Which Brooklyn Net can the team least afford to lose next season? The answer isn’t the obvious scoring names that jump out first.
Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle will get plenty of attention because they can put the ball in the basket efficiently. Some fans may even point to the young guards, with Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr. carrying extra weight after the way the other guards performed in Summer League. But the real pressure point for Brooklyn sits in the middle of the floor.
Day'Ron Sharpe is the most indispensable player on the Nets roster this season.
With Nic Claxton traded, Sharpe is headed into a new job as the starting center for head coach Jordi Fernandez. That changes everything for Brooklyn’s front line. Sharpe won’t just be filling minutes; he’ll be asked to anchor the middle and take on a much bigger defensive load.
That matters because Porter and Randle both have defensive limitations, and Sharpe is the piece expected to help cover for them. He has shown he can protect the rim in bursts coming off the bench, but Brooklyn needs that presence to hold up over longer stretches now that he’s moving into a starting role.
The bigger issue is what’s behind him. The Nets do not have much proven size left after Claxton’s departure.
Mo Wagner was added in free agency, but he is not really a traditional center despite being 6-foot-11. Danny Wolf is also 6-foot-11, though he profiles more as a stretch four.
Joshua Jefferson, Josh Minott, and Chaney Johnson would all be undersized options at center if Fernandez were forced to use them there.
That’s why Sharpe’s availability looms so large. If he misses any time, Brooklyn would lose rim protection and rebounding in the same blow. Opponents would have a clear path to attack the paint and push the Nets around inside.
Sharpe may not be a superstar, but for Brooklyn in 2026-27, he’s the player they can least afford to lose.
In Other News...
Nets Fans Just Got A Surprising Nolan Traor Jersey Update
The Nets have started sorting out the small details of their offseason roster, and one of the more notable changes involves Nolan Traor. Brooklyn announced jersey numbers for its new additions and returning players ahead of the upcoming season, and Traor is making a switch from No. 88 to No. 10 as he settles in with his new team.
It is the kind of update that does not change the depth chart, but it does help give the roster a little more shape as camp approaches. Brooklyn also locked in numbers for several other newcomers, including Julius Randle, Keon Ellis, Moritz Wagner, Mikel Brown Jr. and Joshua Jefferson, with a few familiar choices and a few practical compromises mixed into the group. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Came Closer On Michael Porter Jr Than Nets Fans Realized
Before the 2026 NBA trade deadline, the Warriors did more than just kick the tires on Michael Porter Jr. They explored a deal that would have sent draft picks to Brooklyn, a sign that Porters value around the league was real even as the Nets continued to view him as a core piece after a strong 2025-26 season.
What kept the conversation from turning into something more serious was the kind of hesitation that often decides these things in February and beyond. Golden State weighed the cost, the long-term flexibility hit and how Porter might fit in Steve Kerrs system, and those concerns ultimately left Brooklyn with its forward intact while the Warriors moved on. [Read more 🡒]