Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle are positioned to be the engines of a Brooklyn Nets team that is trying to turn the page after a 20-62 season, but the bigger story in 2026-27 may be how much the rest of the roster can actually provide. With veterans, rookies, and developing young players all mixed together, Brooklyn has plenty of moving parts - and plenty of minutes to sort out.
Porter is the one I have carrying the scoring load. In my projections, he leads the Nets with 23.4 points per game and adds seven rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.4 blocks, and 0.9 steals in 33.3 minutes.
I also have him shooting 47.6% from the field, 37.9% from three, and 83.8% at the line. Brooklyn will need him to be a steady shot-maker when the offense bogs down.
Randle comes next at 22.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game while logging the same 33.3 minutes. He’s projected to shoot 47.7% overall, 32.8% from three, and 79.8% on free throws, and his all-around creation should keep him near the center of everything Brooklyn does. Together, I project Porter and Randle to combine for 45.6 points per game.
The backcourt is where things start to get interesting. Egor Dëmin is projected for 12.6 points, four rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1 steal in 28.8 minutes, with a 37.7% mark from three. That kind of output would give Brooklyn a real sense of what he can become as he grows into the league.
Behind him, I have Mikel Brown Jr. at 10.3 points and four assists in 24.4 minutes, while Nolan Traoré lands at 9.4 points and four assists in 19.1 minutes. Ben Saraf is projected at 6.4 points and 2.9 assists in 14.2 minutes. Those three could all be fighting for larger roles as the season unfolds, and how they perform will go a long way toward shaping the guard rotation.
Up front, Day'Ron Sharpe stands out in my numbers with 9.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 25.7 minutes. His work on the glass and around the rim could matter a lot for a team that needs more control inside.
Noah Clowney is projected for 10.7 points and four rebounds in 23.4 minutes, while Moritz Wagner comes in at nine points and 3.9 rebounds in 19.9 minutes. Danny Wolf is at 7.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and two assists in 19.4 minutes, a line that reflects his ability to chip in across the board. Josh Minott also shows up as a useful wing piece in these projections, with 9.1 points in 17.6 minutes and a 41.8% three-point mark.
The rest of the roster fills out the depth chart with smaller roles. Keon Ellis is projected for 7.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 25.2 minutes.
Terance Mann comes in at 6.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 19.5 minutes. Drake Powell is at 6.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 17 minutes, while Chaney Johnson is projected for 6.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in 13 minutes.
Joshua Jefferson is listed at five points, 3.8 rebounds, and two assists in 12.9 minutes. Grant Nelson checks in at 4.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 9.9 minutes. Tyler Bilodeau rounds things out with 5.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 9.4 minutes, plus a projected 43.2% from three.
There’s no easy way to pin down minutes on a roster this deep. Injuries, uneven play, and rotation shifts can change the picture fast, especially for the younger names trying to earn trust.
Some of these players may push past these projections. Others may struggle to find a foothold.
Still, the broad outline is clear: Porter and Randle are set to carry the scoring, while Brooklyn’s younger guards and bigs try to define their roles. How quickly that next wave comes along may end up being one of the biggest questions in the Nets’ 2026-27 season.
In Other News...
Nets Must Reshape Their Backcourt Again After Egor Dmin Setback
The Nets are already making another adjustment to their backcourt rotation after Egor Dmin was diagnosed with a right leg bone bruise and sent for a re-evaluation in one week. Head coach Jordi Fernndez said Dmin is in good spirits and there is no concern about a long-term issue, but the timing still matters for a team that has been trying to sort out its guard minutes early in the season. Brooklyn also quietly reinforced its long view on the young core by picking up third-year team options for the 2027-28 season on Dmin, Nolan Traor, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf.
For now, though, the immediate focus is on who absorbs Dmins minutes while he sits out at least four games. The setback came during a stretch when Brooklyn was already navigating lineup changes, and it leaves the Nets waiting on both the injury update and the next chance to see how their backcourt pieces fit together once he is cleared to return. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Forced Into Another Backcourt Adjustment After Egor Demin Scare
The Nets are bracing for another backcourt shuffle after Egor Demin was sidelined with a right leg injury, adding another complication to a rotation that has already had to absorb a series of moving parts. Brooklyn is still sorting through its guard options as it tries to keep the pieces in place, and the timing is hardly ideal with the schedule offering little room to settle things down.
Demin has been diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right leg and will be reevaluated in one week, which means the Nets will have to cover his minutes without much certainty about when he can return. He is expected to miss at least four games, starting Friday against the Pistons, leaving Brooklyn to make yet another adjustment while it waits for a clearer update. [Read more 🡒]
Chaney Johnson Is Forcing A Real Nets Rotation Conversation
Chaney Johnson has spent his second year with the Nets making it harder to ignore what he brings every time he gets on the floor. He has been a steady presence for Jordi Fernndez across summer league, preseason and regular season play after signing a two-way qualifying offer, and his latest showing against Boston fit the pattern of a player who keeps strengthening his case for a longer look.
Against the Celtics, Johnson gave Brooklyn exactly the kind of dependable two-way minutes that can quietly reshape a bench. He has created a real rotation discussion by challenging other players for time, and the ripple effects have already been felt in how Fernndez has been sorting out the back end of the roster. [Read more 🡒]