The Brooklyn Nets may not be in a rush to shake up their roster, but Terance Mann is already looking like a name to monitor.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley recently identified Mann as the one player Brooklyn should trade this season in a piece that picked a potential trade candidate for every NBA team. The idea isn’t that the Nets have to move him right away. It’s that his contract, his role, and where the roster is heading all make him a possible piece of the puzzle if Brooklyn decides to get creative.
The biggest issue is the price tag. Mann is due $31.5 million over the next two seasons, and that’s a hefty commitment for a player who just went through the worst statistical season of his career since his rookie year.
In 2025-26, he put up 7.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 24.3 minutes per game while shooting 45.7% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range. He also posted career highs in turnovers and fouls per game, a rough sign for his first year in Brooklyn.
Mann arrived hoping to prove he could do more than he had shown earlier in his career. Brooklyn gave him chances to handle the ball and create for others, but the results pointed toward a different fit. The numbers suggested he may be more effective when he’s playing off the ball rather than trying to drive the offense himself.
That matters in a lineup that already includes more self-starters. Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. give the Nets more options to create shots and set up teammates, and if the younger players keep moving forward, Mann’s path to steady minutes could get even narrower.
Still, there’s a case for patience. Before coming to Brooklyn in the 2025 offseason, Mann put together a productive 30-game stretch with the Atlanta Hawks. During that run, he averaged 9.8 points and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 54.1% from the floor and 38.6% from deep.
If he gets back to that kind of efficiency, he can still help. And on a roster with a lot of young players, his experience carries weight too. The Nets need veterans who understand how to navigate NBA minutes while the rest of the group keeps learning.
Where this gets even more interesting is in the trade math. Buckley noted that Mann probably wouldn’t bring back much on his own, but his salary could be useful as part of a larger deal for a pricier player. That kind of flexibility can matter, especially for a team still figuring out its next move.
Roster spots are part of the picture as well. Brooklyn currently has 15 players on standard contracts, which means promoting a two-way player would require someone to come off the list.
Chaney Johnson could become part of that conversation.
Johnson has drawn praise for his work ethic and defensive versatility, and teammate Egor Demin recently singled him out after a game. Demin called Johnson the hardest-working player in the gym and said he believes his teammate will eventually develop into a standard-contract player.
At 6-foot-8, Johnson has the size, strength and athleticism to guard multiple positions. He can make life difficult for opposing players, including bigger frontcourt opponents, which gives him another selling point if his development keeps trending up.
None of that means Brooklyn has to force a move before it’s ready. Johnson still has to earn that spot. But if he keeps turning heads, the Nets could eventually be staring at a tricky choice: carve out room for the young defender, or keep Mann and wait to see whether he can settle into a more useful role.
For now, the safest play is to let the season breathe. If Mann locks into a dependable rotation job, keeping him makes sense. If not, his contract may be more valuable as a tool than as a standalone bet on production.
In Other News...
Nets Are Suddenly In The Middle Of A Karl-Anthony Towns Debate
Karl-Anthony Towns has quickly become one of the more notable names in the leagues rumor mill, and the chatter has reached Brooklyn by association. The Knicks are dealing with uncertainty around Towns amid internal tension involving Leon Rose and James Dolan, which has opened the door to speculation about whether a trade could eventually be on the table.
For the Nets, the only real relevance so far is being mentioned as a possible destination in the broader conversation, alongside Chicago and a few other possible landing spots. Nothing definitive has been decided, and there is still a long way between outside speculation and an actual deal, but it is another reminder that Brooklyn can get pulled into almost any star-driven NBA debate simply by virtue of its cap space and place in the market. [Read more 🡒]
Mikel Brown Jr. Gave Nets Fans A Real Reason To Watch Closer
Mikel Brown Jr. finally got his first taste of preseason action for the Nets, and it did not take long for him to make the night feel worth watching a little more closely. After dealing with injuries before the game, Brown showed the sort of offensive upside that has made him an intriguing young piece, giving Brooklyn a burst of energy in limited minutes while looking comfortable enough to keep the ball moving and pressure the defense.
For a team still sorting out what it has, that mattered. Brown has flashed real promise as a shooter and scorer, even if the rough edges are still there with turnovers and the occasional risky shot choice, and head coach Jordi Fernandez clearly noticed the broader impact beyond the box score. His pace, communication and engagement stood out, which is the kind of early read that can buy a young player more attention the next time he steps on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Noah Clowney Has A Bigger Nets Challenge Than Just Developing
Noah Clowneys next step with the Nets is about more than just adding polish to his game. He has spent the early part of the preseason working on his three-point shot and trying to sharpen the kind of two-way impact Brooklyn needs from its forwards, with an eye on being useful on both ends of the floor. His showing in exhibition play gave the team a reminder of why there is still real interest in his development.
The harder part may be fitting into a rotation that is already crowded and defined by role clarity. Clowney is preparing to contribute in a bench role behind Julius Randle, and the minutes should still be there for him to make a case as the season unfolds. Beyond the nightly workload, though, there is a bigger business layer hanging over the year as he heads toward restricted free agency, making every stretch of production feel a little more meaningful. [Read more 🡒]