for every team — rolling out each weekday through Friday. We’re answering the biggest looming questions, evaluating X factors and much more.Quick links: Roster | Depth chart | Transactions More Nets coverage | More NBAOffseason at a glanceKey additions: F Julius Randle, G Mikel Brown Jr., G Keon Ellis Key subtractions: C Nic Claxton Key retentions: C Day’Ron Sharpe, F Josh MinottOnce commissioner Adam Silver responded to last season’s shameless tankathon by nearly a third of the league’s teams by implementing a draft lottery reform, the Nets could no longer slow-play their rebuild by hoping for ping-pong luck. Getting Randle back to New York, but this time across town from his former team, and one he watched win an NBA championship without him, was a big move for the Nets.
Plus, drafting a promising point guard, Brown at No. 6, in this year’s draft adds to a glut of guards on the roster, but the Nets were in serious need of a talent upgrade across the board. Even with the addition of Randle, who’s due to make $33.3 million this season, the Nets are still well below the salary cap, meaning they can take in plenty of money in deals should the opportunity present itself. — Vincent GoodwillZach Kram’s offseason grade: B-The Nets mostly used their cap space on small-scale contracts: Minott, Ellis, Wagner and Sharpe — the last of those quietly one of the best deals of the offseason. Their largest outlay came from trading Claxton in a deal that brought back former All-NBA forward Randle, which should improve the team next season — because of Randle’s availability and floor-raising talent — but doesn’t do much to aid the Nets’ murky longer-term outlook. Brooklyn doesn’t control its 2027 first-round pick, with Houston holding swap rights. — KramWhat we learned this offseasonFrom Ben Golliver’s offseason lessons piece: The Nets are still buying time.The Houston Rockets own the right to swap 2027 first-round picks with the Nets, so Brooklyn entered the summer with motivation to take a big swing.
If the Nets’ ongoing youth movement was unlikely to deliver a lottery pick next June, why not dangle some of their future draft assets in trades that could help them be more competitive after a dismal 20-win campaign?Although Brooklyn acquired Randle in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the 31-year-old forward isn’t talented enough to carry a contender or young enough to shepherd the Nets’ next era. Randle should help Brooklyn make progress in the standings, but plugging him in as a stopgap doesn’t qualify as a long-term plan.Nets general manager Sean Marks has preached the importance of strategic “flexibility,” and for now that means waiting on the development of lottery picks Demin and Brown. Demin’s strong showing at summer league hinted that the Russian guard could be headed for a second-year breakout that would bring much-needed clarity to the wayward Nets. — GolliverThe big question: Can the Nets form an identity against the backdrop of Knicks mania?It would be easy to say the Nets aren’t paying attention to what’s happening in Manhattan, but nobody would believe that. For years, the Nets’ biggest advantage was that the Knicks hadn’t found their way to contention, which is now no longer the case.
Porter is in the last year of his deal and was productive before being shut down in the last month of the season as the Nets angled for better draft positioning. The Nets held on to each of their first-round picks from 2025, throwing them into the deep end, and hopefully those swings will start showing promise starting this season. Adding Randle will help at least ease any unwanted attention, as he’ll field the questions and pressure of playing for New York’s second-thought team. That group needs an innings eater, especially as Brown comes into his own, and Randle, if nothing else, will take up plenty of minutes and shots as the Nets hope to gain an identity before beginning to think of developing a foothold in New York. — GoodwillBasketball Power Index rank: No. 29Here are the predicted net points per 100 possessions for the Nets’ top seven players for the 2026-27 season:Randle’s decline in the second half of last season was plain to see.
He posted plus-2.2 net points per 100 possessions in the first half of the season, just 0.0 in the second half, along with 10 negative games out of 13 in the playoffs. Such a sudden drop-off was probably either due to injury or the situation in Minnesota demotivating him. However, he should be solid and make the Nets a bit more competitive this season. — Dean OliverRead about how net points works here.Biggest X factor this seasonG Nolan Traore, G Drake Powell, G Ben Saraf and F Danny WolfDemin, the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft, looked like a solid NBA player in his rookie season before injury cut it short, and he took even greater strides in a summer league cameo. But the other four members of Brooklyn’s large class of 2024 first-round picks offer much more uncertain futures.The Nets probably knew they weren’t going to go a perfect five-for-five with their picks that year, particularly because Demin was the only lottery selection.
But it would sure be nice if at least one or two others flashed greater potential in their sophomore seasons, so the Nets can pencil them with greater confidence into their long-term plans. — KramFantasy insight from our expertFantasy insight ahead of the season: Pay close attention to the Nets’ young starting backcourt of rookie No. 5 pick Brown and last season’s No. 8 overall selection Demin. Demin battled injury for much of his rookie campaign and averaged roughly 10/3/3 in 52 games, but he showed flashes of all-around upside and averaged 21.0 PPG, 4.3 APG and 2.3 SPG in 25.3 MPG in Las Vegas summer league. Brown, meanwhile, showed flashes of his own this summer while averaging 16.7 PPG and 4.0 APG in 22.5 MPG in summer league. The rebuilding Nets should give their backcourt of the future plenty of minutes and opportunities to produce fantasy-worthy stats this season. — Andre SnellingsOdds by DraftKings at time of publication.
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