The Nets are about to get their first real look at a roster built for flexibility, and Jordi Fernandez may need to lean into that right away.
Brooklyn opens preseason Tuesday night against the Charlotte Hornets, and with a new look around the roster, there’s no shortage of lineup questions waiting for Fernandez. The Nets have added fresh faces this offseason, and they’re also hoping to see more from their young core after last season. Egor Demin, one of Brooklyn’s first-round picks from 2025, is part of that group the team believes can help push the Nets toward a play-in run.
That gives Fernandez plenty to work with. The Nets have depth, even if questions still linger about the top end of the roster. That kind of setup should give the head coach room to experiment, and he shouldn’t feel boxed into one set starting five.
The expected starters entering the season are Demin, Mikel Brown Jr., Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle and Day’Ron Sharpe. But there’s no reason Fernandez has to treat that as a fixed plan. Injuries will inevitably force changes over the course of the season, but he doesn’t need to wait for that to start testing different combinations.
Brooklyn is still in rebuild mode to some degree, even with no control over its first-round pick in 2027. That alone should give Fernandez the freedom to shuffle lineups based on opponent, matchup and whatever the night calls for.
He could even go further than rotating the starting group. The idea of bringing Porter or Randle off the bench at times should at least be on the table, even if it would be a tough conversation. Randle hasn’t been a reserve since the 2018-19 season, and Porter hasn’t come off the bench since 2020-21.
Still, this is the kind of year where Brooklyn should be open to anything. The young players need reps in different roles, the roster has enough depth to support experimentation, and Fernandez has every reason to get creative with his first five.
In Other News...
Nets Camp Battle Just Got More Serious With Two Young Pieces Limited
Josh Minott has spent the summer and early part of camp trying to show he belongs in a crowded Brooklyn rotation picture, and coach Jordi Fernandez has noticed. Fernandez has already praised Minotts work in the teams competitive camp environment, while the forward himself has talked about how important it is to keep competing at this stage of his career. For a roster trying to sort out roles and identify who can handle the demands of the season, that sort of internal push matters.
The intrigue around the young group only grows with the health picture around it. Center Danny Wolf will wear ankle braces this season after dealing with a previous sprain, while lottery pick Mikel Brown Jr. is still working back from an ankle injury even as he sounded upbeat about the team at the annual Fan Fest. Brooklyn has made a point of leaning into development, but the status of those two young pieces adds another layer to a camp battle that already has the feel of something more than just an audition. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Rookie Point Guard Battle Suddenly Looks A Lot More Real
The Nets got a useful look at their rookie guards in a preseason win over the Hornets, and both Nolan Traor and Ben Saraf made the kind of case that can change a camp conversation fast. With Brooklyn already sorting through its guard rotation, the backup point guard battle suddenly feels less like a long-term evaluation and more like something the staff may have to start weighing in real time.
Sarafs improved three-point shooting stood out, while Traor showed more of the rim pressure that makes him such an intriguing fit in the open floor. The competition is far from settled, though, and with three preseason games still to come, the Nets have a little more time to see whether one rookie can separate himself or whether this remains one of camps more closely watched decisions. [Read more 🡒]
Nets New-Look Rotation Just Gave Fans A Reason To Buy In
The early signs of Brooklyns new-look rotation were encouraging in a preseason romp over Charlotte, a 124-90 win that offered a little of everything the Nets have been hoping to see. They hit 20 three-pointers, came out firing from deep and never let the Hornets settle in, using a steady second-half push to turn a comfortable lead into a lopsided finish.
Michael Porter Jr. led the way with 16 points, while Julius Randle added 13 as Brooklyns offensive flow looked sharper than it has at other points in the exhibition slate. It is still preseason, of course, but the combination of perimeter shooting and control for long stretches gave the Nets something tangible to point to as they continue sorting out how this rotation fits together. [Read more 🡒]