Nets Accomplished Their Two Season Goals — With Lottery Fate All That Remains

Brooklyn's young roster gained valuable NBA minutes, but the team's lottery odds are now the top priority.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 4:51am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented basketball game, with sharp, overlapping planes of color in a vibrant palette representing the Nets' season of rebuilding and growth.The Nets' season-long focus on player development and securing a high draft pick has positioned the team well for the future.Brooklyn Today

The Brooklyn Nets ended their season with a 136-101 loss to the Toronto Raptors, but the team accomplished its two main goals this year: giving its young players significant playing time to develop and securing a high lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. The Nets had the youngest roster in the league and led the NBA in minutes played by rookies, with standout performances from two-way player Tyson Etienne and undrafted rookie Chaney Johnson. With a 20-62 record, the Nets have the third-best lottery odds and a 40.1% chance of landing a top-3 pick.

Why it matters

The Nets' focus on player development and tanking for a high draft pick reflects their long-term strategy to rebuild through the draft and integrate young talent. After trading away several future first-round picks in recent years, the team is now positioned to add another potential franchise cornerstone to pair with its current crop of promising young players.

The details

The Nets gave significant minutes to their young players this season, with coach Jordi Fernández praising the valuable experience they gained. First-round pick Ben Saraf, two-way player Tyson Etienne, and undrafted rookie Chaney Johnson all had strong performances in the season finale. The team's 20-62 record has them tied for the third-best lottery odds, with a 40.1% chance of landing a top-3 pick in the upcoming draft.

  • The Nets ended their season with a 136-101 loss to the Toronto Raptors on April 13, 2026.
  • The Nets had the youngest team in the NBA this season and led the league in minutes logged by rookies.

The players

Jordi Fernández

The head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, who praised the valuable experience the team's young players gained this season.

Tyson Etienne

A two-way player for the Brooklyn Nets who led the team with 20 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals in the season finale.

Chaney Johnson

An undrafted rookie for the Brooklyn Nets who scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the season finale.

Ben Saraf

The Brooklyn Nets' first-round draft pick, who fouled out with 15 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals in the season finale.

Sean Marks

The general manager of the Brooklyn Nets, who said the team's top priority this season was to have its young players gain valuable NBA minutes.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, the minutes they've played are super valuable. And all of them, the two-ways, the 10-days, young guys, everybody who has played here, all those minutes matter.”

— Jordi Fernández, Head Coach, Brooklyn Nets

“Knowing that our objective this year was to have the young guys play and play real NBA minutes. That was the No. 1 priority in between the G-League and the development there and also here. We now lead the league in rookie minutes the whole year, so that's exactly what we wanted to do.”

— Sean Marks, General Manager, Brooklyn Nets

What’s next

The Nets will now focus on the NBA Draft Lottery, where they have a 40.1% chance of landing a top-3 pick. Their most likely draft slots are 6th (26.0%) or 5th (14.8%), and they cannot fall below 7th.

The takeaway

The Nets' season-long focus on player development and securing a high draft pick has positioned the team well for the future. By giving its young roster significant playing time, the team has gained valuable insight into its future core, while also maintaining strong lottery odds to add another potential franchise cornerstone in the upcoming draft.