The Nets finally have their first win, but the bigger picture in Brooklyn still looks unfinished.
Sunday’s 98-90 road victory over the Indiana Pacers snapped a five-game losing streak to open the season, yet it didn’t exactly erase the questions hanging over a roster that was built to take a step forward. Brooklyn brought in veterans this offseason to steady a young group, and Julius Randle was supposed to be a major part of that push.
So far, the fit is still a work in progress.
Randle arrived from the Minnesota Timberwolves with the hope of leading the offense the way he did with the New York Knicks six years ago. He’s long been a proven scorer, but this version of his career looks different.
Instead of carrying a playoff-caliber team, he’s now trying to help guide a young roster while adjusting to a new role in Brooklyn. He’s also back in the New York area, something he’s said he’s happy about since his family lived there for five seasons during his Knicks run.
After the win over Indiana, Randle didn’t sugarcoat where things stand.
"We've got a lot to improve on," Randle said after the win on Sunday. "I'm happy for the group.
We've been working real hard. We're sticking together in tough moments...
But it's just a start - we know we can be a lot better. We need to continue to grow and build off what we did."
That’s the reality for a Nets team still searching for rhythm. Randle and Michael Porter Jr. are the two biggest offensive pieces on the roster, and both are averaging more than 20 points per game. But the connection between them hasn’t fully clicked yet, and that’s been part of the problem during Brooklyn’s slow start in 2026-27.
Porter Jr. opened up after the Nets’ fourth loss of the season on Friday, and he was direct about the adjustments still needed between the two veterans.
"There's definitely times out there that I'm going long stretches without touching the ball… But that’s not the plan," he said. "When Julius gets the ball, he's a really good passer.
So we need to make ourselves available and be able to play off of him better. Sometimes he's getting the iso and we're just staring at him… I've got to figure out how to stay more involved sometimes."
Asked MPJ about the Nets' offensive struggles and his adjustment to playing alongside Julius Randle: “There’s definitely times out there that I'm going long stretches without touching the ball… But that’s not the plan… I have to do a better job of maybe telling the point guards or telling Julius and them. Also, when Julius gets the ball, he's a really good passer.
So we need to make ourselves available and be able to play off of him better. Sometimes he's getting the iso and we're just staring at him… I've got to figure out how to stay more involved sometimes.”
- Erik Slater (@ErikSlater_) October 31, 2026
For Brooklyn, the challenge is bigger than one win or one rough stretch. The roster is young, the veterans are still sorting out how to share the floor, and the Nets need both Randle and Porter Jr. to help push the group toward playoff contention in the spring.
Randle has lived that kind of pressure before with the Knicks. Porter Jr. is only in his second season as a team leader, and the learning curve is still very much in front of him.
In Other News...
Pacers Let A Shorthanded Nets Team Expose A Bigger Problem
A shorthanded Nets group found enough offense to beat the Pacers 98-90, and Nolan Traore was a big reason why. After a slow start, the guard helped turn the game in Brooklyns favor with a steadier second half, finishing with 14 points and six assists while Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle added important scoring support.
Day'Ron Sharpe also gave the Nets a lift inside with 15 points and 13 rebounds, a reminder that the roster can still produce when pieces are missing. Even so, the win came with a familiar caveat for Brooklyn, which was already playing without Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr., leaving the team to lean heavily on its depth and on Traores ability to settle things down when the game tightened. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Suddenly Face A Porter Problem That Could Crush His Trade Value
Michael Porter Jr. and the Nets have been working through extension talks since July 6, but the sides still have not found common ground. The delay has only sharpened the conversation around his future in Brooklyn, especially after a career year in which he averaged 24.2 points and 7.1 rebounds. For a player coming off that kind of season, the talent is obvious. The challenge is figuring out what kind of long-term commitment the market is willing to make.
What makes this situation tricky for Brooklyn is that the longer the talks drag on, the more the trade chatter grows around Porter. Teams considering a move for him would have to weigh both his production and the possibility that he could be on a short clock after the trade deadline. That combination can make a deal harder to build, and it leaves the Nets in an awkward spot as they try to balance his value now against the uncertainty of where this all goes next. [Read more 🡒]
Moritz Wagner Is Giving The Nets A Bench Boost They Needed
Moritz Wagner has given the Nets a useful jolt off the bench early in the season, bringing scoring and spacing in a role Brooklyn has needed. Through the first six games, he has fit in smoothly, giving the second unit a reliable interior presence while also stretching the floor in a way that opens up the offense.
His impact showed up in Brooklyns first win of the season, when he finished with 14 points, six rebounds and a block. He has also knocked down at least one three-pointer in every game so far, a steady sign of how quickly he has become part of the rotation as the Nets head into an upcoming matchup with the Knicks. [Read more 🡒]