The Brooklyn Nets are supposed to be in rebuild mode this season, but with a healthy mix of young prospects and proven talent, they could outshine their projected win total.

Brooklyn will likely try to play the youth as much as possible, even if that means trading away a veteran to create those opportunities. After clearly stating this as a retooling season, it would be strange not to see the five-man rookie class get minutes in bunches.

If, for some unforeseen reason, the Nets look decent through the first 20-to-25 games, things get murkier. Bet MGM put Brooklyn’s win line at 19.5, and we’ll dive into why it could under or outperform the projection.

Looking at the roster from top to bottom, there’s actually a good balance of talent, it will just depend on how many roster shakeups there are throughout the season.

Nic Claxton, Michael Porter Jr. and Terance Mann could all be traded around the deadline for players on expiring contracts. The front office will most likely look to make these moves to give the rookies more playing time.

Egor Demin and Ben Saraf look like the best contenders to get minutes early in the season, but the remaining three draftees will need some playing time outside of suspected G League call-ups.

Teams giving a high volume of minutes to rookies usually do not succeed. The ethical tank post All-Star break could also see some lengthy losing streaks to set Brooklyn up with a top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Floor record: 15-67

The only way the Nets could severely outperform their win line is if they come out of the gates strong. The problem is that the schedule is intense starting in October.

The starting lineup seems locked up with Cam Thomas, Mann, Porter Jr. and Claxton, but the final starter has yet to be named. Those four bring plenty of experience that could translate to upset wins, but a lot of it relies on either Demin or Saraf leading the offense.

The rookie class in general was originally thought to be very raw, and it would take a few seasons for them to come into form, but Demin and Saraf may be ready for the limelight. Each already has the playmaking chops to support an offense, but on defense and adjusting to the speed of an NBA game is yet to be seen.

Sometimes, a good coach can make the difference, and Jordi Fernandez is highly regarded around the league. The new high-paced offensive style may help buffer an expected rough output on the defensive end.

We have seen surprise teams like the Indiana Pacers and Portland Trailblazers surpass win projections recently, something Brooklyn could try to replicate. However, there is no real benefit to trying to compete for a play-in spot, and underperforming this season would benefit in the long run.

Ceiling Record: 32-50

The Nets open up their season tonight against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center.