NETS INSIDER

 The Oklahoma City Thunder's title chances just took a major hit.  After Jalen Williams suffered a gruesome ankle injury and leg injury, and Cason Wallace sustained a serious shoulder injury, it's very likely that both players could be lost for the season. Add an unprotected future first. Who says no? https://t.co/9Yi5J1C67V pic.twitter.com/2Hhk49kPIg — Nets Insider (@notoriousbknets) October 27, 2026   The Thunder are coming off a Western Conference Finals loss to the San Antonio Spurs where J. Williams was hobbled and missed four games in the series.  It's clear that in order to defeat the defending conference champions, Oklahoma City is going to need reinforcements.  The Nets have a dead-end vet that can provide the scoring punch and sniper shooting ability to put the Thunder back in the championship conversation.  Michael Porter Jr would be the perfect addition and adding Terence Mann as a rotational defensive – minded piece off the bench ...

  Mikel Brown Jr is starting the season with a minutes restriction and coming off the bench for the Brooklyn Nets.  The rookie tweaked his ankle during the summer, and Brooklyn's training staff is taking a conservative approach.  The Nets Insider team debates whether the rookie coming off the bench is a long-term play by the organization, or just temporary until he's nursed back to full health. 

  The Brooklyn Nets and New York Yankees have more similarities than you think.  The obvious one that comes immediately to mind is that their games are carried by the YES Network and streamed on DAZN.  Peel back the layers and you'll see each team with an owner and general manager joined at the hip.  Brian Cashman joined the Yankees organization in 1995 and has served as the GM since 1998.  He first served under George Steinbrenner and is now reporting to the late owner's son, Hal.  The Bronx Bombers currently have a 26-year championship drought.  That dryspell has spanned three managers: Joe Torre, Joe Girardi, and now Aaron Boone. During New York's post mortem press conference, Hal reinforced his belief in the GM and in fact doubled down with an extension.  The Yankees are a perennial playoff team with lofty expectations from a fan base that expects a championship or bust mentality.  The Brooklyn Nets, on the other hand, are an organization...

  Photo courtesy of ESPN  It might be a long year for the Brooklyn Nets.  Putting up a little resistance in the paint or at the rim in Wednesday's home opener, Charlotte had its way with a Brooklyn squad that was supposedly reaching a turning point in it's rebuild.  The vibes appeared to be high at Barclays Center, as they celebrated 60 seasons of Nets basketball with a throwback tri-color court and retro red, white, and blue uniforms with "Nets" emblazoned across the front.   The Nets came out flat and allowed Charlotte to dictate pace and physicality.  Rookie Mikel Brown Jr. play 20 minutes and went 2-of-8  from the field, 1-of-3 from 3-point range, and tallied three assists and three rebounds.  The Nets allowed 44 points in the paint, while committing 22 turnovers. Charlotte committed 21 of its own. Julius Randle led the way for Brooklyn with 33 points, on 11-of-18 shooting with eight rebounds, and seven assists.  Michael Porter Jr. d...

 Sean Marks didn't do his due diligence.  Whether it was James Harden's trade request or hasty decision making, the Nets GM traded for damaged goods.  Ben Simmons himself admits that he was not his healthy self when the Nets acquired him. Waiving Ben's physical and hiring Steve Nash are among Sean Marks's worst decisions as GM pic.twitter.com/NkC2HWX3Di — Nets Insider (@notoriousbknets) October 19, 2026   Simmons didn't play the second half of the regular season or the playoffs in 2023 and underwent back surgery that offseason.  The Nets were swept by the Celtics and that campaign was the last for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving together in Brooklyn.  Simmons was never the same player he was in Philly.  Now that the point guard suffered a season ending Achilles injury during practice with the Kings, fans can't help but wonder if retirement is around the corner. 

  Bill Parcells once said, "you are what your record says you are." So while the Brooklyn Nets won three out of four during the preseason, a Maddenism comes to mind that rings true for this squad.  "Winning is the greatest deodorant".  Clearly, win/loss records are not an indicator of success in the preseason where starters play limited minutes while coaches have the opportunity to evaluate the roster top to bottom. The Nets had great contributions from Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Demin, Nolan Traore and a plethora of guys on an individual basis.  The most disconcerting trend of the preseason was Brooklyn's abysmal transition defense and lack of a paint and rim protector.  The Nets were among the lowest scoring offenses last season and are banking on the addition of Julius Randle and Brown Jr. to bolster that weak point.  Brooklyn has volume scorers, but they'll need to outscore teams this season if there's any hope of reaching or exceeding the .500 mark.  S...

Photo courtesy of Dan Rodriguez    The Brooklyn Nets may have just started a yearly tradition for fans of all ages.  The Owens Community Center in Brooklyn was the site of the first ever "Nets Fest" with fans getting an opportunity to get autographs and sit in on panels with former players, including: Buck Williams, Albert King, Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles and more.  Photo courtesy of Dan Rodriguez Current Nets, Egor Demin, Mikel Brown Jr., Julius Randle, Ben Humrichous, Jordi Fernandez, and others were in attendance as well. Brooklyn Nets lottery pick, Mikel Brown Jr., shares his message for fans for the upcoming season. @NetsDaily #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/A1xovni2pB — Scott Mitchell (@Scott44Mitchell) October 4, 2026   Many took part in a youth clinic with the next gen of players and fans learning from the pros.  Photo courtesy of Dan Rodriguez A good time was had by all reminiscing about yesteryear and honoring the franchise's hi...

