2027's NBA Draft Situation Shouldn't Deter the Nets From Rebuilding Organically

Rumblings of Brooklyn getting competitive this NBA offseason are largely due to its situation regarding the 2027 NBA Draft. That shouldn't be the case.

Sep 23, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez (l) and general manager Sean Marks (r) speak at Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

No one actually 'enjoys' a rebuild. As fun as it can be for fans to root for losses, it's a coping mechanism to mask an NBA team that dwells in the lottery. When you're at the bottom, all you can dream for is improvement.

The Brooklyn Nets have been sitting in the league's basement since trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in 2023. But make no mistake, general manager Sean Marks has done a masterful job in setting the organization up with a blueprint for the future.

Brooklyn went all in on the trio of Durant, Irving and James Harden, but found a way to backtrack via a flurry of trades (most notably sending Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks). The Nets currently have 12 first-round draft picks between 2026 and 2032, not to mention five players taken in the top 30 of 2025 who just finished their rookie season.

But one concern has led to reports suggesting Brooklyn could go all in once again this offseason. The team doesn't control its 2027 NBA Draft pick (swap rights with the Houston Rockets), so there isn't an incentive to 'tank.'

The idea of winning as soon as possible is enticing, especially with the plethora of stars who could be available this offseason. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and Donovan Mitchell are just a few to look out for.

Even so, what good would it bring if the Nets go from a lottery dweller to a fringe postseason contender? The worst spot to be in the modern NBA is the middle.

Brooklyn is building something organic; given the core and future first-round picks, it has the chance to be as natural as the Oklahoma City Thunder have been, drafting players and buying low on youth.

This is all without mentioning that the Nets have a great chance at landing their first homegrown superstar in decades with the best odds in the 2026 draft lottery. If they select AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer to add to this core, is there really a need to go after a star nearly 10 years older?

As much as fans criticized Marks for his decisions earlier in the decade, he gave Brooklyn new life with recent trades. It wouldn't make sense to throw it away for big names, because as much as it may put fans in seats, one blockbuster move isn't going to bring the Nets a championship, not with this roster.