Michael Porter Jr. Points to Nets’ Rookie Point Guards Amid 0-5 Start

A lot has contributed to the Brooklyn Nets' lack of success to begin the 2025-26 campaign. Brooklyn remains winless at 0-5, sits toward the bottom of the league in total scoring and has a historically bad defense. Growing pains were anticipated, especially given the franchise's still-young rebuild, but an actual bright spot has yet to emerge.

If the Nets were to turn things around, Michael Porter Jr.—Brooklyn's marquee offseason addition—told ClutchPoints' Erik Slater that the change will begin with the growth of the team's first-year distributors.

“I think it starts with the point guard spot. We have a lot of rookie point guards who are going to be great in this league for a long time, but they're still rookies... I think the point guard position may be the hardest position in the game, and we have a lot of young guys playing that position," Porter said.

Thus far, Ben Saraf is the lone rookie to appear in all five of the Nets' losses. Egor Demin is a close second, having contributed in all but one, while Nolan Traore has seen the floor in just two contests. Saraf clearly seems to have the favor of the coaching staff at the point guard spot early in the season, but with three guys able to play the position whom the franchise has so much invested in, that could eventually change.

"So it's really hard to win when that point guard spot isn't solidified. I think Ben is doing a great job picking things up and I think Egor, but they're still rookies. I don't think as a rookie I was ready to really contribute to winning. So I think it's going to be a work in progress," Porter continued.

While improved play at one of the sport's most important positions may translate to an overall more-efficient offensive product, that wouldn't really help the struggling defense. Obviously, Brooklyn hopes to hammer out all of the kinks that prevent them from having secured one win through five games, but it must ensure the priorities are straight.

Rookie development will come. There's no reason to be discouraged with any of the draft choices yet, given how small of a sample size they can presently be judged on. This team has to get better on the defensive end, or the scoring attack won't matter, regardless of what level of play the Nets get from their point guards.