The Brooklyn Nets spent the 2026 NBA offseason trying to improve the roster as much as possible following a 2025-26 season in which they finished with a lowly 20-62 record. Brooklyn added more veterans to the roster, including trading for former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, but the team as a whole will have to adjust to how the league is officiating the game this year.
The NBA announced earlier this week that there will be two new points of emphasis that officials will be concentrating on, both related to freedom of movement for offensive players. In the first point of emphasis, the league will be trying to address off-arm push-offs by offensive players and cracking down on not letting offensive players get away with push-offs that rise
to the level of illegal contact by displacing their defender.
A couple of the examples that the NBA uses, the voiceover is done by Monty McCutchen, SVP, Head of Referee Development and Training, are plays from former Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown and Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero. The second point of emphasis that the NBA will be implementing this year will be addressing the freedom of movement of offensive players when they're moving on the perimeter and in the post.
The first two examples that the video uses to demonstrate what officials will be cracking down on involve Celtics forward Hugo Gonzalez and Sacramento Kings guard Daeqwon Plowden. How all of this relates to the Nets will be head coach Jordi Fernandez and his coaching staff teaching his players to avoid pushing off and restricting offensive players freedom of movement, at least in the beginning of this season.
The Nets are coming off a 2025-26 season in which they finished last in the league in offensive rating (108.7) and 26th in defensive rating (119.0) so they have some work to do on both ends of the floor. With Randle and forward Michael Porter Jr. leading the way for the team heading into this season, they will have to show the younger players on the roster how to adjust to the officiating, especially given the two new points of emphasis for this season.
See below for Part 1 of the 2026-27 Points of Emphasis video (narrated by SVP, Head of Referee Development and Training Monty McCutchen), which provides examples and guidance regarding Off-Arm Push Offs by Offensive Players and Freedom of Movement – Screens: pic.twitter.com/zMMmOK3Kxq
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) September 29, 2026
See below for Part 2 of the 2026-27 Points of Emphasis video (narrated by SVP, Head of Referee Development and Training Monty McCutchen), which provides examples and guidance regarding Freedom of Movement – Perimeter & Post and Straight-Line Pathway Plays: pic.twitter.com/hcEjI3RGTN
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) September 29, 2026
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: How will Nets adjust to NBA's new points of emphasis this season?
