The Brooklyn Nets may have more than one eye-catching preseason storyline in front of them, but the biggest one could be LeBron James taking the floor in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform for the first time. After a blowout win over the Charlotte Hornets that featured strong chemistry from Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn now gets a chance to see whether that momentum carries into a tougher test.
If James suits up at Barclays Center, the Nets will be dealing with a familiar problem from last season: pressure. Brooklyn gave James trouble then by picking him up full court and crowding him with bodies, and Jordi Fernandez’s team has shown a clear tendency to pressure the ball the same way. That approach should show up again, even if James’ basketball IQ makes him a difficult puzzle for any defense to solve.
The challenge could be even bigger depending on who else is available. Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe could all be in the mix as well, which would give Brooklyn a serious defensive assignment from top to bottom. Fernandez may lean on Josh Minott, Drake Powell and Terance Mann to handle the pressure duties and try to force Philadelphia into bad passes and turnovers.
On the other end, the Nets should get another useful look at the Randle-Porter pairing. Their pick-and-roll work already flashed against Charlotte, with Randle’s drives pulling defenders toward him and opening space for Porter to work off the ball. Porter also found Randle for a couple of clean looks, a sign that the two are already starting to read each other well.
Brooklyn will also keep sorting out its center rotation with Day’Ron Sharpe and Moe Wagner. Neither big man fits the classic rim-protecting, shot-blocking mold, but both can make life difficult in passing lanes and take contact well.
Egor Demin, meanwhile, looked more comfortable attacking the rim in his preseason debut, another encouraging sign for a team still learning what it has.
If James is on the court, he’ll draw the loudest attention. But for the Nets, this is also a chance to keep building chemistry, test their defensive pressure and make a statement against a division rival.
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Nets Suddenly Look Built For A Fight This Season
The early returns from Nets training camp point to a team that looks and feels different after a busy 2026 offseason. Brooklyn has added size across the roster, with Julius Randle, Moe Wagner and Joshua Jefferson among the newcomers, while DayRon Sharpe has moved into the starting center role. General manager Sean Marks and players around the team have already noticed a clear bump in physicality compared with recent camps, a shift that should matter for a group trying to rebound from last seasons issues on the glass.
Even with outside projections still setting the win total low, the Nets appear intent on making opponents work for everything. The added bulk is supposed to help them hang up front and improve rebounding, but there is also a developmental layer to all of this, with the roster still built around a mix of established veterans and younger pieces finding their footing. If Brooklyn really is going to outperform expectations, it may start with something as basic as being harder to move off its spot. [Read more 🡒]
Jordi Fernndez Faces An Early Nets Lineup Call That Could Matter
With Michael Porter Jr. and Day'Ron Sharpe both sidelined by injuries, Jordi Fernndez has been handed an early-season lineup decision that reaches beyond a single game for Brooklyn. The Nets need to keep their spacing and defense intact while they sort through an opening that comes with real stakes, especially as they look to shoot the ball better from deep without losing the edge on the other end.
Noah Clowney offers familiarity, since he has more starting experience and is also playing with the added backdrop of restricted free agency ahead. Josh Minott brings a different kind of appeal as a 3-and-D wing who has flashed both scoring touch and defensive potential, giving Fernndez a choice between stability and upside while the rotation settles into place. [Read more 🡒]
Moritz Wagner Gives Nets Bench A Frontcourt Element They Needed
The Nets got a useful look at a different kind of bench presence in their preseason win over the Hornets, and Moritz Wagner made a quick case for why he could matter in the frontcourt rotation. Brooklyns shooting carried the night, but Wagner added the kind of all-around minutes that can help steady a second unit, mixing activity on the glass with passing and defensive play after signing with the team recently.
Jordi Fernndez has reason to like what he saw beyond the box score, especially with Brooklyn getting early preseason minutes to sort through combinations and roles. Wagners contribution fit the tone of a group that played with energy throughout the game, and for a team looking for more size and versatility off the bench, his first impression offered something the Nets had been missing. [Read more 🡒]