  The Brooklyn Nets open the preseason slate on October 6 at the Spectrum Center as they take on the Charlotte Hornets.  They'll likely being doing so without number 6 overall pick from the 2026 NBA draft in Mikel Brown Jr.  The Nets point guard tweaked his ankle this past week and is currently working his way back to full health as the team opens up training camp.  Sean Marks and the training staff are notoriously conservative in ramping up injured players and getting back onto the court. The rookie will need to clear a number of benchmarks, despite the injury not being a serious concern in the bigger picture.   Brown Jr. missed large portions of the Louisville Cardinals season during his freshman year with a lower back injury. His inability to stay on the court likely saw his draft stock take a hit and fall outside the top four and land in the Nets' lap.  Beyond his health ailments, Brown Jr. has a high ceiling as a scorer and facilitator, while he g...

 Leave it up to Michael Porter Jr. to make headlines.  Earlier in the off-season, the Nets shooting forward raised a lot of eyebrows with his comments that the team would win 50 games. Nets F Michael Porter Jr. on his statement that Brooklyn could win 50 games this season: "Why not shoot for the stars? I think that the reason a lot of NBA players are where they are is from having delusional confidence... People can clown that answer all they want." — Sharif Phillips-Keaton (@SharifKeaton) September 28, 2026   Brooklyn went into tank mode in 2025-26 and won merely 20 games with the hopes of securing the top pick.  The Nets dropped to the number 6 pick and selected Mikel Brown Jr. out of Louisville.  While veterans Julius Randle, Mo Wagner and Porter Jr. will certainly help bring experience, it's absurd to think that Brooklyn will more than double its win total in a more competitive Eastern Conference.  An unfiltered Porter Jr. is never shy to ...

 One look up and down the Brooklyn Nets early season schedule and it's clear wins may be few and far between for Jordi Fernandez and crew.  Brooklyn will be facing some Eastern Conference heavyweights in the early stretch, followed by a trip to the Lone Star State to round out a grueling 10 game opening schedule.  Many pundits are expecting the Nets to be in the play-in hunt after tanking the 2025-26 season.  Ironically, the Eastern Conference is stacked with playoff contenders, and the Nets will have an uphill climb to even crack the top eight teams.  So while Nets fans are looking forward to a more competitive team, with proven veteran leadership, it may not necessarily translate to many more wins this year. 

The Brooklyn Nets are making a concerted effort to honor their history and to reach out to their fans. That's what happens when you spend the better part of the last two seasons tanking.  In fact, with the Knicks raising the Larry O'Brien trophy, the Nets of becoming afterthought in their own market.  Now, not by choice, but by circumstance, the Nets are holding theme nights to honor their ABA Roots, two ABA Title teams, as well as legendary runs as the New Jersey Nets to the NBA finals. The franchise is taking it a step further by holding a Nets fest event that will be free for fans.     🗣️ BROOOOKLYN Pull up October 4 at Major Owens Community Center, for the first-ever Nets Fest, presented by @Ticketmaster ! See the squad, enjoy activities for the whole fam, catch special appearances from Nets alumni + more 👀 Tickets available tomorrow at 10am →… pic.twitter.com/G1CXQvtspO — Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) September 14, 2026 Now the question remains, will...

  NBA2K27 is chock-full of goodies for fans of all 30 NBA teams. From MyCAREER to MyTEAM to My NBA, there isn't a shortage of features and in-depth game modes.  For Nets fans, a first look at rookie Mikel Brown Jr. will likely make any Brooklynite giddy. The Louisville product's smooth release and lightning quick speed are apparent from the get-go.  Those looking for a touch of nostalgia can toy around with the 2001-02 New Jersey Nets. Yes, Jason Kidd's first season with the franchise was a storybook tale.  The game isn't without its shortcomings and while the overall visuals are impressive, the pregame presentation is laughably bad in some regards. (Yes, we're talking about this rendition of the National Anthem). 

Pho to by Heath Brandon |Wiki Commons   The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) released a statement exclusively to Nets Insider about the feasibility of the Meadowlands Arena hosting a basketball game now or in the future.  Mentioned the tweet below on today's @DHRonESPN https://t.co/Olh3IyJBWC https://t.co/9iBEVgS7Zh pic.twitter.com/0tOOj9PAZP — Nets Insider (@notoriousbknets) June 29, 2026 Reading between the lines, it appears as though the building is still capable of hosting a professional team, but does that mean the Nets could potentially move back to New Jersey?  The Nets have routinely sold out Barclays Center with tourists, NBA casuals and a smattering of true Nets fans during the last two tanking years.  Now with the Knicks turning New York City orange and blue, including hosting watching parties a stone's throw away from Barclays Center, rumblings of the Nets return to the Garden State are louder and more pervasive than ever.  ...

