Six long months after the Brooklyn Nets closed out their third worst season in 59 years, they will return to the Barclays Center court Wednesday night vs. the Charlotte Hornets.<\/p>\n
A lot has changed but the team is still at 24.31 years on average, the youngest team in the NBA just as they were last year. They have three rookies at this point, compared to the eight who played at various points last season. Of the 18 players on the expanded roster, six are new to the Nets, led by Julius Randle who with two All-NBA selections, three All-Star Games and a Most Improved Player award is the most decorated.<\/p>\n
The big difference though is that for the first time in three years, Brooklyn is not tanking, not trying to get the best lottery odds. The rebuild may continue, but the tank is over. So, as we do every year, we gather our writers \u2014 nine total \u2014 for their take on the coming season. Sports books may peg them at 24.5 to 25 wins, but Fuggetaboutit! What do they know!<\/p>\n
So what\u2019s our consensus? Take the over on the number of wins. We nine have them at 33.5 wins with about half of us thinking (dreaming) of the play-in. In Jordi we trust! We love Egor and Mikel, maybe Egor a little more. Who goes MPJ or J-Ran (copywright pending)? MPJ.<\/p>\n
Who or what are you most excited for entering the season?<\/p>\n
Net Income: The backcourt, of course. They don\u2019t have a nickname yet but if they look as good together as they have in Summer League and preseason, the Nets rebuild will take a huge leap. Also, I have believed since the trade that brought Julius Randle (and Joshua Jefferson) to Brooklyn for Nic Claxton was a big deal.<\/p>\n
Anthony Puccio: Excited to watch a team with direction that isn\u2019t geared towards losing. The Nets have a good coach, cornerstone hopefuls in Mikel Brown Jr. & Egor D\u00ebmin, and stars (or near-stars) like Julius Randle & Michael Porter Jr. That\u2019s good enough for me.<\/p>\n
Brian Fleurantin: I\u2019m most excited to watch how Egor D\u00ebmin plays in his second season. There was enough optimism and success last season and he\u2019s had a good preseason this year. If he can put forth a good season, I think it\u2019ll give the Nets another dose of confidence and give one more signal that this team is ready to move on to the next phase of the plan.<\/p>\n
Professor B: Putting the shame of tanking in the rearview mirror. Every win will be a win!<\/p>\n
Collin Helwig: It\u2019s Mikel Brown Jr. Like many, I had some concerns about Brooklyn\u2019s draft the year before, but not this time. I\u2019ll buy the take that he\u2019s going to be a very good, maybe even great basketball player. So, that whole thing getting started should be fun.<\/p>\n
Connor Long: I\u2019m most excited to see how Brooklyn\u2019s young core develops with Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor D\u00ebmin at the forefront. Beyond development, I\u2019m excited to see this team start playing meaningful basketball. The tanking era is over. Jordi Fern\u00e1ndez is entering his third season, and the Nets need to start building a winning environment. At some point, all of the talent accumulation and tanking have to result in victories.<\/p>\n
Chris Milhollin: Seeing the young core develop in a more competitive environment. I\u2019m particularly excited to see what D\u00ebmin, Traor\u00e9 and Brown can become with established veterans around them.<\/p>\n
Jordan Greene: I\u2019m most excited for Julius Randle\u2019s impact on the young guys this season. While Randle has been a polarizing player in the eyes of NBA fans, his playoff experience and veteran leadership can help the young guys navigate their journey towards winning basketball. Based on some of his interviews, and his energy through the preseason, Randle seems excited in his role of leadership, which speaks volumes to what we can expect this season.<\/p>\n
Scott Mitchell: I\u2019m most excited to see the sophomore season of the Flatbush 5. Who takes a step forward? Who improves? Who takes that next step to becoming a starting player on an NBA roster? Egor Demin specifically, since he got off to a great start last year and now that he\u2019s back and healthy again, it\u2019ll be interesting to see where he picks up and further develops in Year 2.<\/p>\n
Who or what are you most concerned about entering the season?<\/p>\n
