The Brooklyn Nets are getting their rookies set for the next chapter, and two of the newcomers have already locked in their numbers. In a photo posted on the team’s X account, Mikel Brown Jr. was shown wearing No. 0, while Joshua Jefferson posed in No. 9.
That came as the two first-year players moved through Brooklyn’s summer circuit, where both had different paths onto the floor. Brown was available for the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League after the team was comfortable with him returning from a back injury. Jefferson had to wait until Las Vegas before making his debut.
Jefferson’s road to a Nets jersey was tied to the trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves that brought Brooklyn the No. 28 pick and forward Julius Randle. The deal wasn’t finalized until midway through the Las Vegas Summer League, which pushed back Jefferson’s debut longer than expected.
Once he got on the court, Jefferson, 22, showed a mix of promise and unfinished business. In Las Vegas, he averaged 7.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 33.3% from the field and 12.5% from three. At 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds, he flashed ball-handling ability, but he also showed there’s still work to do before the regular season arrives.
Brown, 20, made a stronger statistical impression across the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League. In four games, he averaged 15.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 38.8% overall and 34.6% from beyond the arc. He also delivered a few of the eye-catching moments that tend to jump off the screen when the ball is in his hands.
Brooklyn is about a month away from beginning preparations for the 2026-27 NBA season after finishing last year at 20-62, and the team will be leaning on the players it selected in the 2026 NBA Draft as it tries to win more games. Brown and Jefferson are already on the board with their numbers, and now the next step is turning summer flashes into something bigger.
In Other News...
Egor Demin Is Already Giving Nets Fans A Real National Debate
Egor Demin has already become one of the more interesting names on the Nets radar after a solid rookie season and a strong summer league showing that hinted at how much his game can keep expanding. He looked comfortable as a scorer and creator in Las Vegas, and for Brooklyn there is obvious appeal in a young guard who can handle the ball, contribute in multiple ways and still project as a shooter.
Still, the wider basketball conversation is not nearly as settled. HoopsHypes projected top-27 shooting guards list for the 2026-27 season left Demin out entirely, slotting him outside the top 30 and inviting the kind of debate that usually follows a young Net when national evaluators and local optimism do not line up. The shooting remains the swing point, especially after his three-point percentage dipped in summer league, and it is the sort of early-career tension that can define how quickly the league buys into him. [Read more 🡒]
Julius Randle Just Became Brooklyns Biggest Rebuild Test
The Nets summer overhaul brought a new centerpiece to Brooklyn, and it comes with both rsum and responsibility. Julius Randle arrived from Minnesota in the deal that sent Nic Claxton to Chicago, giving Jordi Fernandez a proven veteran forward to help shape what comes next. Fernandez has already sounded upbeat about what Randle can bring, and the fit is easy to understand for a team trying to reset its direction without losing sight of competitiveness.
Randle, who posted 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game last season with the Timberwolves, has also made it clear he is eager for the change of scenery. He spoke about joining the Nets during Las Vegas Summer League, which only adds to the sense that this is more than a simple roster move. For Brooklyn, the question now is whether Randle becomes the stabilizing force of a rebuild or the player around whom the next hard decisions get made. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Draft Class Enters Camp With Brooklyn Facing Real Pressure
Brooklyns summer was defined as much by opportunity as by uncertainty, with the Nets using the 2025 NBA Draft to add five first-round picks while trying to keep one eye on the present and another on the future. The franchise is heading toward the 2026-27 season with a clear mandate to win and develop younger players, and that balance puts extra weight on this first wave of newcomers as camp approaches.
Egor Demin has drawn the most attention so far, thanks to his summer league showing, but he is hardly the only rookie under scrutiny. Around the league, the early read on Brooklyns draft class has been mixed, and the front offices approach has sparked debate for the same reason: several of these players will have to earn their place quickly if they want real minutes once training camp gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]