Brooklyn Nets May Have a Julius Randle-Michael Porter Jr. Problem to Figure Out

The Nets have a couple of talented scorers, but they need one to separate himself at the top.

Nov 1, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) high-fives Brooklyn Nets forward Julius Randle (30) against the Indiana Pacers during the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Brooklyn Nets are among the worst teams in the league through two weeks, and they may have a problem to solve at the top of the roster.

With seven games now played, the Nets sit at just 1-6, which is good for a tie for the fewest wins in the league. Coming into the season, there was no shortage of questions surrounding the Nets, and unfortunately, most of those questions are either yet to be answered or have been answered in a negative way. 

Of course, there’s still plenty of time left in the season to figure things out and potentially get into the postseason race. However, the Nets have some clear issues to solve, and figuring out who their leader is could be at the top of the list. 

After trading for Julius Randle in the offseason, it was always apparent that Brooklyn would be faced with questions about who would be the No. 1 option. With Michael Porter Jr. back in town for a second season after a career year, it was tough to tell who might set themselves apart. 

As of now, that’s where the problem has only grown. Through the first two games of the season, Randle is leading the Nets in scoring at 20.9 points per game, while Porter is just behind at 20.7 points a night. 

Finding the right balance between the two could be among Jordi Fernandez’s toughest tasks yet as a head coach. With both shooting the same amount of shots a night at 15.1, there clearly isn’t any sort of pecking order at the top. 

While that can often be a good thing, it might be a detriment, given the situation Brooklyn is in. For the Nets to win games consistently, they’ll need a true leader to go to late in games and to carry them for stretches. 

Although both Porter and Randle are capable, not having a clear No. 1 option could lead to some issues at times. Randle may seem like an obvious option, considering he’s been the No. 1 guy in a similar situation before, but Porter also may be the more talented player and scorer at this point in their careers. 

Ultimately, there’s no easy answer to finding the leader for Brooklyn, and it could be the root of problems for the Nets all season. The two have shown they can coexist and have been good for over 40 points per game thus far, but a lack of separation between the two may spell trouble.