Brooklyn Nets Can't Expect Perfect Health Next Season

The Brooklyn Nets are set for a new season, and they can’t forget about the impact injuries could have on the upcoming campaign.

Going into next season, vibes are good in Brooklyn as the team’s intriguing young core is looking to fully exit the rebuild and compete for a spot in the postseason. With offseason additions such as Julius Randle and Mikel Brown Jr., the Nets may be ready to become one of the surprise teams in the league in 2026-27.

Considering Brooklyn has no incentive to lose, with Houston controlling the team’s 2027 pick, the franchise has shifted into a more win-now state. Without the likelihood of players being shut down to end the season or an overabundance of unnecessary load management, most are expecting the team to be at or near full strength throughout the season.

While that certainly is the ideal scenario for Jordi Fernandez’s squad, the Nets will still have to deal with injuries throughout the year. Perhaps it’s a blessing that Brooklyn is so young and could have some better injury luck as a result, but health is far from a guarantee in the NBA, and the Nets are no stranger to that fact.

From last season’s injuries that piled up to the disastrous toll injuries had on the Kevin Durant-era squads, the Nets understand as well as anyone that health isn’t a given. Yet, coming into this season, it appears as if Brooklyn is taking its health for granted, when considering the team’s goals and the roster construction.

The Nets have no clear solutions if one of their starters misses significant time with an injury, which could easily derail any hopes of a play-in push. Of course, the Nets aren’t exactly unique in that aspect, as many teams around the league could see their goals dissolve with one bad injury.

Still, the Nets’ goals aren’t all that lofty in comparison to their competition around the league and in the Eastern Conference. Perhaps the injury bug will largely stay away from Brooklyn and the team will be fine, but the team’s starters are so critical to the foundation and identity of the team that even a mild ankle sprain that takes Randle or Michael Porter Jr. out for a couple of weeks could be devastating. 

Injuries are a part of the game, and Brooklyn understands that, but any bad luck on that front could be far more costly for the Nets than it would be for most other teams.