Brooklyn Nets Rank Last in Eastern Conference Power Rankings

Schuhmann provided his numbers to know for Brooklyn, which contribute to their current ranking. They also provide a deeper dive into the Nets' analytical troubles as a team.

"The Nets had a top-10 offense through the first six weeks (falling off dramatically after that) and the league’s No. 1 defense over a four-week stretch leading into the All-Star break last season. But they finished as one of six teams that ranked in the bottom 10 on both ends of the floor. Their nine seasons of ranking in the bottom 10 on both ends over the 29 years for which we have play-by-play data is tied (with Atlanta) for the most in the league."

A rebuild has been the focal point for Brooklyn's offseason, and their five first-round picks are proof that their front office is all in on building a team from the ground up. In Schuhmann's article, he asks the biggest question on most Nets fans' minds going into the season, which is "How much do the rookies play?"

"Demin could be in the starting backcourt, but the Nets have several veterans who could occupy rotation spots ahead of the other four rookies they selected in the first round of the Draft. Still, they’re obviously hoping for a better pick next year, having re-acquired their own 2026 first-rounder (in last year’s deal with Houston) and traded their best player (Johnson)," said Schuhmann. "Over the last 20 years, the 2014-15 Sixers had the highest percentage of their minutes (37%) that went to rookies, and only one of their nine rookies was a first-round pick. The Nets could certainly challenge that mark and maximize their odds for a higher selection than they got this year."

With plenty of uncertainties left on this Brooklyn Nets lineup, it is a bit hard to predict just how well they will stack up against the rest of the Eastern Conference this early in the offseason. Their low ranking is seemingly justified for now, but at least their one positive is that they can only go up from the No. 15 spot in the East.