As rough as the Nets have looked this season, especially at times on the defensive end, the latest NBA.com power rankings say they’re not among the league’s three worst teams at this point.
Those spots belong to the Washington Wizards (No. 30), Indiana Pacers (No. 29) and New Orleans Pelicans (No. 28). Brooklyn landed at No. 27, with its only two wins coming against Washington and Indiana. The Nets won’t see New Orleans for the first time this season until Dec. 6.
What’s keeping Brooklyn from sinking into the league’s absolute basement? NBA.com’s John Schuhmann points to a defense that’s trending upward, and over the last two games against Orlando and Washington, the Nets have finally started to show consistent effort on that end, even though the numbers still paint a grim picture, with a league-worst defensive rating of 124.0.
“The Nets’ 30th-ranked defense might be getting a little better, with their weekend games in Orlando and Washington being just the second and third times this season that they’ve allowed fewer than 120 points per 100 possessions,” Schuhmann wrote. “The Magic and Wizards combined for 31 turnovers and just 10 offensive rebounds.”
Even with a few encouraging signs, Brooklyn still struggles to generate easy offense, a problem tied directly to its defensive inconsistency and inexperience at point guard.
“With their defense being so bad and with their point guard being so young, the Nets are getting next to nothing in transition,” Schuhmann wrote. “Their 8.8 fast break points per 100 possessions are the fewest in the league by a wide margin and would be the fewest for any team in the last eight seasons.”
SPANISH CONNECTION
With the Boston Celtics visiting Barclays Center on Tuesday, Nets head coach Jordi Fernández got a chance to face Celtics rookie and fellow Spaniard Hugo González, a player he has followed for years.
González, the 28th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, spent three seasons with Real Madrid from 2022 to 2025 and was even projected to Brooklyn early in last summer’s draft cycle because of his shared Spanish roots with Fernández. The 19-year-old entered Tuesday averaging 3.0 points and 2.0 rebounds across his first 11 games with Boston.
“We all knew that with the Spanish national team, all the honors, he was a difference maker,” Fernández said. “There’s a reason why he’s in the NBA. He belongs at this level, size, skill set, so very excited to watch him.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Brooklyn fans entered mock draft season earlier than usual with the team sitting at 2-11. Those tracking the tank had plenty to smile about Tuesday, when ESPN’s latest mock draft from Jeremy Woo projected the Nets to land the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 2000 and select Kansas star Darryn Peterson, widely viewed as a can’t-miss, generational prospect.
“The Nets badly need a player to anchor their team moving forward,” Woo wrote. “They’ve taken five first-round swings in the 2025 draft and are still figuring out how everyone fits long term. Peterson would address their lack of star power and then some.”
The 6-5 guard wasted no time making an impact at the college level, averaging 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks across his first two outings while shooting 15-of-25 from the field, 6-of-12 from deep and 7-of-9 at the free throw line.
