Are Brooklyn Nets Being Underestimated Ahead of 2026-27 Season?

The Nets have been among the league's worst over the past few years, but next season should be a different story.

Jan 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) and head coach Jordi Fernandez against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Brooklyn Nets will look different next season, but their expectations haven’t yet.

The Nets have spent this offseason finding ways to navigate through the chaos across the league in an attempt to get back to the postseason in 2027. Despite being among the worst teams in the league over the past few years, the Nets have some optimism that they can turn things around next season.

The key to that optimism is the influx of new talent in Brooklyn. Headlined by Julius Randle and Mikel Brown Jr., the Nets may have a core ready to get into the playoff mix in the Eastern Conference.

Add in Keon Ellis and Moe Wagner, and the Nets’ depth is also much more respectable than it had been over the past couple of years. With a good mix of borderline All-Stars, veterans and young talent, the Nets may only need one or two things to break their way to find themselves back in the playoffs, making some noise. 

While it seems evident that Brooklyn’s path to the postseason is viable, the general sentiment around the team hasn’t changed nearly as much as the roster. For example, the Nets’ preseason win total is set at only 24.5. 

Without control of their first-round pick next season and the additions the Nets made this offseason, hitting the 25-win mark seems almost like an insultingly low goal, even if that would be a five-win improvement from 2025-26. 

Although fit may be a factor early on as Randle and Brown adjust to playing in Brooklyn as high-usage players, the Nets are undeniably more talented than they were a season ago and have absolutely no incentive to lose this time around. Of course, development should still be a priority, which should prevent the Nets from going into full win-now mode, but that shouldn’t change this team from being one of the most improved in the entire league in 2027.

Overall, the Nets have taken the first step of coming out of their rebuild, and next season’s results will likely determine whether they dive back into the lottery game or keep pushing for the postseason in 2028 and beyond. However, the result of next season should be about whether the Nets can hit the 40-win mark, not 25 wins. 

There won’t be much that can change the perception of the Nets until they take the floor next season, but it may not take much time for folks to see exactly what Brooklyn’s potential is.