The Brooklyn Nets are set to get an early look at a roster that mixes 2026 draft picks, second-year players and a few more names fighting for summer-league minutes.
Brooklyn announced its group for both the California Classic and the Las Vegas Summer League on Monday, and the headliners are exactly who you’d expect. Mikel Brown Jr., the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, is in. Tyler Bilodeau, taken No. 44 in the same draft, is also slated to play.
Joshua Jefferson is part of the summer picture too, but not right away. He will not be available for the California Classic because the trade that brought him and Julius Randle has not been officially finalized, which means the Iowa State forward cannot take the floor yet. Once that deal becomes official, with Randle and Jefferson headed to Brooklyn and center Nic Claxton going to the Chicago Bulls, Jefferson will be eligible to suit up.
Brooklyn will also use summer league to check in on its 2025 draft class. Four of those five rookies - Egor Demin, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf - are on the roster for their second run through summer competition. That gives the Nets a chance to measure how much those young players have grown over the past year.
One player won’t be part of the action at all: guard Nolan Traore. General manager Sean Marks said Monday that Traore recently had a scope on his right knee, so he’ll be out while recovering from the procedure.
The rest of the roster includes center Duke Brennan, guard Dion Brown, forward Ben Humrichous, forward Chaney Johnson, guard Dwight Murray Jr., forward Grant Nelson, guard Hunter Sallis, forward Aaron Scott and forward John Ukomadu.
Brooklyn will play in the California Classic from July 4-6 before moving on to the Las Vegas Summer League from July 9-19.
In Other News...
Nets Linked To A New Trade Target Fans Will Instantly Want
After a 20-62 season and the No. 6 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Brooklyn appears ready to lean on flexibility this summer rather than chase the free-agent market. The Nets are expected to use their cap space on trades, with the front office casting a wide net that already includes Trey Murphy III and Jaylen Brown as potential swing targets.
Cason Wallace has also surfaced in that mix, giving Brooklyn another name with real appeal as it tries to build a sharper, more competitive roster. Depending on how the finances settle around the Julius Randle trade, the Nets could have as much as $40 million to work with, but any serious pursuit is likely to come with a steep price and the kind of internal debate that usually follows when a team is trying to accelerate a rebuild. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Marks Just Gave Nets Fans A Concerning Nolan Traore Update
The Nets used their 2026 draft press conference to introduce a new wave of young talent, including guard Mikel Brown Jr., but the spotlight also quickly shifted to Nolan Traore and where he fits into the teams immediate plans. General manager Sean Marks confirmed the rookie guard is dealing with a knee issue that will keep him out of summer league, a reminder that even in a draft setting the medical side of roster building can matter just as much as the picks themselves.
Traores absence is notable because Brooklyn is trying to sort out its backcourt picture with fresh additions and a long runway before training camp. Marks said the hope is for Traore to be back fully for camp in early September, which at least keeps the timeline from spilling into the fall, but it also leaves the Nets waiting to see how quickly one of their young guards can get on the floor and start competing for minutes. [Read more 🡒]