Nets Land at the Bottom of the Barrel in Latest NBA Power Rankings

The Brooklyn Nets are about to enter a difficult 2025-26 season.

It’s an extremely young roster, with no players over the age of 28. The Nets have more players 21 years or younger than they do 25 years or older. With so much inexperience, it’s fair to question how Brooklyn will perform this upcoming season. And the national media seems to be asking those exact questions.

USA Today released its newest NBA Power Rankings on Tuesday, and the Nets found themselves at the bottom of the barrel, ranked 28th. Here’s what USA Today had to say about Brooklyn entering this season.

“This is all going to come down to the five players they drafted in the first round, including Egor Demin at No. 8.”

USA Today hit it right on the nail when it comes to Brooklyn in 2025-26. The team will be as good as its horde of 2025 first-round picks are. While there are respectable veterans on the roster like Michael Porter Jr., Haywood Highsmith, and Terance Mann, the Nets' cohort of rookies and young players will drive their success, or failure, this season.

Demin is the most high-profile rookie, after being a top ten selection out of BYU. He’ll most likely be tasked with the starting point guard role for the majority of this season. Nolan Traore, the 19th-overall pick, should also get some time at the point guard spot off the bench. 

Guards Drake Powell and Ben Saraf don’t figure to see as much playing time. But if the Nets can’t agree to a deal with Cam Thomas, and he leaves Brooklyn, that opens up more minutes for Powell and Saraf. But it’s the final first-round pick that could play one of the biggest roles. 

Danny Wolf was the 27th overall pick out of Michigan. The 7-foot big man was the only non-guard taken in the first round by Brooklyn, and could have a big impact early in the season. Nic Claxton will obviously start at center, but the Nets lack a lot of size after him. Drew Timme, Noah Clowney, and Porter Jr. are better utilized at a forward position, leaving Wolf as the primary backup center.

Wolf averaged 13.2 points and 9.7 rebounds per game with the Wolverines last year, and shot nearly 50% from the field. He shot 33.6% from behind the arc, making defenses have to respect that shot as well. Wolf should play some solid minutes in 2025-26 and be a part of a young bench unit that will look to bring a ton of energy to the game.

While things certainly don’t look great on paper for the Nets this season, just like USA Today said, it all comes down to the rookies. If this rookie class exceeds expectations, the Nets could be a surprise play-in team in a weak Eastern Conference.