Rebuild Timeline: How Far Along are the Brooklyn Nets?

Building teams primarily through the draft has become popularized in recent years in the NBA. The Brooklyn Nets have been crushed before by trading for superstars and giving up draft capital, so this time, general manager Sean Marks is taking a different approach.

While the rebuild has only just begun for the Nets, the organization is evidently drawing inspiration from other teams around the league that have found success through primarily drafting.

"I give OKC and Sam Presti a lot of credit," Marks said. "The patience they've shown and hitting on the right guys, whether it's trade or draft."

Similarities Between Nets and Thunder Rebuild

Looking at both organizations' starting points of their respective rebuilds, Brooklyn is in its first full year of the rebuild this season, and Oklahoma City began in the 2019-20 season. The Thunder had a surprising first year of the rebuild with a guard rotation of Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Dennis Schröder and made the NBA Playoffs.

Following that outlier of a season, Oklahoma City saw two straight seasons of less than 25 wins. It wasn't until year five of the rebuild that the Thunder made it back to the postseason, and in 2025, they took home the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Through the draft, Oklahoma City acquired contributors like Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins. Similarly, the Nets brought in a five-man 2025 draft class to pair with mainstays like Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton.

It's obvious that Brooklyn currently doesn't have a player even close to the same level as Gilgeous-Alexander. The hope is that one of the five rookies brought in will develop into at least an all-star caliber player, and the others will fill meaningful roles in the rotation.

How Long Until the Rebuild Pays Off?

This season is not a time to go all out and try to vouch for a play-in spot.

The Nets have over $70 million in estimated cap space for the 2026 offseason that could be used to retool the roster further. The front office has stated not wanting to make mistakes, going all in on superstars again, but the money will have to be spent somehow.

Gaining a top-three pick in the 2026 Draft, having internal development and filling holes in free agency could give Brooklyn a shot at the play-in/playoff territory in year two of the rebuild, but another season of development would be beneficial and follow the Thunder's lead.

Expect the 2027-28 season to be the campaign where the Nets get back to the Playoffs and their championship window opens up.