Assessing the Brooklyn Nets' Needs at the 2026 NBA Draft

The Brooklyn Nets are entering their biggest NBA Draft in decades, with the chance to grab their next franchise superstar.

Jan 14, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) and center Nic Claxton (33) head to the locker room after the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The 2026 NBA Draft is the draft for the Brooklyn Nets. After not owning a lottery pick from 2011 to 2024, last year saw them take Egor Dёmin at No. 8. As promising as he was this year, the Nets still enter this offseason desperately needing a franchise cornerstone.

This is the draft to grab that. At 20-62, they're tied with the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards for the best odds at the No. 1 pick (14%). They also have a 52.1% chance to land in the top four. While the lottery has yet to unfold, Brooklyn's needs are clear ahead of the draft.

Franchise Player

The Nets' 2025 class of Dёmin, Nolan Traoré, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf surprised people as a collective unit; it's hard to see any of them becoming 'the guy' in the near future. The 2026 class has a plethora of generational prospects, highlighted by AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer.

Brooklyn's goal has to be grabbing one of those three. Anything less would be a massive failure, not within the team's control.

If the Nets fall outside of the top three, some go-to stars to watch are Caleb Wilson, Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff and Kingston Flemings, although they don't bring the hype that the aforementioned trio carries.

This draft could prove that Brooklyn doesn't need to go all-in on stars amid rumors. Depending on who the organization selects, that prospect will put people in seats at Barclays Center, but also carry the weight of the New York City market on its shoulders.

Pure Scoring in the Backcourt

Ideally, the Nets would take the best player available, no matter the result of the lottery, but let's say they're trying to fill the biggest needs while also grabbing a star. They have facilitators in Traoré and Saraf, while Dёmin and Powell can knock shots down from beyond the arc.

In the frontcourt, Wolf, Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton will likely be a part of Brooklyn's short-term future, but that leaves a major weakness to be pure scoring in the backcourt. Yes, the guards have potential, but not as go-to bucket-getters.

If Dybantsa, Peterson and Boozer aren't available, Wagler and Acuff should be at the top of Brooklyn's draft board. They can create shots at all three levels, compared to scoring stars such as Damian Lillard, Allen Iverson, Jamal Murray and Austin Reaves.