NI: Health, particularly with Mikel Brown Jr. Not so much because he had back issues last season at Louisville, or rolled his ankle in Brooklyn, but because he will get pushed around. He is at this point in his career slight. And yes, rim protection, rim protection, rim protection.<\/p>\n
AP: A slow start. Don\u2019t think Nets fans are asking for too much this season, but if losses mount early then people might become more disinterested and\/or start finding scapegoats for the problems. (That\u2019s not including how it negatively impacts development if it snowballs.)<\/p>\n
BF: The thing I\u2019m most concerned about this year is how the defense plays. It projects to be poor and if that\u2019s the case, I\u2019m not sure if the offense can keep up, especially during the dog days of the season. Bad defense is a killer and if the Nets can\u2019t get stops, it\u2019s gonna be ugly.<\/p>\n
PB: Donald Trump, oligarchy, and climate change. The Nets will be fine; the stakes could not be lower.<\/p>\n
CH: I think Day\u2019Ron Sharpe being the starting center is far and away the most \u201cboom or bust\u201d element of the team right now. I believe trading Nic Claxton and letting Day\u2019Ron take over the reins was the right decision, because it\u2019s about time we see if the \u201cboom\u201d scenario can happen via increased minutes for him. That said, I can\u2019t pretend like the \u201cbust\u201d scenario isn\u2019t possible, especially after seeing him pick up three fouls in about five minutes against Miami last week.<\/p>\n
CL: Rim protection, without question. Losing Nic Claxton leaves the Nets without an established rim-protecting big entering the season, and I think that will be a major issue when facing top teams throughout the season. We saw some of those concerns get amplified in the preseason, particularly against the Heat. The Nets have some intruiging defensive pieces and offer positional size at both guard and forward spots, but I don\u2019t think they have anyone who can consistently protect the paint.<\/p>\n
CM: Whether any of the young players can separate themselves as a legitimate cornerstone. Brooklyn has invested heavily in the draft, but potential only gets you so far. At some point, we need to start seeing players emerge as foundational pieces rather than just promising prospects and Twitter favorites.<\/p>\n
JG: I\u2019m most concerned with the bench. We have good players, but there are question marks that still need to be answered for the season. Can Moritz Wagner stay healthy this season? Can Nolan Traore continue to show promise that he did last season? Can Drake Powell develop into the two way prospect that he was believed to be out of UNC?<\/p>\n
SM: I\u2019m most concerned about Ben Saraf. He has shown signs of being a solid player last season, but despite those signs, he has also shown he\u2019s not yet an NBA-caliber starting player. I\u2019m hoping he takes a big leap forward in his development this season and is able to grow into the player that we all hope he will be. That, and the Nets\u2019 \u201cbig\u201d issue. Since losing Nic Claxton, the Nets seem to lack that big presence in the paint. Here\u2019s hoping that Day\u2019Ron picks up where Clax left off.<\/p>\n
What is the BEST case scenario for the Brooklyn Nets this season?<\/p>\n
NI: Development takes a leap. Not just with the Flatbush 5 but with the two rookies as well. Nets have high hopes for Brown Jr. and Joshua Jefferson. If the Nets come out of this season with a backcourt of the future including a much improved Nolan Traore, they will have made a huge move in the rebuild. Everything else is gravy. It\u2019s a long process.<\/p>\n
AP: Playoffs would be a miracle but a play-in spot feels like it could be possible.<\/p>\n
BF: Hmm, best case scenario for the Nets is competing for the last play-in spot. It would be a big step forward and a sign they\u2019re getting closer to the postseason again. Take a step forward and it gives fans and players around the league confidence that the franchise will be competitive sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n
PB: Preseason hot shooting holds up through the season, the defense is respectable, Sharpe grows in the starter\u2019s role, and Minott or Johnson emerges as a long-term piece alongside Demin and Brown.<\/p>\n
CH: Seven or Eight seed via the Play-In. You might\u2019ve been able to convince me six wouldn\u2019t be outrageous for them if the East didn\u2019t get so much better this year.<\/p>\n
