The Brooklyn Nets spent the 2026 offseason trying to build a roster that can make them more competitive in 2026-27, and the first move of the summer set the tone: a trade for Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle. That upgrade has done enough to leave a chunk of the fan base feeling better about what comes next.
A NetsDaily poll posted Monday showed 63% of voters - 19 in all - expecting Brooklyn to land somewhere in the 30-39 win range next season. The poll is still open for three more days from this writing, but the next-largest group, at 26%, thinks the Nets will finish between 20 and 29 wins.
That optimism stands in contrast to outside projections. Bleacher Report’s latest team-by-team forecast had Brooklyn going 22-60, while BetMGM set the Nets’ win total at 24.5. That line would still point to an improvement over 2025-26, when Brooklyn finished 20-62.
Randle wasn’t the only addition. The Nets also brought in guard Keon Ellis and center Mo Wagner, then kept center Day'Ron Sharpe and forward Josh Minott in free agency. To make the Randle deal work, Brooklyn sent center Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls, and forward Ziaire Williams departed in free agency for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Whether all of that is enough to move the Nets forward will depend in part on how young players like Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Demin perform. The broader picture, though, is clear: plenty of the league expects Brooklyn to stay near the bottom, but a section of Nets fans thinks this group can do more than that.
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Nets Face A Defining Identity Test Around Randle And Porter Jr
Brooklyns rebuild has taken a more veteran-leaning turn since 2024, with Julius Randle, Moritz Wagner and Keon Ellis all brought in to help stabilize a roster still trying to define what it wants to be. For Jordi Fernndez, the challenge is less about collecting talent than finding a workable blend, especially with Michael Porter Jr. coming off a strong individual season but still looking like a tricky fit alongside the young core.
Porter gives the Nets a scoring presence they cant ignore, yet his style has not always meshed cleanly with what Brooklyn has been building around him. That leaves the organization staring at a familiar kind of offseason and in-season crossroads, one where the long-term shape of the roster may hinge on whether the current mix is truly sustainable or whether another major move is coming. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Schedule Has A Few Early Tests Fans Will Circle Fast
The Nets full 2026-27 schedule gives fans an early look at just how much attention this group could draw, starting with a home opener against the Charlotte Hornets. Brooklyn will also open a new chapter with No. 6 pick Mikel Brown Jr. joining the roster and Julius Randle arriving after the trade from Minnesota, two additions that should make the first weeks of the season feel different right away.
There are plenty of dates for the Barclays Center crowd to circle beyond the opener, too, with four meetings against the Knicks and another matchup against Philadelphia on the slate. One of the most intriguing stops comes at Target Center, where the Wolves will host Brooklyn in a game that should carry extra meaning given the trade that sent Randle to the Nets. [Read more 🡒]
Julius Randle Has Nets Fans Debating How Far This Team Can Go
Julius Randles arrival has given Nets fans plenty to think about as the East reshuffles around them. With star movement sending big names to Philadelphia, Toronto, Washington, Indiana and Miami, Brooklyn suddenly looks like one of the teams whose ceiling is getting debated in real time rather than guessed at from a distance.
A recent fan poll only added to the conversation, since the question is no longer whether the Nets are relevant, but how far they can push in a conference that has changed quickly this offseason. Randle gives the roster a different kind of weight, and now the discussion around Brooklyn is turning from the move itself to the bigger question it created about the win total and what kind of season might be waiting. [Read more 🡒]