The Brooklyn Nets' Forgettable Season Ends, Offers Hope for Their Foundation

The Brooklyn Nets ended their season on Sunday with a 136-101 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Brooklyn's end-of-season record was 20-62.

While there was never much hope for a competitive season during this campaign, the spark was officially burnt out through the last two months of play. The Nets went 5-18 through March and April, relying heavily on inexperienced talent.

There were still bright spots on the roster despite a historically bad offense and not much better defense overall. Players like Michael Porter Jr., Nic Claxton, Egor Demin, Noah Clowney, Ziaire Williams, Danny Wolf, Nolan Traoré and Day'Ron Sharpe proved they are capable of being long-term building blocks for Brooklyn.

Porter Jr. had a career year, averaging 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, three rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. He was limited to 52 games by a hamstring strain in the final month and by other minor injuries throughout.

Another player who experienced a breakout season was Clowney. He finally had a healthy season, playing 66 games, starting 60. Clowney averaged 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 stocks per game. He still lacks the efficiency to contribute to winning basketball, but he's only 21 years old and is growing into his 6-foot-10, 235-pound frame.

The Nets' veterans largely played their roles well for the youngest team in the NBA. Terance Mann was the locker room guy by all accounts. Claxton saw a resurgence, as well as taking on mentorship duties and Jalen Wilson was a reliable three-point option.

Claxton and Mann are both under contract until the 2028 offseason. Wilson will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and will likely not be brought back despite a potential cheap contract.

The crown jewel of Brooklyn's rebuild –– at this point –– is its 2025 NBA Draft class. It selected a record five players in the first round, all of whom saw substantial time to develop. Each rookie played over 43 games. Demin led the charge as the highest overall pick, averaging 10.3 points, 3.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game.

Nolan Traoré and Ben Saraf both saw significant minutes down the stretch of the season. Both of their playmaking chops stood at the forefront of promising skill sets. Traoré especially showed enough flashes to be considered as the Nets' lead guard going into next season.

Their other pair of rookies were Danny Wolf and Drake Powell. Wolf was unique as a playmaking forward, and Powell's limitless athleticism led to strong finishing around the rim. They were also the two most efficient rookies on the team. Both shot 40.5% from the field, and Wolf shot over 32% from deep on nearly four attempts per game.

Brooklyn's inexperience in its playmaking showed throughout the season. The team ranked 29th in the league for assist/turnover ratio. Even with a young core, the Nets still ranked in the bottom five in pace, something head coach Jordi Fernandez wanted to see shoot up this season.

Fernandez and general manager Sean Marks are going into a crucial offseason that could decide their futures in the organization. The next step is the draft lottery, taking place on May 10.