The Brooklyn Nets have a pair of established scorers showing up on Bleacher Report’s annual list of the NBA’s top players heading into the 2026-27 season. Michael Porter Jr. checked in at No. 51, while Julius Randle landed at No. 67, giving Brooklyn two forwards inside the top 70.
For the Nets, that kind of recognition matters. It tells you the roster has more than one offensive engine, and both players arrive with different tools that can shape how Brooklyn looks this season.
Porter brings shot-making and a broader offensive package than just perimeter bombing. Randle brings scoring, rebounding and playmaking from a veteran forward spot.
Porter’s placement came on the back of a strong 2025-26 campaign in which he averaged 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists across 52 games. At 28, he handled a much bigger load offensively than he had in previous seasons. His shooting efficiency dipped, but his game expanded beyond simply spotting up from deep.
Bleacher Report noted that his usage rate climbed from 21.3 over his first six seasons to 30.5 last year. His assist percentage also more than doubled from his career norm, another sign that he’s capable of doing more than finishing possessions when defenses key in on him.
That versatility is what makes Porter such an interesting fit in Brooklyn. He’s already one of the league’s better catch-and-shoot threats, but if he can generate his own looks and set up teammates, he gives the Nets a much tougher offensive puzzle to solve. Bleacher Report gave him an overall rating of 84.9, including a 90.0 mark for shooting.
The big swing skill for Porter is getting his three-point percentage back to where it used to be. During his time in Denver, he shot 40.6 percent from beyond the arc. If he gets back to that level, Brooklyn gets an even more dangerous scorer.
Randle’s ranking came just behind him at No. 67, with an overall rating of 82.6. The 31-year-old posted 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 79 games last season, continuing a run that has made him one of the more productive forwards in the league.
Bleacher Report emphasized how Randle uses his strength to get into the paint and create for others. Over the past six seasons, he has averaged 22.1 points and 5.0 assists, and his two All-NBA selections only reinforce his track record as a scorer who can also run offense.
That kind of production gives Brooklyn a proven veteran who can do more than just finish plays. It also raises a real question about how the Nets will balance his touches with the development of younger guards. Egor Dëmin is among the players who need ball-handling reps and a chance to grow into running an NBA offense.
Bleacher Report raised that same point, suggesting Randle could be more effective if he spends more time away from the ball, cuts to the basket and develops into a catch-and-shoot option. That kind of adjustment would help him mesh with Brooklyn’s other offensive pieces without dulling what makes him so effective.
Neither ranking jumps off the page as a surprise, and both feel fair based on what the two have already done. Porter’s shooting and expanded shot creation give the Nets a legitimate offensive weapon. Randle’s blend of scoring, rebounding and passing gives them another.
What Brooklyn has, then, is two players inside the top 70 and a clear indication that the offense has some real firepower attached to it. How Porter and Randle fit together could end up saying plenty about how the Nets’ season unfolds.
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