The Brooklyn Nets spent the 2026 offseason trying to climb out of the hole left by a 20-62 finish, but most of their own fanbase still isn’t buying a big jump this year.
In a recent NetsDaily poll, 58% of respondents said they expect Brooklyn to land as a bottom-5 seed in the Eastern Conference this season. Another 21% picked the Nets to finish as a seventh- or eighth-seed, while 15% believe Brooklyn will end up ninth or 10th. Just 6% think the Nets will crack the top six in the East.
Brooklyn did make a clear push to improve after last season. The biggest swing came early in free agency, when the Nets traded for Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle. That move made the direction obvious, especially with Brooklyn not owning its own first-round pick next year.
The roster shuffle didn’t stop there. The Nets also brought in guard Keon Ellis and center Moritz Wagner, while re-signing center Day'Ron Sharpe and forward Josh Minott.
There were losses, too. Center Nic Claxton went to the Chicago Bulls in the deal that brought Randle to Brooklyn, and forward Ziaire Williams left for the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency.
Brooklyn also used the 2026 NBA Draft to add more young talent, taking Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. with the No. 6 overall pick. The Nets then selected forwards Joshua Jefferson at No. 28 and Tyler Bilodeau at No. 43.
Training camp is set to open at the end of the month, and the broader view around the league is that Brooklyn should at least finish with more than 20 wins, which would mark an improvement from last season. Even so, the East looks tougher with LeBron James signing with the Philadelphia 76ers and Kawhi Leonard being traded to the Toronto Raptors, and Nets fans clearly aren’t expecting a sudden breakout.
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Nets Have One Huge Question About The New Randle Porter Fit
Julius Randle is already talking about how his game can mesh with Michael Porter Jr. in Brooklyn, and it is easy to see the appeal from the Nets side. Porter just delivered a career-best season as the teams primary scorer, giving the offense a proven perimeter threat, while Randle brings a different kind of pressure with his size, scoring and ability to make plays for others. Put together, the pairing gives Brooklyn a chance to stretch defenses in ways it has not always been able to do.
The intrigue is in how the fit actually works once the games count. Randles playmaking and interior presence should help open space for Porter, whose shooting can punish any extra attention, and the Nets are clearly hoping those skill sets can create cleaner offensive looks across the floor. For a team looking to maximize two productive scorers with very different strengths, the concept makes sense now. The real question is whether it holds up when opposing defenses start forcing the issue. [Read more 🡒]
Egor Dmins Year 2 Focus Should Grab Nets Fans Attention
Egor Dmins offseason has been built around more than just getting stronger for his second NBA season with the Brooklyn Nets. In a video he shared, Dmin walked through the approach behind his training, stressing that the work matters more than how it looks from the outside. He also gave credit to Zach Gonzalez for helping support that process, while making clear that his preparation has included both the physical grind and the mental side of staying ready.
For a young player trying to carve out a bigger role, that kind of focus is a good sign for Brooklyn. Dmin talked about the value of building relationships with teammates and keeping a healthy balance between body and mind during the offseason, which is the sort of foundation teams hope to see from players heading into a pivotal year. The Nets will be watching closely to see how that preparation translates once the season gets going. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Face A Risky Dilemma In Their Next Push To Contend
The Nets are again at the point where the front office has to decide how aggressive it wants to be. With Julius Randle now in the picture and a young core that includes Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn is weighing whether future draft picks should become part of the price for a quicker climb back into playoff contention by 2027.
It is the kind of choice that can define the next phase of the franchise. Brooklyn has some room to pursue upgrades, but a 2027 pick swap controlled by the Houston Rockets limits how cleanly it can operate, forcing the team to balance long-term patience against the pull of trying to improve now. If the Nets move off draft capital, they are signaling they believe the current timeline can be accelerated, even if it means narrowing their margin for error later. [Read more 🡒]