The neglected disruptor, the Nets who emerged in the game?

A few years ago, the Nets had pieced together the three giants of Durant, Irving and Harden, which was once highly expected, but ended in a mess. In 2022, as the Big Three fell apart, the Nets also fell from their peak to the bottom and quickly entered a transitional period of reconstruction.

As the 2025-26 season is about to kick off, the Nets' team's lineup and tactical style have undergone a round of adjustments, and the question follows: Where has their reconstruction taken? Is this core lineup competitive? And looking at the future, what else do they lack?

To answer these questions, we must first review our performance in the past season:

2024-25 season, the Nets achieved a record of 26 wins and 56 losses, ranking 12th in the East, and missed the playoffs early. This is a very embarrassing record. It was not completely defeated and got a high pick, nor was it able to enter the playoffs competition. In addition to the record, the team's data is not enough. The league has only 105.1 points per game, ranking second to last in the league, with 25.2 assists per game, ranking 22nd in the league. The team's transmission and offensive space creation are far from reaching the playoff standards. In short, the Nets' offense relies more on individual singles, and still lacks stability in the tactical system.

However, in the trough, the Nets still gained a lot of highlights:

Croni started 20 games in 46 games, averaging 9.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Physical talent and offensive impact are gradually revealed, but they still lack training in defensive rotation and stability; as a substitute, Daroon Sharp has a sense of rebounding and cover value in the penalty area, and is a typical qualified blue-collar character; Cam Thomas is the team's most offensive firepower, with excellent scoring ability, but always facing the test of health problems and team positioning. The future may be a potential answer, but it is still a question mark.

Overall, the Nets' problems last season were still very obvious, the offensive system was problematic, and the defensive puzzle was incomplete. But they also have potential, with a young lineup gradually rising, and there is still room for improvement in the explosion of inside confrontation, defensive potential and external firepower.

In the summer of 2025, the bad Nets did not choose to completely overthrow and rebuild, but chose a compromise path, which not only maintained a certain competitiveness, but also reserved chips for the future. Several key operations during the offseason also outline the team's basic ideas:

1. Trading Cameron Johnson for Porter Jr. and first-round assets:

Porter Jr. has stronger singles and outside firepower than Cameron Johnson, and can share the offense with Thomas, reducing the latter's pressure to hold the ball. The additional first-round pick also allows the Nets to retain some flexibility in future transactions. But Porter Jr.'s injury history is still a time bomb. Once health problems repeat, the Nets are likely to lose their immediate combat power value.

2. Introducing Heywood Highsmith

as a typical 3D wing. Although his reputation is not very good, his defensive oppression and outside projection can provide stable output on the bench. For young Nets, such a role is the key to avoiding a crash in the substitute stage.

3, supplementing potential rookies such as Traore, the Nets have added several new players in the 2025 draft. It may be difficult to change the team's trend in the short term, but in terms of internal competition and long-term development, these fresh blood is naturally indispensable. But the problem is that the Nets' past training records are quite imperfect, and whether the newcomers can realize their talents is still a question mark.

4. The year of proof of Cam Thomas

Thomas chose to accept a quotation of 6 million yuan for one year and put himself in a position where he must achieve his grades. This is a low-risk gamble for the Nets. If Thomas can explode, he will naturally be able to get a big contract in the future; but if his performance is not ideal, the team will not be dragged down by a long contract. But the key is that he must make some progress in organization and defense, otherwise he will still be regarded as a single scorer, and the future ceiling will still be limited.

5. Renewal of Zhaiyi Williams

retains this potential wing with a reasonable price contract. Although the offense is not up to standard, for the rebuilt Nets, this is a low-cost potential investment and worth a try. After this series of operations, the Nets' core lineup is gradually taking shape:

26-year-old Clarkston is still the cornerstone of the Nets' defensiveness, averaging 10.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, and his athletic ability and defensive awareness are still online. But the problem is that his offensive means are quite single, lacking passes and outside shooting. If the team relies too much on his inside end, the limitations will naturally be magnified. Porter, who was traded from

, has the advantage of being outside firepower, can complete a certain single with the ball and catch and shoot. His presence can make the Nets' offense no longer completely dependent on Thomas. However, his health concerns cannot be ignored. Once an injury absent, the team's offensive center of gravity is likely to be unbalanced again.

Then there is 23-year-old Cam Thomas. As the Nets' most reliable scorer at the moment, his singles ability can sustain the team's life at critical moments, but defensive shortcomings and injury history are ultimately a flaw, and whether he can grow more comprehensively in the future will directly determine his future destiny.

In addition to the above players, the team also added a lot of young rotations, but whether these new players can quickly adapt to the NBA rhythm is also the key to the team.

At present, the Nets' tactics are mainly singles + outside shooting. There is still a qualified point guard in the lineup who has stable control of the rhythm. The substitute depth is slightly thin, which is also a key test for them to enter the playoffs and even the playoffs in the future..

Combined with the current Eastern Conference pattern, under the most optimistic situation, Porter Jr. remains healthy, Thomas plays as a proof year, Clarkston consolidates his defense, and young rookies in the team grow rapidly, and reaching these standards, the Nets have a chance to get a playoff position in the Eastern Conference, or even hit the safety level of the top six in the division.

Considering the most pessimistic situation, it is nothing more than Porter Jr.'s condition is up and down, and even the young rookie does not meet expectations. Then the Nets may still be hovering outside the playoffs and continue to be on the verge of reconstruction.

For the Nets, 2026 is the season for them to test their strategic direction; as for the good or bad of the future, the answer will be revealed from the new year.