  A History of the Nets: From Teaneck to Brooklyn, audiobook is now available on Audible! Updated for 2026 and narrator by the author.  Following the zany Nomadic Nets' circuitous journey from Teaneck to Brooklyn! Buy here  BUY THE NETS AUDIOBOOK!

  The Nets knocked off the Suns in the second game of the China Games in Macao, 111-109. Cam Thomas led all scorers with 16 points in 26 minutes, but that was hardly the story of the contest.  Brooklyn may have selected five rookies in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft, but an unlikely candidate has emerged as potentially the most impactful of them all.  This 19-year-old has a wealth of experience playing professionally in the Israeli league. He also dons Luka Doncic's No. 77 as he aims to emulate the Slovenian-born great.  Ben Saraf, who was a polarizing pick among the Nets fan base, is showing major signs of emulating another European-born great, Manu Ginobili.  The left-handed combo guard plays with great pace, and court vision. His 11 assists led all players on Sunday.   At 6-foot-6, his length is a major advantage in the paint against smaller guards. While Saraf finished with just four points on 2-of-5 shooting, his selfishness in finding the ...

 Any organization needs full alignment and a shared vision starting at the top of the organization on down to the players.  It should comes as no surprise that a rudderless organization for the better part of its existence is having trouble getting on the same page.  Speaking with Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Nets owner Joe Tsai shared a few concise, but direct thoughts on the upcoming season.  Joe Tsai: “We have one pick in 2026, and we hope to get a good pick. So you can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season. But we have a very young team.” #nets #nba 👇🏾 https://t.co/tx6pV4GVmY — Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) October 10, 2025  After a 2024-25 campaign where the Nets did not truly tank and drew the eight spot in the NBA Draft Lottery, it seems that the plan is clear.  Well, maybe to everyone but head coach, Jordi Fernandez.  Jordi on Joe Tsai saying #Nets want a good draft pick: "He says he wants a good draft pick because...

 Giannis Antetokounmpo is a Buck.  For now.  Speaking with Dario Melendez of WISN 12 News in Milwaukee and other beat reporters, The Greek Freak didn't exactly dismiss all of the juicy rumors that indicated the superstar's interest in playing outside Milwaukee if the organization can't compete for a title.  Giannis when asked by @Dario_Melendez if there was any truth to reports over the summer about him considering playing elsewhere: pic.twitter.com/odTlIc6pqW — Bucks Lead (@BucksLead) September 29, 2025 The Nets were one of several teams linked to Giannis, with many disregarding the trade rumors as ludicrous.  Clearly, Giannis is still committed to the Bucks, but if things go sideways for the organization yet again this upcoming year, the trade talks will only intensify at the deadline and really heat up  in the summer.   

The Brooklyn Nets were no match for the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night as they suffered a 15-point loss as they continue to battle injuries. Noah Clowney had a career night with 29 points, six rebounds and three assists while five other Nets reached double figures in scoring.  Brooklyn committed 15 costly turnovers and allowed Detroit to pile up 54 points in the paint. Michael Beasley led the way for Detroit with 23, who moved to above the .500 mark for the first time all season.  The Nets, meanwhile, are a sinking ship that is  heading quickly toward the, NBA draft lottery with many veterans out due to injury.  Even Jordi Fernandez's superb coaching can't compensate for the talent deficit the team is facing right now. With many players still a ways away from being healthy, things may get worse before they get better for Brooklyn. 

 The Brooklyn Nets were winning too many games.  That was the concern general manager Sean Marks had when he moved point guard Dennis Schröder and a future second round pick acquired from Miami, for two-second round picks, De'Anthony Melton and Reece Beekman. Sitting at a record of 10-15 entering the start of the week, Jordi Fernandez's crew was sitting pretty in the play--in position.  Meanwhile, Marks, has become enamored with the 2025 draft class, including multiple scouting trips to New Brunswick to evaluate top prospects, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey from Rutgers.  Many half-witted fans on social media applauded the move by Marks in a not so subtle attempt to tank the season.  By simply trading the Nets emotional leader and leader of the offense, Marks is aiming to position this team for a good chance at a top three to five pick.  The reality is the NBA draft lottery is a different system from that of the NFL, where in football it behooves teams to tank...

 The New Jersey Nets era of basketball is one that is often forgotten. While the Brooklyn Nets have been in existence since 2012, when the franchise called New Jersey home for 35 seasons, there were plenty of historic moments.  From consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003, to a litany of All Stars that called the Garden State home, it is truly a remarkable run in the franchise's history.  Now, one of the most reveled names in Nets history is becoming part of an ownership group with the Buffalo Bills. This former player was recently named a NBA Hall of Famer this past summer and he will be inducted into the Nets Hall of Fame on January 25.  Vince Carter joins Tracy McGrady and eight others as limited partners in the Bills ownership group. Former Nba standouts Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady are now part of the Bills ownership group. https://t.co/GPCD9sO0yS — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 11, 2024 Carter was one of the most dynamic an...