The Post’s Brian Lewis answers the biggest Nets questions, makes bold predictions and picks the five biggest games of the 2025-26 season:
Starting five
Can the Nets take their tank to another level?
The Nets committed to the tank before last season when they traded Mikal Bridges. But between rookie coach Jordi Fernández exceeding expectations and veteran point guard Dennis Schröder leading them to unlikely victories, they earned wins that proved Pyrrhic and costly. General manager Sean Marks hastily shipped Schröder away to Golden State the very first day the Warriors could make the deal work, but the Nets still ended up with only the sixth seed in the lottery and drafted just eighth. This time around Marks is taking no chances, not re-signing veteran floor general D’Angelo Russell and giving Fernández three teenage rookie point guards to work with. A top 3 seed in the lottery appears a must.
Is this Cam Thomas’ Brooklyn swan song?
Thomas is not only their leading returning scorer, but he’s also arguably the best homegrown product on the Nets roster. Offensively gifted and immensely popular, he’s inherited a number of Kyrie Irving’s fans after the All-Star’s departure. But the 24-year-old shooting guard is also a polarizing player that could be playing his final season in a Nets uniform. After averaging a team-high 24.0 points last season — but being limited to just 25 games due to a trio of hamstring injuries — Thomas failed to reach a long-term contract extension as a restricted free agent this past summer. Instead, he came back on the $5.99 million qualifying offer, a deal that is virtually always a precursor to a departure. If history is any guide, this could be Thomas’ last season with the Nets.
Cam Thomas #24 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Raptors on Oct. 17, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images
How do they really develop five rookies?
The Nets head into this season not only as the youngest team in the league at an average of just 23.7 years, but the youngest by a significant margin. They’re the only team averaging under 24, and they’re clearly committed to that youth being served. The Nets took a league-record five first-round draft picks back in June, and are going to have to figure out how to develop that quintet of rookies in Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf. Despite Fernández’s well-earned reputation as a development coach, this is going to be a tall order for not just the Spaniard but the entire organization. The Nets have used the G-League well over the years, and expect most if not all of that quintet to spend time being molded and mentored by Long Island coach Mfon Udofia.