Why Brooklyn Nets Should Fully Bottom Out if Next Season Goes South

The Nets don't have their pick, but there may still be some incentive to tank.

Jan 1, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore (88) dribbles during the first half against the Houston Rockets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Brooklyn Nets’ pick situation alongside the new draft lottery format could lead to some interesting tactics late next season.

After an offseason filled with changes around the league, the Nets will be looking to come out of their rebuild and compete for a postseason spot for the first time since 2023. With three straight years of ending up in the lottery with no clear stars to show for it, Brooklyn will be leaning on the veteran play of Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle to navigate them through a tough Eastern Conference next season.

The ideal outcome for Brooklyn in 2027 would be as simple as making the play-in and giving itself a chance at making the playoffs. Playing some good basketball for a full 82-game season would be a welcome change of pace from the tanking that’s occurred lately.

Because the Nets don’t have control of their pick next season, the general consensus has been that their situation should eliminate any consideration of tanking. However, there’s still a scenario where the new lottery format could incentivize the Nets to head for the bottom of the standings next year.

Of course, Plan A for the Nets will be to compete throughout the year and give it their best shot to earn a spot in the postseason. If the season doesn’t go according to plan, and the Nets are clearly out of the race going into the final weeks of the season, going all out for a bottom-three record should be Brooklyn’s goal.

In recent years, the incentive to finish with one of the three worst records was that a team would be securing the best odds for the No. 1 pick. However, this new format for 2027 features a relegation zone, which penalizes teams with a bottom-three record, granting them only two lottery balls instead of the three given to the seven other teams that miss the play-in.

For any team with their pick, that would be an obvious deterrent to tanking. However, the Nets would actually be incentivized to ensure their pick had worse odds because of another piece of the new format. 

While the Nets don’t immediately need to worry about the rule preventing teams from picking in the top five in three consecutive years, they would need to worry about the rule that prevents a team from picking No. 1 in back-to-back years. If the Nets aren’t good enough to compete for a play-in spot next season, they should naturally be interested in another lottery season in 2028, when they own their pick.

Considering that, the Nets should be doing everything in their power to give Houston the lowest chance of securing the No. 1 pick via swap, which would end Brooklyn’s chances of securing the top pick in 2028. While there’s no guarantee that cutting Houston’s lottery balls from three to two would prevent it from getting lucky and getting the top pick, it would be the lone option Brooklyn has to try and protect its future.