The 2024-25 Brooklyn Nets season was a transitional year focused on rebuilding, with a clear strategy to prioritize future assets over immediate success. The season was marked by a poor record, significant roster changes, and a deliberate tanking effort, but it also showcased promising developments under new leadership and young talent. Below is a breakdown of the bad and good things that happened to the Nets, based on available information.
The Good:
Successful Tanking for Draft Positioning:
The Nets’ 26-56 record secured them the sixth-best odds for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, set for the lottery on May 12, 2025. This positions them to potentially land a franchise-altering talent like Cooper Flagg, aligning with their rebuild strategy.
Emergence of Cam Thomas:
Cam Thomas solidified his role as a cornerstone, averaging a career-high 24 points. He was one of only four guards under 24 to average at least 20 points per game the prior season, and his scoring prowess gives the Nets a reliable offensive threat.
Jordi Fernandez’s Coaching Impact:
First-year head coach Jordi Fernandez, hired on April 22, 2024, exceeded expectations by fostering a competitive culture despite the team’s youth and roster turnover. The Nets won 18 games by mid-February, defying predictions of a lower win total, and Fernandez’s system earned him Coach of the Year consideration among fans. His emphasis on effort and identity laid a foundation for future success.
Development of Young Talent:
Noah Clowney: The 2023 first-round pick showed promise as a stretch four who can complement Nic Claxton defensively, bouncing back from G League stints to earn rotation minutes.
Nic Claxton: Despite trade rumors, Claxton, on a four-year, $97 million deal, remained a defensive anchor by averaging almost a steal and 1.4 blocks.
Draft Capital and Financial Flexibility:
The Nets amassed significant draft assets, including their own 2025 and 2026 picks (reacquired from Houston) and multiple first-rounders from the Bridges trade. With the most projected cap space in the NBA for the 2025 offseason, they’re positioned to pursue a star like Giannis Antetokounmpo or absorb bad contracts for more picks.
The Bad
Intentional Tanking:
The Nets finished with a 26-56 record, the sixth-worst in the NBA, and were eliminated from postseason contention on March 28, 2025. This marked their second consecutive year missing the playoffs. The Nets openly embraced a tanking strategy to secure a high pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, aiming for prospects like Cooper Flagg or Ace Bailey.
Loss of Key Players via Trades:
The Nets traded Mikal Bridges, their best player from the prior season, to the New York Knicks for multiple first-round picks before the season. During the season, they also dealt Dorian Finney-Smith to the Los Angeles Lakers for D’Angelo Russell and second-round picks, and Dennis Schröder to the Golden State Warriors. These moves depleted the roster of veteran talent, further weakening on-court performance.
Injuries to Key Players:
Cam Thomas, the team’s leading scorer, missed over a month due to injury, and Cam Johnson was sidelined for multiple weeks. These absences hampered the team’s ability to compete consistently, even in a rebuilding context.
