The Brooklyn Nets, despite an active offseason geared towards roster refinement and future planning, find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference power rankings according to NBA.com. As the franchise navigates the early stages of a comprehensive team rebuild, expectations for immediate playoff contention remain low, setting the stage for what many pundits predict will be a challenging season ahead.
Esteemed NBA.com analyst John Schuhmann recently unveiled his comprehensive NBA Power Rankings for every team within the Eastern Conference. His assessment placed the Brooklyn Nets unequivocally at the bottom of the list, a direct reflection of their strategic offseason maneuvers and the ongoing developmental phase of the squad.
Among the most significant strategic decisions made by the Nets this summer were the selection of five promising players in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft, signaling a strong commitment to long-term talent acquisition. Additionally, a pivotal trade saw Cam Johnson depart for the Celtics in exchange for versatile forward Michael Porter Jr. and a valuable 2032 first-round draft pick, underscoring their calculated approach to asset management in the NBA offseason.
The team’s performance during the 2024-25 season presented a paradox: despite finishing with a 32-50 record, they had initially begun the campaign with a respectable 9-10 start, putting them on a trajectory for nearly 40 wins. However, with an eye towards securing a high draft pick in the 2025 Draft, the Nets strategically traded Dennis Schroder to the Raptors, effectively accelerating their commitment to a more aggressive rebuild strategy.
A persistent area of concern for the Nets, as highlighted by Schuhmann, remains their offensive efficiency. “They took 24% of their shots, the league’s highest rate, in the last six seconds of the shot clock, according to Second Spectrum tracking. Their effective field goal percentage of 44.2% in the last six seconds ranked 25th,” Schuhmann meticulously observed, pointing to critical late-shot-clock struggles that hamper their scoring output and impact overall Basketball Analysis.
Looking ahead to the upcoming season, the Brooklyn Nets are expected to feature a core lineup including Nic Claxton anchoring the center position, Michael Porter Jr. at one of the forward spots, and Egor Demin assuming point guard duties. Cam Thomas is presumed to round out the starting five at shooting guard, forming a developing nucleus that will largely dictate the team’s performance in the NBA Eastern Conference.
The success of the Nets’ immediate future heavily hinges on the continued development and significant strides made by their incoming rookies and existing young players. While the organization harbors hopes for individual improvement on both ends of the floor, particularly in offensive execution, the prevailing sentiment suggests that the 2025-26 campaign could prove to be another arduous journey from a pure wins and losses standpoint for the Brooklyn Nets.
Beyond on-court performance, the Nets face additional strategic considerations. Recent reports suggest a potential impasse in contract talks with guard Cam Thomas, raising questions about his future with the franchise. Furthermore, the team has been linked to trade speculation, including a possible pursuit of Los Angeles Lakers forward Dalton Knecht, indicating their ongoing efforts to explore all avenues for roster enhancement. The re-signing of Ziaire Williams and Day’Ron Sharpe also solidified key rotational pieces, while the recent addition of Ricky Council IV on a one-year deal adds further depth. The team’s remaining cap space for the 2025-26 season also presents a strategic opportunity for further roster adjustments.
