The 2025 NBA Off-Season is less than two months away as the Brooklyn Nets are set to headline this off-season with the most cap space in basketball.

In this hypothetical off-season scenario, the Brooklyn Nets landed the 2nd overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft with our first lottery simulation. The Brooklyn Nets currently hold five picks in this year’s draft (four first round picks and one second round pick).

2nd Overall Pick: The Brooklyn Nets select Dylan Harper, a 6’6 point guard from Rutgers. In Harper’s freshman year, the young star averaged 19.4 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, 4.0 assists per game and shot 48.4/33.3/75.0 shooting splits. Harper’s game has been compared to Cade Cunningham, Jalen Brunson and James Harden over the past two years. With Harper’s versatility on both ends of the floor, the ability to score from all three levels and a high motor defensively, this pick would be the building block of Brooklyn’s rebuild. It’s difficult to see a world where Harper isn’t at some point in time an All-Star, especially if drafted to the right organization. In Jordi Fernandez’s first year as Brooklyn’s head coach, we saw a number of guards take leaps and develop their skills on both ends of the floor, specifically Dennis Schroder, Tyrese Martin, Keon Johnson and Cam Thomas with the small sample size he was healthy enough to play. With Jordi Fernandez acquiring the name, ‘The Guard Whisperer’, drafting this year’s best point guard could mean seeing Harper’s true potential and upside sooner rather than later. For Nets fans, this is an absolute home run of a pick, landing the best point guard and New Jersey native to be the potential superstar Nets fans have been begging for through the draft.

Pro Comp: Cade Cunningham

16th Overall Pick: As numerous veterans to potentially trade and a league leading five picks, the Brooklyn Nets make a draft day trade, sending Cam Johnson to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the 16th overall pick in this year’s draft. With the 16th overall pick, the Brooklyn Nets select Rasheer Fleming, a 6’9 power forward with a 7’4 wingspan. Fleming, who played three years in college, averaged 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and shot 53.1/39.0/74.3 shooting splits at St. Joe’s. Another New Jersey native, Fleming can be seen as a high caliber role player and immediate plug-in player in year one.

Pro Comp: Naz Reid

19th Overall Pick: Thanks to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Brooklyn Nets select yet another New Jersey native in Georgetown big man Thomas Sorber. The 6’10 center averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and two blocks per game while shooting 53.2% from the field. Brooklyn’s biggest issue over the years has been finding a center that can play both ends of the floor consistently. Sorber has shown upside as a scorer, being able to find the bottom of the basket through his post scoring ability and mid-range jumper. Though not great at 16.2%, Sorber showed flashes of potentially being able to knock down three’s overtime. An underrated aspect to Sorber’s game during his freshman season was his playmaking ability, an aspect to his game that could be furthered developed under Jordi Fernandez. For Brooklyn, this is yet another great addition to its young core with Sorber’s upside potentially being the starting center within a few years.

Pro Comp: More athletic Jonas Valanciunas

26th Overall Pick: With the departure of Cam Johnson, the Brooklyn Nets select Illinois forward Will Riley. At 6’8, Riley was a bit inconsistent midway through his freshman season but turned things around during conference play and the March Madness tournament. In his freshman season, Riley averaged 12.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists on 43.2/32.6/72.4 shooting splits. Riley’s game may not be NBA rotational minutes ready right away but the upside as a Cam Johnson replacement is possible. Riley’s three-point shot making, ability to create his own shot in the mid-range department and lengthy defensive presence could be very valuable as a long-term role player off the bench in Brooklyn.

Pro Comp: Lesser Trey Murphy/Cam Johnson

With two more picks available at 27 and 36, it would be extremely difficult to bring in 5-6 rookies as the Nets would be stuck in a position where players may not see the development necessary to progress within the organization. For that reason, the Nets in this scenario package the 27th and 36th overall pick in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. Within the deal, Brooklyn receives a 2026 top four protected first round pick via the Indiana Pacers.

With the Nets 2025 draft class complete, we shift our focus to free agency. Though the time frame of this is uncertain, the Los Angeles Lakers are in desperate need of a full time starting big man, specifically a high caliber defensive center. For that reason, the Brooklyn Nets trade Nic Claxton to the Los Angeles Lakers for Maxi Kleber, Gabe Vincent, a 2030 unprotected first round pick and a 2031 first round pick swap. Some fans may feel this offer is underwhelming based on the players Brooklyn gets in return but should consider the fact that Brooklyn would be gaining two expiring contracts that will not only free up $22.5M for the 2026 off-season but will also remove Nic Claxton’s remaining three years from its payroll, allowing Brooklyn to gain even more financial flexibility for future free agencies. With this move, the Nets would say goodbye to two starters last season in Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton which could be seen as a move to allow its youth to develop quicker while also giving Brooklyn one more chance at a top five pick in what’s considered to be an even better draft class next year.

