Michael Porter Jr. (left) and No. 8 pick Egor Dëmin are 2 key players to watch in for Brooklyn in 2025-26. (Photo by Bart Young + Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
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2024-25 Record: 26-56 (12th in East, missed playoffs)
Brooklyn entered last season knowing it could be a transitional one, and it was. The Nets cycled through 44 starting lineups, searched for an offensive identity and ultimately finished in the bottom seven on both ends. They flashed stretches of promise — a top-10 offense early in the season, followed by the league’s No. 1 defense for four weeks before the All-Star break — but never sustained either.
With a mix of newly-acquired veterans and five first-round picks from the 2025 Draft, Brooklyn enters this season aiming to develop young talent while improving on last year’s record.
Offseason
- Re-signing: Tyrese Martin (team option exercised), Day’Ron Sharpe, Cam Thomas, Drew Timme (team option exercised), Ziaire Williams, Jalen Wilson (team option exercised)
- Additions: Kobe Bufkin (trade), Haywood Highsmith (trade), Terance Mann (trade), Michael Porter Jr. (trade)
- Draft: Egor Dëmin (8th pick), Nolan Traoré (19th pick), Drake Powell (22nd pick, acquired via trade), Ben Saraf (26th pick), Danny Wolf (27th pick)
- Departures: Tosan Evbuomwan (free agent), Cameron Johnson (trade), Keon Johnson, (waived), D’Angelo Russell (free agent), Trendon Watford (free agent)
- Unsigned Free Agents: De’Anthony Melton
No team has gone a full season with five rookies selected in the first round on its roster. The Nets enter 2025-26 in that scenario, marking the start of a full rebuild. After making selections with all of its first-round picks, the front office leaned further into the reset by swapping Johnson for Porter Jr., acquiring Mann and Highsmith in two other trades. It also moved on from Russell and Watford.
Brooklyn also re-signed its 23-year-old star, Thomas, in early September. While Thomas missed 57 games last year, he’s led the team in scoring in each of the past two seasons. With a loaded rookie class — headlined by No. 8 pick Egor Dëmin — and a pair of proven scorers in Thomas and Porter Jr., the Nets laid the groundwork for the future while pushing to be competitive in the East.
Nets Generation, presented by @TISSOT, Episode 1 is LIVE!
Go behind the scenes with the rooks during their first Summer League → https://t.co/a7p6U2KGa9 pic.twitter.com/8k82vFRM6B
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) August 13, 2025
Follow the NBA journeys of the 2025 Nets rookie class — Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traoré, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf.
X-factor
Egor Dëmin. The 19-year-old was one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft. A 6-foot-9 creator, he combines size, passing and offense that could make him a unique piece for the Nets. In his lone season at BYU, he set the school’s freshman assists record (180 total) while averaging 5.5 assists per game. He also showed flashes of an improved shooting stroke in three NBA 2K26 Summer League outings, making 3.3 3-pointers per game on 43.5% shooting.
His length and instincts that set him apart, allowing him to navigate defenses, set up teammates and disrupt passing lanes — all of which make him one of Brooklyn’s most compelling young players.
> Watch Egor Dëmin on NBA League Pass
One key question
How will Brooklyn’s new-look roster mesh? Thomas is the only player remaining from last season’s opening-night starting five, and the Nets’ first four picks in the draft — Dëmin (8th), Traoré (19th), Powell (22nd) and Saraf (26th) — are all guards. That youth-heavy backcourt creates offensive potential but also raises questions about rotations and balance.
Porter Jr.’s floor-stretching ability, two-way veterans Highsmith and Mann and frontcourt anchor Nic Claxton – averaging 11.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2 blocks over the last three seasons – should provide stability, but much of the season will hinge on how quickly the rookies adapt and how effectively this mix of young talent and veterans can play together.
Fantasy Outlook from RotoWire
The team at RotoWire broke down the top fantasy options for each team in the East. Here’s how they broke down some of the best options from the Nets:
“The Nets let go of Cameron Johnson, who was one of their most effective players last season, as part of a trade that brought Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn. Porter averaged 18.2 points per game on 50.4% shooting, including 39.5% from 3-point range last season. Although he was a critical part of the Nuggets’ championship run, Porter always played as a second, third or fourth scoring option. Now, he will have a new opportunity to expand his game with the Nets, as he is set to be a solidified first or second option for the offense.”
Key dates
- Preseason Opener: Oct. 4 vs. Hapoel Jerusalem B.C. (8 ET, League Pass)
- NBA Global Games (China): Oct. 10 vs. Suns (8 AM ET, League Pass), Oct. 12 vs. Suns (7 AM ET, League Pass)
- Regular Season Opener: Oct. 22 at Hornets (7 ET, League Pass)
- Home Opener: Oct. 24 vs. Cavaliers (7:30 ET, League Pass)
- Emirates NBA Cup East Group B Play: Nov. 7 vs. Pistons (7:30 ET, League Pass), Nov. 14 at Magic (7 ET, League Pass), Nov. 21 at Celtics (7:30 ET, League Pass), Nov. 28 vs. 76ers (7:30 ET, League Pass)
What they’re saying
Jared Weiss, The Athletic: “Brooklyn did a decent job tearing down what was looking like a Play-In Tournament team at the beginning of last season, and their patience offloading Cam Johnson paid off. They got the Nuggets’ unprotected 2032 first-round pick, which is far more valuable than a couple of late firsts in the coming drafts from a contender like the Cleveland Cavaliers. Michael Porter Jr. will be a solid placeholder as the team continues to rebuild, and they fared well taking on Terance Mann’s salary as a facilitator in the Kristaps Porziņģis deal to add another first in June’s draft.” (Read More)