CL: An eighth or ninth seed in the East. I don\u2019t think that\u2019s the most likely outcome, but it\u2019s certainly plausible and, in my opinion, around the team\u2019s ceiling. While the Nets improved this offseason drastically, so did many of the conference\u2019s already high-level teams. The Nets don\u2019t control their own first-round pick, so there is no incentive to bottom out. If they play a competitive 82 and play meaningful basketball in April, that would be a significant step forward compared to the last two seasons.<\/p>\n
CM: Competing for a Play-In spot while seeing two or three young players establish themselves as legitimate long-term building blocks. Development matters more than wins right now.<\/p>\n
JG: I think the best case scenario for the Nets will be a play in spot. If the youngest team in the league can show they have a chance to make the playoffs, then they will give confidence within their fans and show the league they have promise in the future.<\/p>\n
SM: The best-case scenario for Brooklyn this season is to be a Play-In team. I would love to sit here and say that they will win the NBA Championship this season, but I just don\u2019t see that being in the cards. However, if Brooklyn can be a competitive team to the very end, that would be a major positive sign for the development of Brooklyn\u2019s young core. Also, Mikel Brown Jr. balling out in his rookie season as a point guard could make this team a lot of fun to watch.<\/p>\n
Which of the eight players on rookie contracts do you have the highest expectations for this year? (Clowney, Flatbush 5, Brown Jr., Jefferson)<\/p>\n
NI: I\u2019ve already spoken about Demin, Brown Jr. and Traore. So I\u2019m going with Clowney! His biggest issue, as he and Fernandez have said, has been consistency. There have been games when fans have thought they saw a jump forward, the seven 3-pointers in one game last year, the two games of seven and four blocks in a week the year before. Then, hopes come down to earth. He has the motivation, as noted, with restricted free agency staring him in the face next summer. There\u2019s also opportunity. He may not start 60 games as he did last year, but he shoulda\/coulda get minutes at all three front court positions.<\/p>\n
I also think Jefferson will surprise \u2026 if he gets an opportunity.<\/p>\n
BF: I went with Egor for number one, so I\u2019ll change up and say Mikel Brown Jr for this one. He looked good against Miami and as he works through his minutes restriction, he\u2019ll be someone that will be someone to watch closely as the year progresses. I think he\u2019ll take to the NBA really well once he\u2019s past the restrictions and give fans a bit of excitement they haven\u2019t seen in some time.<\/p>\n
PB: Demin, by a lot, though Brown will show some brilliant flashes.<\/p>\n
CH: Tier 1: Brown Jr.; Tier 2: D\u00ebmin, Traor\u00e9; Tier 3: Powell, Clowney; Tier 4: Jefferson, Wolf; Tier 5: Saraf.<\/p>\n
CL: Egor D\u00ebmin, without a doubt. He addressed many of his \u201cconcerns\u201d during his rookie campaign, particularly by establishing himself as a shooter after struggling in that area at BYU. Now, I want to see him become a more aggressive creator on offense, especially when attacking the rim. I think he certainly can establish himself as a long-term building block for the team this year.<\/p>\n
CM: Egor D\u00ebmin. We\u2019ve seen flashes of his playmaking, size and shooting ability. I want to see him become more aggressive offensively and turn that potential into consistent production.<\/p>\n
JG: I have the highest expectation for Mikel Brown Jr. . Yes I get that Egor had a huge offseason but I believe the Nets drafting MBJ is the centerpiece for how this franchise goes forward. He is our potential quarterback for the future, and with the intangibles he has, I expect him to be promising.<\/p>\n
SM: Of the eight players on rookie contracts, the one I have the highest hopes for is Egor Demin. Egor has taken to New York City very easily, and he made that clear at the Nets Fest earlier this month in Brooklyn. Egor is someone that the fans want to get behind. We\u2019ve seen glimpses of his greatness last season; with his potential, he could be the next real \u2018Nets player.\u2019 Someone who the fans rally behind and someone who changes the culture of Brooklyn.<\/p>\n
Will MPJ and\/or Julius Randle still be in Brooklyn post-deadline?<\/p>\n
