Brooklyn Nets Have Clear Opportunity to Begin New Chapter of Winning

The Nets have been losing for the past few years, but this season could mark the start of a new era.

Sep 28, 2026; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) talks with media at Brooklyn Nets HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Brooklyn Nets have been one of the worst teams in the league over the past few seasons, but they’ve got a chance to change that this season.

As the preseason inches closer for the Nets, they’ll be ready to begin a new campaign and potentially put away all of the negativity that’s followed the franchise in recent years. With so many losses over the past few seasons, the Nets have been near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings repeatedly.

Although external expectations have remained largely the same for the Nets, their moves may have put them in a position to compete for a spot in the postseason. It won’t be easy in what’s expected to be a deep Eastern Conference, but the Nets might have done enough to get themselves into that tier of postseason hopefuls. 

No one would fault the Nets for failing to get into the postseason, given where they’ve been over the past few years, but Brooklyn has a chance to change its perception moving forward. If the Nets simply hover around the 25-win mark and finish among the worst teams in the league again this season, Brooklyn’s offseason moves and internal development won’t be getting much love.

However, if the Nets can show they’re competitive and be in the mix for a play-in bid, at least for the first few months of the season, the conversations surrounding the franchise should be much different. While outside perception of the Nets isn’t necessarily important for a team at this stage of a rebuild, it could at least be a nice payoff for the players and coaches after what’s happened over the past few years. 

As currently constructed, the Nets should be a fun, young team with the necessary veteran leadership to compete for a postseason spot in the East and pull off some upsets throughout the season. Assuming the Nets can stay relatively healthy throughout the year, they shouldn’t have much of an issue competing from night to night.

Perhaps a product of the new lottery format leaguewide, there really shouldn’t be many teams bottoming out this season, which could make things more difficult for the Nets. On the other hand, it might be great for the Nets’ young core to have to fight every night without any “easy” games on the schedule.

Ultimately, the Nets should be focused on their internal goals, but they should at least keep in mind that accomplishing those will lead to some well-earned praise and a shift in the team’s image around the league.