If we learned anything at Media Day this year, it’s that the Brooklyn Nets aren’t very good at golf. When Julius Randle hit the links with Mikel Brown Jr. and few other Nets youngsters this summer, he came to that realization quickly.
“Third hole in, they were trying to take their shirts off, and it’s just like, they didn’t understand golf etiquette,” Randle said. “Mikel broke a club, a driver, on one of the holes. So I learned really fast that I’m dealing with kids.”
“Shirtless golfing? Julius said
that?,” Brown Jr. later remarked. “I’m going to talk to him. Don’t worry about it. That is not true.”
“Yeah, we broke a couple of clubs just, because we got stronger this summer,” a grinning Egor Dëmin later said. “The swing is not getting better. Yeah, it’s just been kind of a struggle over there, but good thing it’s not what we do. Good thing for us and for others.”
Indeed, that’s not the sport Dëmin and his teammates specialize in. That would be basketball. Unlike golf, it’s fast, more focused on physicality, and about the team rather than the individual. That’s exactly how this year’s interview and photoshoot extravaganza was today as well.
Health & Team Building Tendencies
Sean Marks and Jordi Fernández were first to address reporters at HSS Training Center. They didn’t waste time giving up the biggest news of the day, reporting early on that Brown Jr. rolled his ankle last week. Marks said he’d need to be “ramped up” in training camp but that they “don’t expect him to miss considerable time.” He also said Nolan Traoré, who had his knee scoped this summer, would also need to ramp up, but is good to go by all other accounts. Grant Nelson, who also had a minor knee issues over the summer, is a “full go,” according to Marks. Nelson in fact has been seen scrimmaging with teammates in videos posted on social media in recent days.
“Physically, those guys are ready for camp,” he said. “Nolan will be ramped up a little bit through camp, but I don’t see him missing any days. Grant, same way. Grant is full go now.”
“My knee is completely fine now,” Traoré, who also weighed in 10 pounds heavier and an inch taller than he did last year, later said. “I’m fully here, so there’s no concern.”
Once they got that out of the way, Marks and Fernández continued to echo what we’ve heard from them in the past handful of months: they value flexibility and look forward to continuing this rebuild project.
“It’s exciting that we’ve been able to add this youth to this team, watch these guys develop,” Marks said. “I think we’ve always said over the course of the last couple of years, it’s like we’re looking for the next Nets. Who are those guys? So we have a training camp and another year to figure this out as we build.”
When asked what the team needs to do warrant an “all-in,” aggressive move that elevates the roster, Marks mentioned the developmental pace of those players and how that coincides with the free agent or trade market.
“It’s going to be on how these guys develop, whether it’s Egor, whether it’s Nolan, or whether it’s Julius,” he said. “It runs the gamut, right across the whole lot of them. Who can take that next step? But then, it’s also a combination of what becomes available. I can’t predict when players from other teams become available, what free agency looks like down the road, and so forth. I think that’s where you just keep your flexibility.
“We’re always listening. I’m not sure we’re going to be any more active than we have been in the past, but it doesn’t mean we’re not listening. It doesn’t mean we’re not shaking trees and seeing what’s out there, for sure.”
MPJ’s Contract Situation
Whether or not Michael Porter Jr. will be a part of that long term plan remains to be seen. The forward coming off his best campaign as a pro is on the last year of his contract. Expectedly, Marks declined to comment on extension negotiations, only stating that they’re ongoing and in no rush to end them.
“I’ll leave the negotiations internal,” he said. “That’s obviously between the Nets, Mike and his agent, but I think they’re ongoing. The dialogue is ongoing, I think. But again, we are in no hurry to do this. I don’t think he’s in any particular hurry either.”
Marks later added that to in order commit to Porter Jr. as a long term piece, he’d like to see him round out his game a bit more by widening his skillset on the court while being a mentor off of it.
“I think for us, we’re looking for consistency from him,” he said. “We’re looking for him to take another step on the defensive end of it, and rebounding of it. Just become more of a complete player on the court. The other one is the intangibles, right? That’s important for us in the locker room. This goes for all the guys, specifically the guys who are a little bit older, who have seen it, been around a little bit, what’s their leadership look like? Mike knows that. We’re expecting big things from not only him, but Mo [Wagner], Keon [Ellis] and Julius, the guys we brought in who have seen other environments.”
