The Nets spent last season crawling through possessions, and the numbers tell the story plainly: Brooklyn ranked 25th in pace at 97.1, 30th in offensive rating at 108.7 and 30th in scoring at 105.9 points per game. That kind of offensive output leaves little margin for error, especially in a conference where every possession matters.
Next season, though, the expectation is that Brooklyn will try to flip the script by leaning into what this roster has in abundance: youth, legs and the chance to run. The Nets have 12 players age 25 or under, and that kind of group should be built to push the ball, pressure defenses and make opponents work from one end of the floor to the other.
Transition offense has to be the engine. That means getting out on turnovers, filling the lanes after defensive rebounds and turning stops into instant offense. The idea is simple enough: speed up the game, force mistakes and create easier looks before the defense can get set.
Keon Ellis looks like a big part of that on the defensive side. As the point-of-attack defender, he brings the kind of disruption that can start the break before it ever reaches half court. He averaged 1.2 steals last season, including 1.1 with the Sacramento Kings and 1.3 with the Cleveland Cavaliers after being traded.
Ellis’ activity shows up everywhere. He gets into passing lanes, stays active with his hands in rotation and can turn closeouts into problems for ball handlers by chopping his feet and timing his steal or block.
The advanced numbers back up the eye test, too. He finished in the 90th percentile range in multiple defensive stats per 100 possessions, with 2.7 steals ranking 93rd, 1.5 blocks ranking 95th, 6.4 deflections ranking 96th, 1.6 turnovers forced ranking 96th and his stop percentage ranking 98th.
On the other end, Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. give Brooklyn the chance to “grab-and-go” after a defensive rebound. Both averaged more than six rebounds per game, and Randle also averaged five assists last season. That kind of quick decision-making can spark easy points and, with a young roster, keep the pressure on opponents possession after possession.
General manager Sean Marks gave Jordi Fernández a roster that fits the scheme and gives the Nets a chance to reshape their identity without tanking. Randle said the team will exceed any expectations the media has set for them, which are pretty low, with ESPN’s 18-64 record prediction.
If Brooklyn is going to make that jump, pace is not just a preference. It’s the blueprint.
Speed can lift the offense, create better shot quality and make close games more manageable in a crowded Eastern Conference. The Nets were left behind last season.
This time, they seem intent on getting out ahead.
In Other News...
Michael Porter Jr. Just Set A Massive Expectation For The Nets
The Nets spent last season mired near the bottom of the East, finishing 20-62 and giving little reason for optimism on paper. Still, Michael Porter Jr. is already pushing the conversation in a different direction, expressing confidence that Brooklyn can be better than most people expect and pointing to the way he sees his game fitting alongside Julius Randle.
Porter Jr. also made it clear the next step is as much about him as the roster around him. He wants to sharpen his conditioning and become more effective away from the ball so he can score more efficiently, and that individual growth now sits right alongside the bigger challenge of proving Brooklyns ceiling is higher than last season suggested. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Rebuild Faces A Bigger Test Than Next Seasons Record
The rebuild in Brooklyn is about more than sorting out a roster, because the team is trying to climb while the Knicks sit atop the league and look positioned to stay there. The Nets have held onto their first-round picks through 2025, a clear sign they are choosing patience over shortcuts, and the focus now is on developing young talent such as Egor Demin, Mikel Brown Jr. and Noah Clowney.
Joe Tsai has already acknowledged where the local balance of power stands, but the bigger point for the Nets is that they are steering their own course instead of reacting to the noise next door. For a franchise in the middle of a rebuild, the real challenge is not just improving the record, but proving the organization can make the right calls while the bar across town keeps getting higher. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Still Have One Roster Decision Nets Fans Will Notice
The Knicks have been busy sorting out the edges of their preseason roster, reaching contract agreements with John Konchar and Drew Eubanks while staying in contact with veteran guard Gabe Vincent and big men Duop Reath and James Wiseman. For Brooklyn fans, the more relevant part is the way those moves ripple through the division, because the Knicks are still building out a 21-man group and have three open two-way slots to work with as camp decisions start to take shape.
Second-round pick Tyler Nickel looks likely to claim one of those two-way spots, and Kevin McCullar Jr. remains a candidate to re-sign, leaving at least one roster question still hanging as the Knicks continue to sort through their options. Off the floor, Jalen Brunson and his family have also launched Thirty Third Management Group, a brand advisory firm focused on athlete business and with an eye toward expanding into womens professional sports, another reminder of how much the Knicks orbit keeps growing beyond the court. [Read more 🡒]