The Perfect Team Comp to the 2025-26 Nets Will Surprise You

Last season, the Brooklyn Nets were bad. They brought in a new head coach in Jordi Fernandez, relied on tons of young, inexperienced players and barely won over 20 games.

Back during the 2017-18 season, Brooklyn was operating under second-year head coach Kenny Atkinson, relying on tons of young, experienced players and barely won over 20 games.

In two separate rebuilds, spaced out nearly a decade apart, the Nets followed almost the exact same script. Sure, how both teams got to the right of the equals sign may have been different, but the final result was nearly identical.

The year after the 2018 team was one of the worst in the league, it managed to soar into the 2019 postseason behind a charismatic, connected and cohesive unit headlined by first-time All-Star D'Angelo Russell. That season generated an iconic 2010s squad that many, especially Brooklyn fans, often get a feeling of nostalgia for.

It's a long shot, for sure, but in a weakened Eastern Conference in 2025-26, there is a way the Nets could sneak into the play-in.

Many, many unlikely things would have to occur for that to happen, though. The roster must bond extremely quickly if it's to replicate the chemistry that 2019's did, which could be tough with a distinct lack of veteran leadership. While they weren't major factors on the court, guys like Jared Dudley and DeMarre Carroll were integral voices inside that locker room.

Brooklyn just doesn't have hard-nosed veterans like that—at least that we know of. Michael Porter Jr. has championship experience, and Terance Mann has been to a conference finals, but it wouldn't necessarily be fair to ask two newcomers to take over as true leaders. That pretty much leaves Nic Claxton or the unsigned Cam Thomas as the only two players who have decent NBA experience and have been around the Nets organization for nearly half a decade.

However, if these guys buy in early—especially the rookies—Brooklyn could produce another magical, short-lived playoff run. Would that be what the rebuild needs? Absolutely not, especially considering next season is the last time the Nets control their first-rounder until 2028.

In reality, the front office would probably end this pipedream before it even really started. Brooklyn started last season hot, and General Manager Sean Marks traded Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith to embrace the "ethical tanking" route.

Still, seeing a young, exciting Brooklyn squad back in the postseason would sure spark some old memories.