NI: Michael Porter Jr. – No. Julius Randle – Yes. It will all depend, as Sean Marks said on Media Day, the progress of the team and it\u2019s kiddie korps as well as what\u2019s available. That said, Porter Jr. is nearly four years younger than Randle so you\u2019d think he\u2019d be the higher priority to extend, but that may also make him a better target for contenders looking for the final piece. There were (disputed) reports that Golden State and Detroit were interested in MPJ last year. With the NBA, particularly the East, looking highly competitive, the market could be strong for final pieces. But what would the Nets want? More picks? They already have 32, including 13 firsts. How about a young player?<\/p>\n
BF: I think Randle remains post-deadline while Porter Jr gets traded to a contender. I feel this time around, a team that believes that they\u2019re one player away will pay the price to bring MPJ in. MPJ can give a contender the boost they need and should bring a lot back in return for the Nets.<\/p>\n
PB: Both will play out the season. Porter will be signed-and-traded this summer, and Randle will be extended for a couple more seasons.<\/p>\n
CH: I think Julius stays at least one more year under the assumption he\u2019s picking up his player option. I\u2019m not confident in this, but I think MPJ stays this year too. It\u2019s a gamble, and Sean Marks has almost NEVER done this, but I think he lets Porter Jr. play out his contract and then re-signs him as a free agent this summer. The Nets will again be able to give him more money than anyone via their cap space, will give him a lead role in an offense, he gets to stay with a coach he seems to like, and live in NYC. Who\u2019s gonna offer him a better deal than that? I\u2019d bet on that being able to pull him back in to avoid bidding against yourself this season and possibly overpaying for him with an extension.<\/p>\n
CL: I think Randle stays, while Porter gets moved. Porter\u2019s expiring contract could make him an attractive trade target for contenders around the deadline. However, I wouldn\u2019t move him just to move him. If there isn\u2019t solid value in return, there\u2019s no reason to force him off the roster, especially if the Nets are competent by the time those conversations spark.<\/p>\n
CM: I think Randle stays and MPJ gets moved. Porter should attract interest from contenders, but Brooklyn shouldn\u2019t trade him just for the sake of collecting another pick.<\/p>\n
JG: I think Julius Randle will stay and MPJ will go to a contender at some point. Because of Porter\u2019s contract, contenders will look for his skill set to complete their championship hopes. It also helps that I believe MPJ will take another leap career. Randle will continue to be the veteran the Nets need until further notice.<\/p>\n
SM: Seems to be a common consensus amongst Nets fans, but I can absolutely see a world where Michael Porter Jr. gets traded to a contender by the NBA Trade Deadline. His talent speaks for itself, and any teams contending for the NBA Playoffs would LOVE a player like MPJ on their squad. As for Randle, I just don\u2019t think he\u2019ll get that same amount of love that MPJ will. So, I can see Randle staying post-deadline.<\/p>\n
Are you generally happy or unhappy about the progress of the rebuild? <\/p>\n
NI: Ask me that question at the end of the year! Maybe even at the deadline! This is the critical year, IMO. Should the Nets make a big jump, as they did in 2018-19, Brooklyn\u2019s master plan will look prescient. They\u2019ll have all those young players on rookie deals, all those draft picks, all that cash, New York! Development will have been proven! Jordi Fernandez will be a magnet not just for free agents but those players wanting to move! If on the other hand, the sportsbooks are right, where do we go from here? Who\u2019s going to be in charge?<\/p>\n
The plan is not simple: Build through the draft, develop picks into rotation pieces, may be stars, then make the big moves without having to worry (that much) about aprons, luxury taxes etc., Sustainable success! There is an outline of how it could work, but reality can rear its ugly head. Stay tuned.<\/p>\n
You want a grade right now? I\u2019ll go with a B.<\/p>\n
AP: TBD. Egor and Mikel look good AND fun. You can tell they\u2019re proud to be Nets and that\u2019s genuinely nice to see. But I\u2019m saying TBD because they have plenty of others on rookie contracts with a lot to prove. particularly from the 2025 Draft in which they took a historic five first round picks.<\/p>\n
