What the Brooklyn Nets Current Winning Ways Mean for the Future

The Nets have won 4-of-6 games in December, leaving them with the sixth-best odds at the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Dec 14, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Danny Wolf (2) passes the ball as Milwaukee Bucks center Jericho Sims (00) defends during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

While the bottom three teams in the Western Conference have continued their losing ways, there's a different story for one of the bottom three teams in the Eastern Conference. Through six games in December, the Brooklyn Nets have won four, placing them four games back from a play-in spot.

The underlying goal coming into this season seemed to be to develop as much young talent as possible while also being in a position to get a top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The Nets' young talent is being properly developed, four of their five rookies have seen quality minutes along with other young prospects, but they are slowly ruining their chances of adding a true superstar player in what looks like a historic draft class.

Brooklyn's season started as many had predicted, with a league-worst scoring offense entering December and a slightly better defense that created some close games. In this month, however, the Nets are averaging 116 points per game and they have held four teams to less than 105 points through six games.

A lot of the credit will be placed on veterans Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton, both having breakout seasons, but many of the rookies' level of play has looked ahead of schedule as well.

Egor Demin has looked like a true all-around guard since being inserted into the starting lineup in November, and Drake Powell has been a key three-and-D player in 18 games off the bench. Danny Wolf and Ben Saraf saw more time in the G League, but since being called up, they have impacted both ends of the floor.

Brooklyn's recent success means that the front office has confidence in its current young core and that they don't believe a top 2026 prospect is needed to enhance this team. If the Nets can make a play-in push, a top 10 pick should still suffice for the rebuild as they build around the 2025 class.

It isn't a sure-fire thing that this current strategy will pay off in the future, though. Making it to the play-in doesn't do much for this team currently, and snagging even a top-five pick in the next draft cycle could push Brooklyn to a playoff contender in one season.

Head coach Jordi Fernandez clearly doesn't believe in tanking culture and wants his roster to have a competitive mentality. This mindset could be good for the Nets' player development, but it could also leave them right back in familiar mediocrity.