Could Brooklyn Nets Be Too Good to Tank?

The Brooklyn Nets are set for another season in the rebuild, but there’s a chance their plans won’t work out.

It’s no secret that the Nets are entering this season looking to land one of the top picks in 2026 and add a franchise player to their young core. While it appears tanking should be on the menu in Brooklyn for the next several months, it’s possible that the Nets simply won’t be bad enough to fulfill their wishes.

Brooklyn knew what it wanted to do this season when it began building this roster, but for a team that won 26 games last season, there have been enough changes to at least entertain the possibility of a legitimately improved squad. Although a number of factors will come into play, the Nets’ chances of being too good to tank will likely start with the readiness of their rookies.

While the Nets’ rookie class is mostly filled with players seen as long-term projects who simply need to adjust to the NBA game and develop, there’s always a chance that one or two of the five rookies become a clear year-one contributor at the NBA level. Of course, one or two rookies being playable in the context of winning isn’t going to swing things far enough to take Brooklyn out of a tank on its own, but combined with some other key factors, it could push the Nets over the top of the bottom tier in the East.

Brooklyn added some key veterans this offseason and is returning some intriguing players from last season. While some of the more experienced guys like Nic Claxton and Terance Mann will help the team gel properly, much of the team’s success could come down to the performances of Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr.

Not only have those two been in the league for a few years now, but they will also be key pieces in determining Brooklyn’s success because of their ability to score at volume. Although Jordi Fernandez will likely emphasize defense again this season, the Nets will obviously need to have some consistent scorers to be in a position to win. While some have called this roster “Jordi-proof,” the microwave abilities of Porter and Thomas could be just enough to give the Nets the scoring they need to pair with an intriguing defense.

Of course, there’s a chance that this roster is too bad to make any noise, regardless of Fernandez’s efforts. But the makeup of this roster is just intriguing enough that it can’t be counted out, particularly in a weak East.