Could NBA Cup Be Turning Point for Nets' Season?

The Brooklyn Nets have had a rough start to the season, but there could be a perfect opportunity to turn things around in the near future.

While the Nets have been undeniably bad this season, things are still going according to plan in Brooklyn. As Jordi Fernandez is slowly tasked with integrating the Nets’ five first-round picks, the team is losing and potentially inching closer to finding its franchise player with its 2026 first-round pick.

Although that’s simply how the NBA works, there are plenty of veterans on the Nets who probably don’t care too much about those tanking plans. With the Nets sure to finish outside of the postseason for the third straight year, meaningful basketball could be hard to come by this year. That is, except for the NBA Cup.

Over the next few weeks, teams around the league will look to secure a chance at some extra cash and a trip to Vegas. On Friday, the NBA Cup will tip off, and while Brooklyn won’t be in action, some of its group members will be on the floor.

In East Group B this season, the Nets will compete against the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics and Sixers will be the lone teams from Brooklyn’s group in action on Friday night, with the group opening with that matchup in Philadelphia.

While the Nets are clearly the worst team in this group, there also isn’t a clear-cut favorite. And considering how Brooklyn has played to begin this season, it could easily be in a tight game with any of those teams.

Ultimately, winning the group and advancing to the knockout stage seems unlikely at best. However, these few games will offer a chance of pace on some colorful floors that could help energize the Nets a bit in the early stages of a rebuilding year.

These matchups might only count for four games out of 82, but they could act as a way of bringing some much-needed juice to the team. With guys like Michael Porter Jr. and Terance Mann who have been on deep playoff runs, playing any games with higher stakes could bring out the best in Brooklyn.

Last season, the Nets went 1-3 in group play, but this season could present an opportunity to perform better and get some wins. Sure, Brooklyn is still winless going into November, but maybe the NBA Cup is exactly what the Nets need.