The Brooklyn Nets 2025 offseason has been a rather quiet one. But despite many predicting that the team would not go deep sea fishing for free agents, even with $60+ Million to use as bait, it’s also somehow been an unexpected one. It’s now September and Cam Thomas remains unsigned. Brooklyn also added five rookies to the team via the draft — something never done before in NBA history.
Regardless of the situation, this team always finds a way to be, well, just weird.
However, just because no household
names came into Brooklyn’s this summer, and they’ve hung their best young player out to dry, it doesn’t mean there hasn’t been movement. Having played the eager salesmen role now for a second consecutive summer and the trade deadline before it, there’s an abundance of Nets who were on the roster last year that now find themselves in new places. Here’s a quick catch-up on who’s gone where.
The Big Ones
Cameron Johnson is probably the guy here you already know about. The Nets traded him to the Denver Nuggets for an unprotected 2032 first-round pick and Michael Porter Jr. in early July. Even with MPJ having yet to play a game for Brooklyn, his tenure is already caked in controversy with several clips of him making off-color comments going viral this summer.
Other bigger names on the move include Dorian Finney-Smith, who opted out of his deal with the Los Angeles Lakers to join forces with Ime Udoka and Kevin Durant in Houston. D’Angelo Russell aslso left again, this time on his own accord, signing as a free agent with the Dallas Mavericks.
After bouncing from the Golden State Warriors to the Detroit Pistons after the Nets shipped him out last December, Dennis Schröder hit the road once more this summer. He’ll play the 2025-26 season with the Sacramento Kings, who acquired him via a sign-and-trade deal with the Pistons due to pay him $44.4 Million over the next three years.
Ben Simmons remains unsigned after a brief stint last year with the Los Angeles Clippers following his buyout from Brooklyn. However, Marc Stein reported earlier this summer that the Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, and New York Knicks all have interest in him.
Others
Trendon Watford will stay on the east coast, having inked a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. Shake Milton is going even further in that direction. He also signed a two-year contract with Partizan Mozzart Bet in the Serbian basketball league.
Maxwell Lewis is headed overseas as well. The 23-year-old who came to Brooklyn alongside Russell and three second rounders for Finney-Smith and Milton played summer league ball for the Dallas Mavericks. Not long after the tournament, he signed with Tofaş Spor Kulübü, a professional basketball team that based in Bursa, Turkey.
The same goes for Cui “Jacky” Yongxi. The seventh Chinese player to log NBA minutes appeared in five games for the Nets last year but tore his ACL in a December game with Long Island. Having now recovered, he signed a deal with the Guangdong Southern Tigers, who former Net Yi Jianlian enjoyed two stints with.
Reece Beekman recently signed a deal with the Orlando Magic. Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel reported that it’s only an Exhibit-10 deal, so there’s no guarantee he’ll be there to stay.
Jaylin Martin, Killian Hayes, and the recently waived Tosan Evbuomwan currently remain unsigned.
Extras
While these guys haven’t been Nets for some time, they also made larger scale moves this summer which feel worth mentoring.
First up is Patty Mills, who last played for Brooklyn during the 2022-23 season. In early June, he agreed to become the general manager for the University of Hawaii. Despite still being a free agent and picking up a new gig, he has yet to announce his retirement from the NBA.
Blake Griffin, who hung it up in 2023 a season removed from his 1.5 year stint in Brooklyn, will pick up the mic this fall. He signed on to be part of the Prime Video studio set to cover the NBA this upcoming season, joining Taylor Rooks and Dirk Nowitzki. Ian Eagle and Michael Grady will also be a part of that crew, set to do play-by-play along with Kevin Harlan and Eric Collins.
You’ll also see Bubble Nets alum Jamal Crawford on your televisions this year. After working previously with TNT and MSG Network, the 19-year NBA veteran is set to appear on NBA on NBC as a lead analyst this coming season. He’ll also be joined by Vince Carter and former Nets head coach Steve Nash.
Speaking of coaching, ex-Nets point guard Tyler Johnson joined the Fresno State Men’s Basketball team as an assistant. Former head coach Jacque Vaughn agreed to do the same under Bill Self at Kansas.
