Brooklyn Nets Could Sign Six-Time All-Star Forward

The Brooklyn Nets could have a brand new identity next season.

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 could have a brand new identity next season with Julius Randle entering the fray and longtime fan favorite Nic Claxton out of the picture.

The Nets could still use another veteran to help bring some valuable experience to the locker room and scoring on the court.

DeMar DeRozan is still out there in free agency, and he could be a fit for the Nets, the Toronto Star's Doug Smith writes.

"This is generally the slowest time of the year and there’s no urgency for DeMar to find a spot," Smith wrote. "I still think Brooklyn, Miami, Portland and Denver are interesting spots where he’d fit. There’s just no sense anyone’s in any rush."

DeRozan would give the Nets the scoring guard they could desperately use on the court, especially in late-game situations.

He can get downhill, break down defenses on the drive and attract multiple defenders towards him, which should open up plenty of clean looks for Michael Porter Jr., Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr.

DeRozan is not going to be able to handle the same load he was once able to during his days with the Toronto Raptors and other stops, but Brooklyn's young guns could learn a lot from his ability to create his own shot in the midrange and effortlessly get to the rim.

Since the Nets have no incentive to tank next season, adding DeRozan could help them compete for a spot in the play-in tournament, or dare I say, playoffs?

Of course, the Nets' main priority is to give Brown and Dëmin as many on-ball reps as possible so that they can take the next step in their game and properly develop, but competition forces everybody to step up and perform to the best of their abilities, so the Nets' young backcourt could learn very quickly how to earn their keep.

DeRozan and Randle could especially form a nice partnership on pick-and-roll actions, given their respective knacks for moving without the ball and making plays for their teammates.

DeRozan could bring some short term excitement to Brooklyn and make the Nets a much more competitive team, but at this stage of his career, he'd probably be a better fit for a team looking to win a championship.

However, joining the Nets could also give him an opportunity to move up the NBA's all-time scoring list, as he currently has the 16th-most points.