What is Brooklyn Nets' Path Back to Playing on NBA's Marquee Dates?

The schedule is trickling out, and the Nets are on the outside looking in at the league's most anticipated dates.

Mar 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The NBA is just around the corner, but the national audience may not see much of the Brooklyn Nets.

On Tuesday, the NBA began releasing its schedule for the 2026-27 season, beginning with national TV games for opening week, along with its slate of Christmas Day games. Some of the teams featured include Brooklyn’s division rivals in Philadelphia, Boston and New York, along with Houston and former Nets star Kevin Durant. 

Going into the league’s reveal of some of its key dates for next season, there was never an expectation for the Nets to make the cut. Coming off a 20-win season and projected to miss the postseason again in 2027, there was never much of a chance for Brooklyn to be among the league’s showcase.

However, it does beg the question of what Brooklyn needs to do to get back in the picture for those matchups. Just a few years ago, the Nets were a national TV staple and were showcased on opening week and Christmas Day.

Obviously, it helps to have had some of the biggest stars of the past decade on the roster and be a title contender. Of every team featured on opening week and Christmas next season, they all have one of the league’s biggest names and/or are a title contender. 

So, for the Nets to get back in the mix, they simply need to check at least one of those boxes. Easier said than done given the current state of the team, but the Nets have been no stranger to star hunting in the past, and another successful endeavor on that front could land Brooklyn back on the national stage consistently.

With intriguing players with big contracts in Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle, a fun start to the year and encouraging signs from the young core could get Sean Marks to pull the trigger on the league’s next blockbuster. Of course, the Nets may simply be content with seeing out this rebuild and making small changes over time to get back to the top of the East. 

As great as it is for fans to see their team in a big game on national TV to tip off the season, the ultimate goal remains to be in big games in May and June, not October. The Nets surely want to get back in the mix and be must-see TV once again, but there’s no need to make shortsighted decisions just to get back on opening week or Christmas.