Prior to the start of free agency, within this mock off-season I have Brooklyn bringing back both Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe on team friendly deals. Thomas, who was expected to take a leap last season before dealing with three-time costly hamstring injuries, has lost a bit of say in what money he can demand. For that reason, I have Brooklyn re-signing Thomas to a three-year player option deal worth roughly $22.6M/YR. A three-year deal totaling $68M is a fitting range for the scoring phenom. Within this deal, the Nets could frontload the contract to free up future cap space while also making Thomas a more desirable contract if and when his name is called as a potential trade candidate. For Sharpe, who is in a similar position as Nic Claxton was after his rookie contract, in this scenario re-signs on a short term two-year standard deal with an annual salary of $10.5M/YR. For Brooklyn, being able to bring back Day’Ron on this low of a deal provides the Nets a big man duo of Sharpe and Thomas Sorber at a fraction of the cost in which Brooklyn was paying Nic Claxton. Within this scenario, I also have Brooklyn bringing Keon Johnson back by accepting his team option which would leave Johnson in Brooklyn on a one-year $2.3M deal.

To begin free agency, Brooklyn makes a splash by signing the best restricted free agent on the market in Jonathan Kuminga to a three-year $84 million contract ($28M/YR). With the Golden State Warriors likely unable to match this offer while also seeing Steve Kerr unwilling to utilize Kuminga within his playoff rotation, the Nets could easily poach the almost 23-year-old rising star. For Brooklyn, this provides yet another youthful piece to what would likely be one of the youngest rosters in basketball next season. Kuminga still has a ton of untapped potential which has yet to be unlocked while receiving inconsistent minutes during his tenure in Golden State. Though a bit expensive, Brooklyn would be in a position to roll out a young trio of Dylan Harper, Cam Thomas and Jonathan Kuminga next season.

By clearing long-term contracts in Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton, the Nets add yet another New Jersey native in Minnesota stretch four Naz Reid. If Brooklyn plans on spending, the additions of Naz Reid and Jonathan Kuminga could be massive as the Nets would now have four incredible youthful members of its core. Reid is not a guarantee, as he would need to opt out of his final year on his deal, but all signs point towards him hitting unrestricted free agency. With the Timberwolves in need of cap space to bring back Julius Randle, the Nets could easily be seen as the favorites to land the 25-year-old stretch big. For Brooklyn to get this done, I have Reid’s projected contract at three years $69 million, roughly $23 million per year.

For Brooklyn’s final free agent signing, the Nets grab yet another Minnesota Timberwolves role player in Nickeil Alexander-Walker on a solid two-year deal with an annual salary of $12M/YR. For Brooklyn, losing Ziaire Williams is unfortunate and though not something Nets fans want to see, the possibility of it happening is very realistic based on NY Post reporter Brian Lewis, who mentioned Williams as a player Brooklyn could let walk to add younger and higher upside forwards.

Of course this is all fan perspective, opinions and a bit of hope but for Brooklyn, the options in regard to how Sean Marks decides to fill out the remaining roster spots is very difficult to full predict. In this scenario, Brooklyn would be letting go of D’Angelo Russell, Drew Timmie (bring back on two-way deal), Tyrese Martin (potential trade piece within Lakers deal or brought back on two-way deal), De’Anthony Melton (let walk in free agency), Reece Beekman (let walk in free agency) and Jalen Wilson (likely let walk to provide a roster spot for upcoming rookie draft class).

With that being said, Brooklyn’s roster could look much more improved whether that be to make a play-in push in hopes of obtaining a star caliber player by the 2026 off-season or building a young and immature team who will be exciting to watch but can’t close games down the stretch due to their inexperience. As history has shown, the younger a roster is, the more losses pile up but for Brooklyn, Jordi Fernandez could take this roster to new limits as he did with what was projected to be the worst team in basketball last season. For Nets fans, the hope of course is to still find a way in landing a top three pick next draft which is headlined by Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybansta and Cam Boozer.

With the additions of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Maxi Kleber and Gabe Vincent, the Nets would have some veteran presence but one’s who likely cannot impact winning the way Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schroder did last season. Not to mention, potentially shopping two of these three players at the NBA Trade Deadline could mean additional assets for Brooklyn to continue stockpiling for when the time comes to strike on a superstar talent.

Final Roster to Open Up the 2025-26 Season:

The NBA Draft Lottery is just 10 days away… for now, we wait with excitement and nerves as May 12th could make or break Brooklyn’s potential future plans.