The Brooklyn Nets made a big move ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft, acquiring Julius Randle via trade. He has expressed his excitement for the upcoming season, and believes the team can surpass the low expectations surrounding them.
The Brooklyn Nets' roster this upcoming season has made some notable additions, with players being added in free agency, through the draft, and acquired through trades.
Former NBA All-Star forward Julius Randle is the most notable acquisition, joining the team ahead of the draft as part of the Nic Claxton trade.
On Tuesday, HoopsHype released a list of the top-15 power forwards in the NBA, with Randle coming in at No. 11.
While this is a fair ranking for Randle, he could easily find his way into the top-10 and has an argument with some of the players closely beating him like Lauri Markkanen and Pascal Siakam.
Randle spent the past two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 21.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game on solid 48.1-percent shooting.
But, after a disappointing playoff performance, Randle skipped out on postseason press conferences with the team and a reunion grew very unlikely.
The Nets swooped in, adding to their frontcourt and giving Michael Porter Jr. a nice compliment on the wing.
Porter's preference to play outside and do his damage from the perimeter will open up driving lanes for Randle, who attacks the basket with purpose and physicality.
Randle has also played in big games, like Porter, bringing an idea of winning culture to a young Nets group.
"I can do a lot with the ball: dribbling, creating," Randle said in mid-September. "He's a great catch-and-shoot guy; he can space the floor. So I think we can complement each other very well."
Since arriving in Brooklyn, Randle has been extremely positive about his new situation and surroundings as a whole, praising the young players on the roster and talking about "shocking" the NBA world.
“Whatever your expectations are, whatever expectations are put upon us, we’re going to exceed them," Randle told media. "We’re going to do things at a very high level.”
Most projections still have the Nets in the basement of the Eastern Conference, but Randle believes the team has the talent to surprise some people.
The rookie class of Mikel Brown Jr., Tyler Bilodeau, and Joshua Jefferson should add versatility and playmaking to the Nets' starting five and bench unit, with Randle praising the young players over the weeked.
"Extremely, extremely hard workers," Randle said. "Attention to detail, but just really, really hard workers."
He called the trio "smart, high-IQ basketball players," throwing second-year guard Egor Dëmin in the grouping of young, hard-working players on the team.
If Dëmin can continue his consistency as a 3-point shooter, Randle will have another trusty player to kick to on the perimeter when he gets downhill.
Randle's physical play style and ability to playmake at his position is an added boost for Brooklyn's lineup, which struggled to generate good looks at times last season.
Adding Randle instantly raises the Nets' floor, and gives the team another primary scorer.
