Jordi Fernández is heading into next season with a roster that pulls him in two directions at once. On one side, Brooklyn has veterans who can help the team win right now. On the other, there’s a young core that needs minutes, reps and a real look if the Nets want to build something lasting.
That tension starts with Sean Marks’ active offseason. He brought in Julius Randle, Keon Ellis and Moritz Wagner, while also adding three rookies in Mikel Brown Jr., Joshua Jefferson and Tyler Bilodeau.
Randle is set as a starter and is the roster’s most experienced player. Ellis and Wagner are expected to come off the bench.
Brown could end up as the starting point guard, Jefferson is in a competitive battle at forward, and Bilodeau is on a two-way contract.
Those newcomers join a group already known as the "Flatbush Five": Egor Dëmin, Danny Wolf, Drake Powell, Nolan Traoré and Ben Saraf. Dëmin has already made a strong impression this summer, earning All-Summer League Second Team honors and putting himself in position to start next to Brown.
Fernández, though, won’t be working with a clean timeline. Brooklyn does not control its first-round pick swap next offseason, after sending it to the Houston Rockets in the 2024 offseason.
With the new lottery reform rules, the Nets have no reason to chase losses in a way that would improve Houston’s lottery position. At the same time, they’ve added enough talent that losing games should be difficult anyway.
Randle, Ellis and Wagner all raise the floor with scoring, playmaking and defense. Marks did not bring them in to sit through a rebuild; he wants wins, and this group has enough depth to matter in a crowded Eastern Conference.
Randle will also be paired with Michael Porter Jr., who is coming off a career year with 24.2 points per game and 36.3% shooting from three. Porter hit 40% from deep before an All-Star snub changed his motivation to help Brooklyn win. ESPN placed Randle and Porter together in its top 60 on the top 100 list.
That leaves Fernández with another familiar challenge: finding the right blend around his two veterans. Terance Mann is one option. So are Wolf, Traoré, Saraf and Powell, all of whom could push for extended minutes after Fernández gave young players real run last season.
Brooklyn’s roster is crowded, young and still taking shape. Training camp should start sorting out who’s ready to contribute and who still has work to do.
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