“It might sound strange, but it’s literally not on my mind at all,” Porter Jr said of the contract situation. “I hired a great agent (Mark Bartelstein) and I know him and Sean, they’ve been speaking, but for me, I’m just excited to play basketball. I never was a dude who played basketball for a big contract or for the money. So for me, I’m just excited to play with these guys, be in Brooklyn, and build this organization as one of the leaders. I’ve voiced that I would love to be in Brooklyn and that I’m enjoying playing with these guys, and I think we’ll be a lot better this year, obviously.”
Porter Jr. also said he’s excited to play with Randle, viewing him as someone who’ll be able to open things up for him and vice versa in return. He also praised Dëmin for his work in the gym, as well as Brown Jr.’s maturity.
“He’s super dedicated to his craft,” Porter Jr. said. “It doesn’t feel like he’s a rookie when he’s in the locker room, when he’s on the court.”
MPJ also mentioned that he wants to be the best off-the-ball player in the NBA this year. He wants the team to set high expectations for themselves, even if they’re well beyond what appears within their reach, and even they takes them beyond our atmosphere.
“I do genuinely believe that you’re supposed to go out on the floor every night with delusional confidence and compete to win,” said Porter Jr., who recently predicted a 50+ win season for Brooklyn. “I do think that we have the players, that every single night, our goal should be to win. Obviously, the NBA is stacked right now. The Eastern Conference is stacked. There’s a lot of good teams, but we definitely did nothing but get better last year, and I think that there were a lot of games that we were in last year that we could have won. So for me, it’s like we have no choice but to go up, and why not shoot for the stars?
“[O]f course I’m not going to say, ‘No, we can’t win 50 games.’ And I do genuinely believe that you’re supposed to go out on the floor every night with delusional confidence and compete to win. And I do think that we have the players that every single night our goal should be to win and we can win.:
He was not alone in the 50-win club either. Terance Mann, one of the team’s other veterans, revealed that 50 wins is a team goal.
“I mean, that’s the goal from day one,” said Mann. “We said our goal is to get 50 wins. So you’re going to have to go in there with the mentality that we’re going to get 50 wins. And that’s through the guys with years leading that. Most of us came from winning situations, so we know what it takes and that’s just what we’re going to do.”
Young Dogs, Old Tricks
Beyond contracts and cracked clubs, much of the conversation on Media Day continued to center around Brooklyn’s young players. Porter Jr. and Randle weren’t the only veterans to notice their youthful nature, yet mature approach to the game
“Extremely competitive, extremely hardworking,” Wagner said of the group. “This is the hardest I’ve worked in the summertime with an organization, and the young guys obviously take lead on that. It’s great timing in my career after my injury to come here, be challenged on a whole another level physically and extremely excited to build a bridge towards winning here.”
Keon Ellis shouted out Drake Powell when asked about the team’s top defensive prospects, calling him one of Brooklyn’s better prospects at that end of the floor.
“I love the way he guards,” Ellis said. “He’s picking up full, guarding with his chest and not fouling a lot.”
Joshua Jefferson seems to have found a veteran to model his game after, also Randle. Both players are 6’9” forwards who can handle, shoot the rock and make an impact on the glass. Jefferson says he’s already tried to learn as much as he can from his new, hopefully friendlier, Hal Jordan in Randle.
“I’ve been able to ask him a couple questions about what he looks for,” Jefferson said. “I think the biggest thing that I’ve learned so far is the point of emphasis on his physicality, when he’s initiating contact and then getting to what he wants to get to. Something I’ve learned, is to not do finesse every single time, just a mix of finesse and physicality within my game. I’m excited to keep on learning from him.”
Once the laughter subsided after Randle explained Brown Jr. and Dëmin’s golf etiquette, or lack thereof, he also praised for the pair and Brooklyn’s broader youth movement.
“I learned they’re kids, man, but they’re so eager to learn and get better,” he said. “They’re obviously really, really talented, extremely talented, but they have a competitive nature, being around them early, and just a hunger to get better…
“Usually when you’re a young player, you want to try to get a basket every single time, but [Mikel’s] coming off a pick-and-roll and really understands how to read and play the game. And Egor does the same. Egor can really shoot the ball. He’s 6’9″, athletic, moves really well with and without the ball. He really understands how to play the game. So, these guys are going to be great for a long time.“
Mikel Brown Jr. Begins His Journey
Brooklyn’s top pick this year got behind the podium closer to the end of the day. He sounded even less concerned over his rolled ankle than Marks.
