The Brooklyn Nets didn’t finish the preseason unbeaten, but Wednesday’s 144-128 loss to the Miami Heat still offered a clear look at two players who flashed in useful ways: Michael Porter Jr. and Moritz Wagner.
Porter was the headliner. He finished with 27 points, tops on the night, and did it efficiently by hitting 9-of-17 shots and burying four 3-pointers.
He kept Miami under pressure with his jumper, and he also found his way to the line, going 5-of-6 there. For a Nets offense that hummed even in defeat, Porter was the main force driving the scoring.
That kind of night lines up with what Brooklyn wants from him moving forward. At Nets Media Day, general manager Sean Marks laid out the expectation clearly: "So for Mike to come in here and own that opportunity that he had and have a great year, I think we’re looking for consistency for him," General Manager Sean Marks said at Nets Media Day.
"We’re looking for him to take another step on the defensive end of it, rebounding end of it. Just become more of a complete player."
Porter’s passing took a step forward last season, a notable growth area from his Denver days. With Julius Randle handling a good share of the downhill work and playmaking, Porter should have plenty of chances to operate without the ball and feast on perimeter openings created by Randle’s rim pressure.
Wagner made his own case off the bench. He scored 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting and gave Brooklyn a jolt in his first stint, putting up 10 points and hitting two 3-pointers in the first half alone. That kind of instant burst has followed him throughout his career, and it showed again against Miami.
The longtime Orlando Magic big man built a reputation from 2022-2025 as a bench scorer who could change the pace of a game. He brought energy, physicality and a little edge, often barking at opponents and acting as a tone-setter.
Brooklyn is also getting something it hasn’t had in a while: a big who can stretch the floor. Wagner is a career 32.3%-shooter from beyond the arc, and he’s looked comfortable from deep all preseason.
The preseason record is no longer perfect, but the Nets head into the regular season with at least two encouraging signs from Wednesday night.
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Michael Porter Jr. Voices A Frustration Nets Fans Know Too Well
Michael Porter Jr. has only been in Brooklyn long enough to notice something Nets fans have been saying for a while: home games do not always feel like home games. Speaking recently, Porter pointed to the way opposing supporters can take over the building and said the Nets need more of their own crowd noise if they want a real home-court edge. It is the kind of observation that tends to land differently when it comes from a new arrival, because it underscores just how much the atmosphere still has to grow.
The timing also fits with a roster that is trying to reset its image and its expectations, including the recent addition of Julius Randle. Porter and Randle both know the conversation around attendance and energy changes fast when a team starts winning more consistently, and that is the larger point hanging over Brooklyn right now. The Nets can add talent, but they still have to give the fan base enough reason to fill those seats and make the arena sound like it belongs to them. [Read more 🡒]
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Randle has long been viewed as a player who can set a tone as much as fill a box score, and the Nets seem to value that edge. For fans still parsing recent chatter around his demeanor elsewhere, his early work in Brooklyn is a reminder that his impact is about more than production, and the preseason is offering a first look at how that presence could matter over time. [Read more 🡒]
Nolan Traore Is Giving Nets Fans A Real Rotation Debate
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Traores play has already put him in an interesting spot heading into Wednesdays action, because he has forced himself into the conversation as Brooklyns rotation takes shape. The challenge now is that the competition for minutes is only going to get tighter as the season moves forward, and the Nets will have to decide how much weight to give a preseason surge when the roster is healthy and the pecking order starts to settle. [Read more 🡒]