Have Nets Played Too Well This Season?

The Brooklyn Nets are in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference.

Dec 19, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Brooklyn Nets forward Cam Johnson (2) reacts after making a three point basket against the Toronto Raptors in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Going into the season, the Brooklyn Nets were expected to be one of the worst teams in the NBA. However, that hasn't exactly been the case.

The Nets are 11-16 through their first 27 games, slotting them in at No. 10 in the Eastern Conference at the moment. If they keep this up, they may not reach the distinction of being in the running for projected No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg.

"Plucky offense has resulted in more wins than anyone expected—including Brooklyn itself. The front office doesn't pull off a Schröder trade this early if it's not concerned with optimizing lottery odds," Bleacher Report's Dan Favale writes.

"Unfortunately, that ship may have sailed. The Nets are just a handful of losses off bottom-four status, but that gap may prove mountainous with so many flagrant tank jobs below them. And while overachieving is cool, Brooklyn didn't re-acquire the rights to its next two first-rounders to select outside the top five."

There is still a lot of season left and the Nets could plummet in the standings after the trade deadline if they move on from some of their better players. But for now, it's not looking so bright for the Nets' lottery odds.

The Nets are back in action tomorrow night as they host the Utah Jazz.

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