The Brooklyn Nets are trying to turn the page next season, and the front office has made it clear this isn’t another year to drift. With no control of their 2027 first-round pick, there’s no reason to chase another rebuild. The goal is progress, and the next real benchmark is a play-in spot.
That climb starts with one obvious fix: the shooting has to get better. Brooklyn tied the Sacramento Kings for the worst three-point shooting mark in the league last season at 34%.
In a modern NBA built on spacing and punishment from deep, that kind of number leaves too much room for error. The Nets do have pieces who can help move the needle.
Egor Demin was a decent shooter last season and should improve. Michael Porter Jr. has the kind of shot-making that can change a game.
Julius Randle is also a capable shooter, and rookie guard Mikel Brown Jr. brings scoring punch that defenses have to account for. If that group can simply be respectable from outside, Brooklyn can start creeping toward the middle of the pack.
The second piece is more about the future than the box score: the young guards have to develop. Brooklyn has a cluster of backcourt talent with real upside, but upside only matters if it turns into production.
Demin and Brown will draw the most attention as lottery picks, and their growth will be watched closely. But the Nets need more than the headliners.
Nolan Traoré showed flashes last season and has to become the primary backup point guard. Drake Powell and Ben Saraf both had uneven rookie seasons and struggled badly in the Summer League.
If Jordi Fernandez and his staff can’t pull more out of those three, the roster won’t have the depth it needs.
Then there’s the defense, where Brooklyn was simply too easy to score on. The Nets posted a 116.0 defensive efficiency rating last season, fifth-worst in the league, and they didn’t really stand out in any area on that end.
That has to change, but the bigger issue is identity. Some teams anchor everything with a rim-protecting big.
Others lean on versatile wings who can switch across the floor. Brooklyn doesn’t really have either of those things in place.
Fernandez may have to build the defense around his young backcourt, even if that’s a difficult path. It’s a big ask, but it may be the best one available.
If the Nets don’t make real progress there, the play-in talk won’t last long.
In Other News...
Nets Offseason Buzz Still Leaves One Brutal Reality Hanging Over Brooklyn
Brooklyn spent the offseason trying to reset the roster and give itself a more credible foundation after last years 20-62 finish. The Nets drafted Mikel Brown, swung a trade for Julius Randle, brought back DayRon Sharpe and added Keon Ellis and Mo Wagner, a mix of youth, scoring and frontcourt depth that at least gives the team a different look heading into camp.
Still, the bigger picture around the league has not changed much for Brooklyn, and that is the part that lingers. The Nets made a real push to alter their standing in the East, but they remain in a precarious spot in the NBA hierarchy, with plenty still to prove before this offseason can be called a true turning point. [Read more 🡒]
Former Nets Guard Tyrese Martin Just Made A Surprising Career Move
Tyrese Martins path from a 2022 draft pick to a rotation guard with the Nets was already unusual, and now it has taken another turn. After starting his pro career with the Hawks, spending time in the G League and then carving out a role in Brooklyn before a stop in Philadelphia, Martin is headed into a different phase after a season in which he averaged 6.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
For Brooklyn, Martins best stretch came in 2024-25, when he gave the Nets steady minutes across 60 games and showed enough versatility to stick. His move overseas closes the book on a player who worked his way up the NBA ladder the hard way, and it also leaves open the question of whether this is a temporary detour or the start of a longer stay abroad. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Suddenly Face A Defining Michael Porter Jr. Decision
LeBron James ending up with the Philadelphia 76ers has already sent ripples through the league, and Brooklyn is feeling some of that pressure as it sorts through its own roster priorities. The Nets now have to weigh what comes next with Michael Porter Jr., who is extension eligible this offseason and sits squarely in the middle of their long-term planning as the market around them keeps shifting.
Porter is in his prime, which makes the timing tricky for Brooklyn because any deal is likely to come with a hefty price tag. The early stages of those talks are unfolding while other teams, including the Golden State Warriors, are looking for ways to adjust after missing out on James, and that kind of competition could make the Nets decision even more delicate as they decide whether to commit now or keep their options open. [Read more 🡒]