The Brooklyn Nets came into the 2026 NBA season with the goal of improving the roster as much as possible following a 2025-26 season in which they finished with a 20-62 record. Brooklyn made a variety of moves this summer, including trading for former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, and it's important to remember that the Nets had a solid offseason.
"The Nets mostly used their cap space on small-scale contracts: Minott, Ellis, Wagner and Sharpe -- the last of those quietly one of the best deals of the offseason," ESPN's Zach Kram wrote on the Nets' offseason. Not only did the Nets trade for Randle, but they also added guard Keon Ellis and center Mo Wagner in free-agency as Brooklyn was trying to make up for some of their positional
losses.
"Their largest outlay came from trading Claxton in a deal that brought back former All-NBA forward Randle, which should improve the team next season -- because of Randle's availability and floor-raising talent -- but doesn't do much to aid the Nets' murky longer-term outlook," Kram continued. "Brooklyn doesn't control its 2027 first-round pick, with Houston holding swap rights."
Part of the reason that the Nets' offseason is looked at favorably is due to the fact that they were also able to re-sign center Day'Ron Sharpe and forward Josh Minott despite both drawing interest in free-agency. Along the way, Brooklyn lost valuable rotation players in center Nic Claxton, who was sent to the Chicago Bulls in the Randle deal, and forward Ziaire Williams, who signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in free-agency.
Despite all of the moves that the Nets made this offseason, many around the league still expect them to be one of the worst teams in the Association this upcoming season. As Kram pointed out, Brooklyn doesn't have control of their first-round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft so they will not be able to benefit from having a poor record, but at least they did what they could do to improve the team this summer.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets receive B- grade for offseason moves prior to 2026-27 NBA season
