The Brooklyn Nets are heading into the rest of the offseason with a very different look than the group that stumbled to a 20-62 finish last season, and at least one assistant coach thinks the upgrade is obvious.
After a busy summer that included the 2026 Las Vegas Summer League and a trade for Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, the Nets are feeling better about the shape of the roster. As one Brooklyn assistant coach put it to Keith Smith of Spotrac, "What we’re excited about is the depth of legitimate NBA rotation players and potential rotation players we have now,".
That confidence starts with the way the roster could line up right now. The assistant coach said the starting five could be Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Demin, Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle, and Day'Ron Sharpe.
The coach also drew a sharp contrast with last season’s team. "Not to speak ill of last year’s team, but we were down to rookies and non-NBA-level players by the end of the year. This year, we’ve got depth and the kids are improving too," the assistant coach said, per Smith.
Brooklyn’s rough 2025-26 season did at least deliver the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and the Nets used it on Brown. They also re-signed Sharpe and forward Josh Minott, while adding Randle, guard Keon Ellis, and center Mo Wagner, though Wagner’s deal has not been officially announced yet.
The roster has also seen some turnover. Center Nic Claxton was traded to the Chicago Bulls in the four-team deal that also involved the Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets, and forward Ziaire Williams left for the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency.
On top of that, Brooklyn added forwards Joshua Jefferson and Tyler Bilodeau in the 2026 draft, joining the five first-rounders from the 2025 class who the team is still hoping will break through.
There’s still plenty to sort out before next season begins, but for now, the Nets’ assistant coach believes this group gives Brooklyn a stronger foundation than the one it finished with a year ago.
In Other News...
Former Nets Wing Tyrese Martin Just Took A Surprising Career Turn
Tyrese Martins pro career is taking an unexpected turn after the former Nets wing signed a one-year deal with FC Barcelona, giving him his first opportunity to play in Europe. After spending time in the NBA and G League, including stops with Brooklyn and Philadelphia, Martin now moves into a new setting with a team that sees him fitting as a three-and-D wing for the coming season.
For the Nets, it is another reminder of how quickly the league can send a player down a different path after his time in Brooklyn. Martin had worked his way into a dependable role during his development, and now his next chapter begins overseas with a club that will ask him to bring the same kind of versatility and edge that made him useful in the NBA. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Fans Should Love What Just Happened In Philadelphia
The latest move in Philadelphia should have Nets fans paying close attention, because Brooklyn still has a real stake in what the 76ers become over the next few seasons. The pick at the center of it all came over in the James Harden-for-Ben Simmons trade, and it remains one of the more interesting pieces of Brooklyns long-term draft portfolio.
Now the 76ers look even more dangerous, with LeBron James joining a roster that already includes Jaylen Brown. For Brooklyn, that kind of upgrade cuts both ways in the short term, but it also makes the 2028 first-rounder more likely to land outside the top 8, which is exactly the kind of outcome the Nets need if they want to cash in on the deal. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Just Reignited A Frustrating Question About This Rebuild
Brooklyns offseason has already drawn a harsh read in the latest Atlantic Division review, and the criticism lands on a familiar theme for this rebuild: the Nets keep trying to balance patience with enough veteran talent to stay competitive. Their summer moves were not empty, either. The team used its cap space to bring in Mo Wagner and Keon Ellis, while also making a trade for Julius Randle, giving the roster a different look heading into the season.
The problem, from a Brooklyn perspective, is what those choices say about the direction of the rebuild. Adding a veteran like Randle can help in the short term, but it also raises the same old question about how many development reps are really left for the younger players the Nets are supposed to be building around. In a division where other teams were judged more favorably, Brooklyns offseason was left with a grade of D, a reminder that the front office still has work to do to make the plan feel coherent. [Read more 🡒]