Nets' Front Office Ranked in Bottom-Half of the NBA

Brooklyn has faced much scrutiny for its offseason, but they are "tanking" the correct way.

Sep 26, 2022; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks talks to the media during media day at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

CBS Sports' Sam Quinn ranked every NBA team's front office ahead of the 2025-26 season. The Brooklyn Nets have fallen in the rankings since the last issue in February 2025.

The Nets dropped to No. 17, falling five spots in the rankings. Although this places them in the lower half of the league, it’s not a bad position for a team undergoing a rebuild.

The final roster for the upcoming season is still not set, but Brooklyn may contend for the youngest team in NBA History. This title is currently held by the Houston Rockets during the 2022-23 season, with an average age of 22.69 years.

The Denver Nuggets received praise for acquiring Cam Johnson from the Nets, but Brooklyn still secured good value in return.

"Denver's 2032 first-round pick is one of the most valuable outstanding selections in all of basketball," Quinn said. "As bad as Michael Porter Jr.'s contract was in Denver's specific context, it's actually a pretty useful trade chip for the Nets, specifically."

Time will tell how valuable the Nuggets' future first-round pick will be. The hope is that Denver will be rebounding after investing heavily in this current run with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

Reflecting on some of Brooklyn's past front office decisions, it's impressive that Sean Marks was able to assemble Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. Although this trio is now considered one of the biggest disappointments in NBA history, much of the blame can be attributed to injuries and poor health.

The Nets fell in the new rankings mainly due to their unusual picks in the 2025 NBA Draft.

"Egor Demin, at least based on consensus, was overdrafted meaningfully at No. 8," Quinn said. "They then proceeded to overindex on Demin's skillset, devoting the bulk of their draft capital to on-ball creation."

Brooklyn's draft class lacked complementary players according to common standards. This was especially evident after the NBA Summer League, which showcased individual players focusing on their offensive opportunities rather than operating as a cohesive unit.

The consensus is that the Nets are starting to move toward an unsuccessful rebuild. The perception of the front office will largely depend on whether their draft class shows promise in its first year and if they can secure a top-three draft position for 2026.