Brooklyn ranks 28th in the NBA’s power rankings for the 2025-26 campaign
The The Brooklyn Nets enter this season with a new look but the same goal. A year after trading Mikal Bridges and reacquiring their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks from the Houston Rockets, The Nets selected an NBA record five rookies in the first round of the June draft. The team’s 2025-26 rebuilding campaign will be focused on developing those prospects and maximizing 2026 draft picks.
ESPN announced his power rankings ahead of the regular season opener on Tuesday. The Nets were ranked 28th, and their pitching scheme was labeled as the team’s top story.
“It’s clear, and if not, team governor Joe Tsai laid it out on the ‘All-In’ podcast: ‘We have one (first-round) pick in 2026 and we’re hoping to get a good pick. So you can predict what kind of strategy we’re going to use for this season.’ This means the tank is on. And everything this season will be focused on player development — that’s why there are five first-round draft picks on the roster. Staying flexible is GM Sean Marks’ MO here,” ESPN wrote.
Only the Utah Jazz (29) and the Washington Wizards (30) are behind Brooklyn on the list.
Will the Nets end up with the worst record in the NBA after their offseason roster overhaul?
After finishing with the NBA’s sixth-worst record last season and falling to the eighth pick in the draft, The Nets have taken steps to secure a better pick next June. Most notable was their decision to draft only rookie players.
ESPN’s Zach Kram made a bold but realistic prediction based on that development.
“The Nets (will) lead the league in turnovers,” Crum wrote. “The easiest way to get a lot of turnovers in the NBA is to give the ball to rookies, and Brooklyn has plenty of rookies who drive the ball in obvious situations. In four preseason games against NBA competition, the Nets have averaged 24 turnovers.”
ESPN projected the Nets to win 24.7 games, ahead of only the Wizards (23.8) and Jazz (23.6). Meanwhile, FanDuel Sportsbook lists the Brooklyn win projection at 19.5.
2025-10-20 19:16:00