BF: I think I\u2019m happy with the state of the rebuild. In a perfect world, they win the lottery or finish top 3 in each of the previous seasons, but it didn\u2019t work out. But the Nets have put some good talent together and Brown Jr. + D\u00ebmin is a good one-two punch and solid building blocks to help the team right the ship.<\/p>\n
PB: Too slow for my taste\u2014but then, I was not a fan of taking two steps backward in the first place. Demin and Brown will prove to be good picks, but not the foundation of a contending team.<\/p>\n
CH: I wouldn\u2019t say \u201chappy\u201d but if \u201ccontent\u201d works, I\u2019ll settle for that. It\u2019s clear they have something here with this group. However, it\u2019s hard to get over the talent they missed at the top of the \u201825 and \u201826 drafts. It\u2019s also not totally the Nets\u2019 fault that the NBA lottery gods hate their stinking guts. So, I don\u2019t know. It\u2019s alright, I guess.<\/p>\n
CL: I\u2019m more happy than not, but it\u2019s time to start seeing results. Sean Marks has done a good job of buying assets and maintaining flexibility. However, those \u201cassets\u201d need to eventually result in wins. I think this year, it\u2019s fair to start expecting tangible progress in the standings, not just player development.<\/p>\n
CM: Cautiously happy. Marks has done a good job rebuilding the asset base and maintaining flexibility, but collecting picks is the easy part. Now it\u2019s about turning those assets into legitimate NBA talent.<\/p>\n
JG: For what the Nets dealt with until this point, I can say that I\u2019m happy with the rebuild. The Nets found what worked and what didn\u2019t. Now, the Nets have a good young core they can build around, but this means results are needed. It\u2019s time that the Nets use all of the work that they put in to finally start seeing progress, because the fan base deserves it.<\/p>\n
SM: I\u2019m more than happy with the current rebuild. I\u2019m certainly higher on certain players than others. However, even if the Nets get two quality starters of the five players they drafted last season, I\u2019d consider that a win. I think the jury is still out on a player like Ben Saraf; however, Egor Demin has the makings to be one of the best Brooklyn draft picks in recent memory. Also, seeing Mikel Brown Jr. come into the fray now is going to be super fun.<\/p>\n
NI: Julius Randle is voted to the All-Star team for the fourth time. I\u2019m big on J-Ran.<\/p>\n
AP: Julius Randle makes the All-Star team.<\/p>\n
BF: A bold prediction? Not sure if this fits the bill, but I think this is the year Porter Jr finally makes the All-Star team. After falling just short last year, I think he\u2019ll have all the motivation in the world to make his case for being named an All-Star. I think he\u2019ll get off to a terrific start and that will help drive the conversation around him in a positive fashion.<\/p>\n
PB: The Nets will lead the league with 30 assists per game, building a fun, Pacers-style offensive identity.<\/p>\n
CH: Mikel Brown Jr. wins Rookie of the Year. It\u2019s going to take some luck, but I think the talent is there.<\/p>\n
CL: The Nets finish with a top-10 offense in the East. Between Porter, Randle, D\u00ebmin, and the first-year expectations for Brown, the Nets have the potential to be a dangerous team on offense this year. I still have concerns about defense, but I think the offense could really surprise people this season.<\/p>\n
CM: Nolan Traor\u00e9 establishes himself as one of Brooklyn\u2019s three most valuable young players by season\u2019s end. His speed and ability to attack the paint could make him the biggest surprise of the group.<\/p>\n
JG: The Nets will make the playoffs after a successful play-in. Yes I know it sounds crazy, but out of all the bottom tier teams that will be in the East this year the Nets will be able to beat them. Nets fans, it might be a first around exit upon us, but we will be in the playoffs!<\/p>\n
SM: Mikel Brown Jr. finishes among the very top of the NBA rookie of the year voting. It\u2019s getting to be exciting times again to be a Brooklyn Nets fan. Behind the Flatbush 5, Mikel Brown Jr., and even guys like Joshua Jefferson, Tyler Bilodeau, or Grant Nelson, the potential on this team is endless. MBJ has all the makings to be a great NBA point guard. Also, another bold prediction for this season is that the Brooklyn Nets are a middle-of-the-pack team, and that\u2019s in large part due to their fantastic point guard play from MBJ.<\/p>\n
NI: 37-45. Nets will improve but so will the East.<\/p>\n