The Brooklyn Nets open the 2026-27 season Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets, and after back-to-back tanking years that added up to 118 losses, the franchise is trying to move out of that lane and back toward relevance.
Brooklyn’s offseason made that intent pretty clear. The team traded for three-time All-Star Julius Randle, used the No. 6 pick in June’s draft on Mikel Brown Jr., and added Keon Ellis and Moe Wagner in free agency. Those moves set the stage for a season filled with big questions and even bigger opportunity.
Randle sits at the center of it all. His last two stops ended badly, but his recent production has been impossible to ignore.
Over the last six seasons, he has averaged 22.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting .459/.341/.785. He is one of only four players to post at least 20.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 45.0 percent or better from the field in that span, joining Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic.
At 32, Randle is the Nets’ clear top on-ball creator, and he’ll have plenty of help around him in the form of Michael Porter Jr., Egor Demin and Brown. Jordi Fernandez has gone as far as saying this could be Randle’s best playmaking season yet, and the preseason offered a hint of that upside, with Randle averaging 7.5 assists per 36 minutes.
If Brooklyn outperforms expectations, Randle could be back in the All-Star mix for the first time since 2023-24.
Brown is the name that could change the long-term shape of the roster. He is the most highly regarded draft pick of the Brooklyn era, and the 6-foot-4 guard brings logo range, live-dribble creativity, vision and high-end athletic pop. He’s only 20, but the talent is obvious.
His freshman season at Louisville was cut short by a back injury, though he still flashed major upside in limited action. Brown put up 18.2 points and 4.7 assists while shooting .410/.344/.844, and his 45-point eruption against NC State - fueled by 10 made threes - showed exactly why Brooklyn is so intrigued. In a Fernandez offense built to use his pull-up shooting, movement shooting and passing, Brown should get a real shot to handle the ball.
If he can stay efficient from deep and keep the turnovers in check, he should enter the All-Rookie conversation.
Michael Porter Jr. may end up being the toughest call on the roster. He is coming off his best statistical season and came close to earning his first All-Star nod, but his contract situation makes him one of the biggest pressure points on the team. Porter is in the final year of his deal and has not signed an extension with Brooklyn.
Sean Marks has kept the rebuild tied to flexibility, and the numbers reflect that approach. Brooklyn has no guaranteed money on the books beyond 2027-28.
Porter will be 29 after this season, has dealt with three back surgeries, and his defensive effort was a problem last season. If he is open to a shorter deal, the Nets could keep him and delay the decision.
If he pushes for a long-term commitment around his current $40 million annual salary, Brooklyn may explore trade talks before the February deadline.
The roster crunch doesn’t stop there. After using seven first-round picks over the last two drafts, the Nets are trying to sort through a crowded group of young players, and not everyone is going to get a clear runway. Three of their 2025 first-rounders - Danny Wolf, Drake Powell and Ben Saraf - were working with the third unit in preseason, in part because Chaney Johnson kept forcing his way into the picture.
Johnson impressed late last season after signing a two-way deal, then kept building momentum in Summer League. He looks like a rotation piece to start the year, and if he keeps earning minutes, Brooklyn could convert him to a standard contract sometime over the next 12 months.
That would force a corresponding move, and Saraf could be the one squeezed out, especially with Brown and Traore already in the guard mix. Even with Johnson’s rise, the Nets simply do not have room for every recent draft pick if they want to make meaningful progress toward the playoffs in 2027-28.
In Other News...
Nets Opener Put A Bigger Roster Concern Front And Center
The Nets opened their season at home with a fresh look, new uniforms and a new floor, and for a while the offense had the kind of rhythm that can make an opener feel promising. Julius Randle, Egor Dmin, Michael Porter Jr. and rookie Mikel Brown Jr. all found ways to contribute, but the early buzz could not mask a familiar issue on the other end as Brooklyn struggled to keep Charlotte out of the paint and went into halftime trailing.
Brooklyn did briefly surge after the break, with Porter Jr. sparking the third quarter and giving the crowd a reminder of how quickly the game can tilt when his shot is falling. The bigger concern, though, was less about any one scoring burst and more about whether the Nets can hold up physically against teams that attack inside and extend possessions, which is the kind of problem that tends to linger beyond one opening-night loss. [Read more 🡒]
Julius Randle Just Changed The Feel Of This Nets Rebuild
Julius Randle wasted little time making his presence felt in Brooklyn, stepping into his Nets debut and immediately looking like the sort of established piece a rebuilding team can build around. Acquired in the four-team deal that also involved Minnesota and Chicago, Randle arrived with the expectation that he could help steady a new-look roster, and his opening-night performance showed exactly why the front office made the move.
Even in a loss to Charlotte, the Nets got a glimpse of a more competitive ceiling with Randle on the floor, the kind of impact that can change the tone of a season before it really settles in. The question now is how quickly Brooklyn can turn one strong debut into something more sustainable, especially with a roster still trying to find its shape around him. [Read more 🡒]
Mikel Brown Jr. Gave Nets Fans Hope Despite One Clear Limitation
Mikel Brown Jr. made a sharp first impression in Brooklyns preseason, putting up 15 points in 18 minutes while knocking down two 3-pointers and adding two steals. For a Nets team still sorting out its young talent and new pieces, that kind of burst offered a glimpse of how quickly Brown can impact a game when hes on the floor, especially on nights when the offense starts finding a better rhythm.
Jordi Fernndez did pump the brakes a bit on the excitement, saying Browns playing time was being handled carefully as a precaution after recent back and ankle issues. The broader message from the preseason was encouraging for Brooklyn, though, with Charlotte coach Charles Lee pointing to the Nets improved offense and noting how players like Egor Demin, Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle made them look dangerous. The only real question now is how much more Brown can show once the workload starts to climb. [Read more 🡒]