3 Nets Veterans Poised to Shape the Team’s Incoming Rookie Class

One third—that's right, one THIRD—of the Brooklyn Nets' 2025-26 active roster will be made up entirely of first-round rookies selected in June's draft. Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf completed a record-breaking draft haul for Brooklyn, and now the youngsters will play a pivotal role in the team's performance next season. But no rookie comes in completely NBA-ready, so here are three veterans the Nets should lean on to help the newcomers adjust to the league.

1. Nic Claxton

Mar 24, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) looks on during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

This one's obvious, right? While Claxton isn't Brooklyn's oldest player, he is the longest-tenured one. Claxton has been part of every era of Nets basketball dating back to 2019, so he's seen more than enough during his time in Kings County. He'll be able to help catch the rookies up to speed on how things are done in Brooklyn, and may even be able to give Wolf some tips as he enters the NBA's frontcourt landscape.

2. Terance Mann

Mar 16, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Terance Mann (14) looks on during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Nets' sneaky offseason addition could see his impact transcend statistics. Mann, a Brooklyn native, will unquestionably be an integral part of Head Coach Jordi Fernandez's rotation. But the effect he could have on Powell cannot be overstated. Much like Powell, Mann is a highly athletic, three-and-D guard-forward. His versatility is his strength, as is Powell's. With a combination of Mann and Haywood Highsmith, Powell is set up perfectly to learn from his peers during his first professional season.

3. Michael Porter Jr.

May 7, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. warms up before the start of game two of the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Championship experience can't be overlooked, and that's exactly what Porter brings to the Nets ahead of his first NBA season away from the Denver Nuggets. Porter, 27, will be reunited with Fernandez, under whom he spent four years learning in Denver from 2018 to 2022. Now, he's poised to be a focal point of Brooklyn's offense but could also help shape the first season of a historic draft class. Porter does have a ring, experience that is unmatched. He and Highsmith are the only two players on the 2025-26 roster who have advanced past the conference finals. That's more valuable than many would believe.

Fernandez alone is enough to get excited about the newcomers. Demin, Traore, Powell, Saraf and Wolf lucked out getting him as their first head coach, as their games are about to develop quite quickly. But when the fivesome isn't in player development sessions, Claxton, Mann and Porter could play vital roles in the growth of their new teammates.