“I’m doing everything possible to get back on the floor, and I’m back on the floor shooting and moving around a little bit,” Brown Jr. said. “It’s coming along well. I’ve progressed very fast. We’re just attacking it. We’re attacking the rehab and taking it a day at a time.”
Brown Jr. was even more confident when speaking about his transition to the NBA level, once more referring to himself as a “savant” and expressing trust in his own ability to learn and process things quickly on the court.
“Honestly, it hasn’t been too much of a transition for me just because of who I am. I’m a savant when it comes to that stuff,” he said, raising a few eyebrows. “So, anything that they really throw at me is not really just a surprise. It’s more about the terminology on how they word it. I’ll say that. But I mean, it’s been easy for me. It hasn’t been such a big transition just because I’m constantly studying and the coaches are helping me as well. I watch film with the coaches every single day.”
For his rookie year goals, Brown Jr. only mentioned winning, noting that as a priority above any accolades. He also wants to turn the ball over less this season.
“That’s something that I definitely looked at during this pre-draft process and something that I’m continuing to cut down,” Brown Jr. said. “And honestly, any read that I think I’m going to make, I’m thinking it’s going to be the right read and if it goes bad, it goes bad. It’s just the flow of the game…I’m a high-risk, high-reward guy. I know sometimes it’s better to hit the single, that’s what I’ve been talking to my coaches about, and I’ve gotten better at that. So, at the end of the day, it’s taking them one day at a time and one game at a time.”
Egor Dëmin & The Flatbush Five Continue Theirs
Dëmin’s development this offseason has been well-documented, primarily with his stellar play in Summer League. He touched on his growth, in terms of his on-court capabilities and physical frame, early.
“I’ve been always saying, once I get stronger, it’s going to be different for me,” Dëmin said. “It might sound as an excuse, but I truly believe that the stronger I’m going to get, the better player I’m going to be, because skill-wise, I can work on that stuff every day, but if somebody in front of me is way stronger than me, I can’t go through him.”
Dëmin came in at 212 pounds today, up just two from what he came in at last year. He said he’ll define “play bigger” primarily at the defensive end this year, where he’ll want to be able to go out and guard an opposing team’s best player. That said, he also wants to attack the rim more, like how he did in Las Vegas.
“This year, what I’m emphasizing is getting to the lane, getting to the paint, which is going to open up so much more opportunities for [catch and shoot type plays],” he said. “Being able to create, not just for myself, but for others, having opportunities for passes, playing in transition and playing fast basketball. With gravities like Mike, Julius, Mikel, and not just gravities, but also having them on the court helps a lot. Obviously, when you know that I pass, whoever it is on the floor, I know that the ball’s going to go in.”
Dëmin later called Brown Jr. “my brother,” explaining that they’ve forged a tight bond despite having only known each other for a few months.
“I think my goal is to make this group not just coworkers with each other, but being actual friends,” Dëmin said of Brown Jr., who’s only three months younger. “I’m not going to say ‘family’ because it’s a strong word to use. And when you become a family, I think that’s where you become a championship contender, but I think becoming friends is very important. So, that’s my goal for the season, not just with Mikel, but everybody else.”
Saraf and Powell echoed Dëmin’s emphasis on team camaraderie. When asked about the expanded guard rotation and the limited minutes available, they both framed the competition as an opportunity for the group to push one another.
“I think the healthy competition part only makes us better, and ready to go out and compete when we have games,” Powell said.
“For me, I think it’s only going to help for the team,” Saraf added. “It’s always good when you have a healthy competition. I think it pushes everyone to to be their best version of themselves. Then, it’s going to help us as a team, of course.
Saraf spent most of the 2025-26 campaign on Long Island. However, Traoré and Powell each had extensive stints out there as well.
“To speak for me, I feel like I’m ready for the competition,” Saraf added. “Everybody needs to fight for his minutes, and I’m ready for it.”
Nelson, asked about his summer, which was spent in rehab, said he had focused on his shooting mechanics, adding that he feels more confident now that he had.
What’s Coming Next
That’ll all begin tomorrow for Saraf and company, with Nets training camp officially kicking off Tuesday morning. A week later, they’ll play their first preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Brooklyn will play three more preseason games on October 9th, 12th, and 14th. They’ll need to shave their roster down to 15 standard contracts before the official start of the season at 5 p.m. EST on October 19th. Then, it’s game time, two days later on October 21st.
