Morez Johnson Jr. didn’t hesitate when asked which rookie he’d trust with the biggest shot in the building.
He pointed to Mikel Brown Jr.
That kind of nod matters, especially for a player who may walk into Brooklyn with a real chance to matter right away. Brown is expected to compete for a Rookie of the Year-level season, even with AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson all in the mix for that conversation.
The Nets also appear likely to hand Brown the starting point guard job from the jump, pairing him with Egor Demin. That setup won’t put the ball in Brown’s hands every possession, though. Julius Randle, Michael Porter Jr. and Demin are all expected to command plenty of touches, which could force the Louisville product into a more off-ball role early on.
For Brooklyn, that may be part of the plan. Brown can soak up reps around established creators while sharpening the side of his game the Nets want to grow over time. If that develops the way they hope, he could become a problem for defenses as his career moves forward.
Brown brings the kind of tools that can bend a game: limitless range, fearlessness attacking the rim and enough shot-making confidence to take tough looks. At times, that can lead to shots that feel a little ambitious. But in today’s NBA, the line between reckless and acceptable has shifted, and Brooklyn will likely live with the misses if he’s knocking down enough from deep.
There’s more to his game than just heat-check shot-making, too. Brown already looks comfortable managing pace, especially in the pick-and-roll, and his floater stands out.
He also doesn’t seem easy to shake. Defenses may try to crowd him, send extra bodies and force mistakes, but from what he’s shown on the floor and in interviews, rattling him is easier said than done.
Brooklyn’s offense is likely to run through Randle and Porter to open the season, but that picture could change by the trade deadline. If Randle and/or Porter are moved, Brown could get a much bigger runway late in the year. By then, he’d have more NBA experience, and that could set him up for the kind of breakout stretch teams love to uncover as the season wears on.
In Other News...
How An Old Nets Salary Dump Just Paid Off Again
The Nets found another bit of value from a deal that dates back to 2018, when a salary-clearing move involving Jeremy Lin sent out a second-round pick that eventually worked its way back into Brooklyns hands. In the 2026 NBA Draft, that same pick became Tyler Bilodeau, the 6-foot-8 UCLA forward whose game fits the modern profile the organization keeps targeting.
Bilodeau signed a two-way contract, giving Brooklyn a low-cost look at a player expected to help with shooting and positional flexibility. For a team that has leaned on clever roster management for years, it is a reminder that even an old transaction can still shape the next wave of development, especially when the return is a forward who can stretch the floor and add versatility on the margins. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Fans Just Got A Reminder About One Recent Roster Cut
The Raptors latest roster move offered a familiar kind of reminder for Nets fans: a recently cut guard is already finding his next opportunity. Toronto has converted Jaden Bradleys two-way deal into a standard NBA contract, a multi-year agreement that reflects how quickly teams can reshape the back end of a roster when they believe a young player has earned a longer look.
Brooklyn, meanwhile, is seeing a name it just let go pop right back into the league picture. Malachi Smith, who was waived by the Nets recently, is expected to slide into the two-way opening left by Bradley in Toronto, giving him another chance to stick after Brooklyn moved on. For the Nets, it is another small roster note, but the kind that tends to linger when a player leaves one situation and lands in another almost immediately. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Training Camp Will Reveal If This Roster Can Actually Fit
Brooklyns training camp is set to be less about a playoff push and more about figuring out what this roster can become. For the Nets, the real value lies in player development, with Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle both in position to show what they can bring while also setting themselves up for future contract talks.
Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr. give the camp a different kind of urgency, since both are trying to sharpen their games and adjust to the speed and physicality of NBA competition. If the Nets are going to make any real progress this season, it will start with how quickly those players build chemistry and how well the pieces begin to fit together. [Read more 🡒]