The Brooklyn Nets head down south tonight to start the 2025-26 NBA season against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center.
Brooklyn enters with the youngest roster in the NBA in its second year under head coach Jordi Fernández — a protégé of New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown.
The Nets feature six players aged 21 and under, including three teenagers. They’ve stockpiled draft capital into the next decade, taking four players in the first round this summer, led by 6’8” guard Egor Demin out of BYU.
None appear destined for immediate stardom, but the focus this year will be on development and cohesion — how these disparate young pieces fit together.
Michael Porter Jr., acquired in an offseason trade that sent Cam Johnson to Denver, anchors the starting lineup alongside Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton. For Brooklyn, this is less about wins and more about discovery — identifying which young players can form the foundation of the next era.
The Hornets, meanwhile, are looking to take a step forward behind star guard LaMelo Ball. Charlotte finished with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference last year at 19–63, but the fruit of that failure was the No. 4 overall pick, used on 6’7” Duke wing Kon Knueppel.
Another rookie, Liam McNeely out of UConn, also debuts tonight, joining a young core that includes Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller. With improved depth and shooting, the Hornets will look to make a push for the Play-In Tournament, though that may be a stretch.
Predictions
Charlotte has the edge in this early-season matchup of rebuilding teams. LaMelo Ball’s playmaking and Bridges’ physicality should give the Hornets a slight upper hand against a Nets team light on experience.
Prediction: Hornets 110, Nets 103
Injury Report
Brooklyn Nets
Haywood Highsmith — Out (knee)
Danny Wolf — Out (ankle sprain)
Charlotte Hornets
No injuries reported.
How to Watch Nets vs. Hornets
Tip-off for tonight’s Brooklyn Nets vs. Charlotte Hornets game is set for 7:00 PM Eastern at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The game airs live on YES Network and FanDuel Sports Network Southeast.
Viewers in the Carolinas can purchase a standalone FanDuel Sports Network Southeast subscription on Amazon here.
Out-of-market viewers can stream the matchup on NBA League Pass for free on Amazon Prime Video with a 7-day free trial here.
Amazon also offers a discounted subscription that starts at $12.74 for the first two months (then $16.99/month). The subscription also includes access to NBA TV.
Fans can also choose a Team Pass to follow one team’s games for $13.99 per month.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Charlotte Hornets
Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM Eastern
Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
TV: YES, FanDuel Sports Network Southeast
Streaming: Gotham Sports app, NBA League Pass (out-of-market)