The Brooklyn Nets have already made a few notable moves this offseason, but losing Rui Hachimura from the free-agent board changes the picture a bit.
Brooklyn is coming off a brutal 2025-26 season, finishing 20-62, and has spent the summer trying to load up on talent. The Nets used the No. 6 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr., and they reportedly pulled off a trade for Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle. Even with those additions, free agency was still supposed to be another chance to keep building.
That opportunity took a hit on Monday when ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Hachimura agreed to a two-year, $28 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. Before that move, Hachimura was viewed as one of the top unrestricted free agents available, a different category from restricted players like Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren and Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, who would need offer sheets.
Brooklyn has still been active. The Nets have re-signed center Day'Ron Sharpe and forward Josh Minott, signed guard Keon Ellis, and have reportedly signed center Mo Wagner. After the Ellis report, NBA salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan said on X that the Nets have $24.7 million in cap space left to work with.
So where does that leave them? If Brooklyn sticks to realistic targets, a few names stand out.
Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin is one. The Nets are guard-heavy right now, but Mathurin could give them the kind of scoring burst this roster could use if the goal is to push toward the play-in tournament next season.
Jonathan Kuminga is another possibility. He has been tied to the Nets since his time with the Golden State Warriors, and while Brooklyn reportedly didn’t pursue a trade for him, that could change if he becomes available in free agency at the right price.
Then there’s Nick Richards. With Day'Ron Sharpe and Wagner currently in the center mix, Brooklyn has some size already, but Richards could still make sense as a value addition if he wants a fresh start.
In Other News...
Theres A Catch To The Nets Bringing Back Sharpe And Minott
The Nets brought back Day'Ron Sharpe and Josh Minott, keeping two young frontcourt pieces in place as they continue sorting out the roster around them. Sharpes new deal and Minotts agreement both run for two years and include team options in the second season, giving Brooklyn some flexibility while still betting on each player to matter in the rotation next season.
What makes the signings worth a second look is that both players were not just retained, but retained on terms that could matter later if the Nets need to keep adjusting. Sharpe and Minott each showed enough last season to make themselves part of the conversation, and Brooklyn now has them lined up as useful pieces with a little more control built into the contracts than the headline alone suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Mikel Brown Jr. Just Gave Nets Fans A Real Reason For Hope
Mikel Brown Jr. wasted little time giving Brooklyn something to watch in Summer League, and for a team still sorting through the early stages of its rebuild, that matters. The Nets have plenty of moving parts around the roster, but Browns debut stood out as one of the cleaner signs that there may be a young guard worth building around in the mix.
Brown finished his first Summer League game with a strong late push, including 10 of his points in the fourth quarter and four assists, the kind of showing that can quickly change the tone around a prospect. He also drew positive attention from the coaching staff, with Dutch Gaitley calling him "electric" and pointing to his ability to get downhill, a useful trait for a Brooklyn team looking for more creation and pace in the backcourt. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Young Core Is Giving Fans Real Reason To Believe
The California Classic offered Brooklyn a useful early look at its young talent, and the Nets walked away with a 2-1 record after bouncing back from an opening loss to Sacramento. Wins over Milwaukee and Golden States Blue squad gave the group a chance to show it could respond quickly, and Egor Dmin was at the center of that momentum with a pair of strong outings that helped set the tone for the week.
Mikel Brown Jr. also made his debut in the finale, adding another layer to a roster that already looks deeper than a typical summer group. With Las Vegas Summer League next on the schedule, the Nets will get a bigger stage to see how far this core can carry that early confidence, and whether it can turn a promising start into a run at the franchises first summer league title. [Read more 🡒]