The Brooklyn Nets came into the 2026 NBA offseason with the goal of improving the roster as much as possible following a 2025-26 season where they finished with a lowly 20-62 record. Brooklyn made a variety of moves this summer, including trading for former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, but there are some around the league that aren't impressed with the Nets' summer business.
"The Brooklyn Nets were one of a small handful of teams with spending power this offseason. That position could have let them pitch restricted free agents or take on bad salary via a trade with picks attached," Grant Hughes wrote on the Nets for Bleacher Report. Bleacher Report put together its grades for all 30 NBA teams with regards to how well they handled
their offseason and the Nets did not come out with the most flattering grade.
"Instead, Brooklyn chose to ink several smaller, short-term deals for role players like Keon Ellis (two years, $18 million), Josh Minott (two years, $9 million) and Moritz Wagner (two years, $19 million)," Hughes continued. "The Nets did well to secure team options on all three of those agreements, as well as the two-year, $20 million pact they inked with presumptive starting center Day'Ron Sharpe."
While the biggest move that the Nets made this offseason was trading for Randle, they also did plenty to retain the talent that they had while adding a mix of young players and veterans that should be rotation contributors. Along with Randle, the Nets added guard Keon Ellis and center Mo Wagner in free-agency while re-signing center Day'Ron Sharpe and forward Josh Minott.
While Brooklyn lost center Nic Claxton (Chicago Bulls) and forward Ziaire Williams (Los Angeles Lakers), they were also able to bring in rookies in Mikel Brown Jr., Joshua Jefferson, and Tyler Bilodeau via the 2026 NBA Draft. With many expecting the Nets to be one of the worst teams in the league once again, it doesn't seem that the team did much for its winning prospects, which could explain the unflattering grade from Bleacher Report.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets receive C- grade for offseason heading into 2026-27 NBA season
