The Brooklyn Nets enter this season with a new-look roster but the same goal. One year after trading Mikal Bridges and reacquiring their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks from the Houston Rockets, the Nets selected an NBA-record five rookies in the first round of June's draft. The rebuilding squad's 2025-26 campaign will be aimed at developing those prospects and maximizing its 2026 draft choice.
ESPN released its power rankings ahead of Tuesday's regular season-opener. The Nets came in at No. 28, with their tanking agenda labeled as the team's top storyline.
“It's clear, and if it wasn't, team governor Joe Tsai laid it out on the ‘All-In' podcast: ‘We have one [first-round] pick in 2026, and we hope to get a good pick. So, you can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season.' That means the tank is on. And everything this season will be aimed at player development — hence the five first-round draft picks being on the roster. Maintaining flexibility is GM Sean Marks' MO here,” ESPN wrote.
Only the Utah Jazz (29) and Washington Wizards (30) ranked behind Brooklyn on the list.
Will Nets finish with NBA's worst record after offseason roster overhaul?
After finishing with the NBA's sixth-worst record last season and falling to the eighth pick in the draft, the Nets have taken measures to ensure a better pick next June. The most notable was their decision to roster exclusively rookie point guards.
ESPN's Zach Kram made a bold, but realistic, prediction based on that development.
“The Nets [will] lead the league in turnovers,” Kram wrote. “The easiest way to commit lots of turnovers in the NBA is to give the ball to rookies, and Brooklyn is stocked with rookie ball handlers in an obvious tanking situation. In their four preseason games against NBA competition, the Nets averaged 24 turnovers.”
ESPN projected the Nets to win 24.7 games, ahead of only the Wizards (23.8) and Jazz (23.6). Meanwhile, FanDuel Sportsbook lists Brooklyn's win projection at 19.5.
