The Brooklyn Nets have finished the 2024–25 season with progress and uncertainty. While the team missed the playoffs, several young players showed growth, and head coach Jordi Fernández earned strong support from the roster. As free agency approaches and the NBA Draft draws near, the Nets are preparing for major decisions that will shape the team’s future.
Jordi Fernández completed his first season as head coach. Several players spoke publicly about the positive impact he had on the team. Ziaire Williams, who joined Brooklyn this season, said he appreciated Fernández’s consistency and straightforward approach. Williams averaged 10 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game across 63 appearances. He shot 34.1 percent from three-point range, both career highs. Fernández previously acknowledged the improvement in Williams’ shooting.
However, Williams will now enter unrestricted free agency. Brooklyn extended him a qualifying offer worth $7.9 million, but according to Sportrac, he is expected to sign for a veteran minimum contract instead.
Cam Thomas also praised Fernández, mentioning that the team bought into the coach’s system. Thomas averaged a career-high 24 points per game while shooting 43.8 percent from the field. Although, he only played 25 games this season due to injuries. His year ended on March 15 after suffering a left hamstring strain. Thomas becomes a restricted free agent this offseason, which means other teams can make offers, but the Nets will have the right to match.
Day’Ron Sharpe, another restricted free agent, called attention to Fernández’s support during difficult moments. Sharpe had the most productive season of his four-year career. He averaged 7.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.6 combined steals and blocks per game. These numbers were all personal bests. According to Sportrac, he is projected to sign a new deal worth around $30 million over three years.
General manager Sean Marks said that keeping players like Thomas and Sharpe, who were originally drafted by the team, is important. He confirmed that the front office is already planning conversations with their agents. The goal is to keep the core group together while making improvements where needed.
At the same time, the Nets are in a stronger position than they were a year ago when they had no picks in the 2024 NBA Draft. This year, Brooklyn has four first-round picks in June’s draft. In total, the team now holds 16 first-round picks, with 13 of them available to be traded.
Brooklyn’s draft assets come from several deals. The New York Knicks owe the Nets three future first-round picks in 2027, 2029, and 2031, and swap rights in 2028. If the Philadelphia 76ers keep their pick this year, they will owe Brooklyn a top-8 protected first-round pick in 2028. If not, the pick protection will shift to 2027, depending on whether their 2025 pick goes to Oklahoma City. The Nets also own the less favorable of Dallas, Phoenix, or Houston’s first-round picks in 2029. In addition, the Houston Rockets hold swap rights with Brooklyn in 2027. The team also has 16 second-round picks available to trade.
With this many picks, the Nets can either use them to draft new players or include them in trade packages for veterans. In a league where draft picks often determine a team’s future, Brooklyn now holds one of the deepest pools of draft capital. The franchise has the flexibility to rebuild or retool faster than many other teams.
One more decision the Nets must make involves D’Angelo Russell. The 29-year-old guard was traded from the Golden State Warriors to Brooklyn midway through the season. In his short time with the team, he averaged 12.9 points and 5.6 assists per game. Russell is now an unrestricted free agent, meaning he can sign with any team, and the Nets do not have the right to match offers.
If Thomas or Russell leaves, Brooklyn will need help in the backcourt. One name to watch is Killian Hayes. The 23-year-old French guard was briefly part of the Nets organization last offseason. After being waived, he joined the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League team. Hayes played well in Long Island, averaging 20.7 points per game on 48 percent shooting from the field and 41.7 percent from three.
Because of that performance, Hayes earned a 10-day contract with the Nets in February. During that time, he averaged nine points and 5.2 assists per game off the bench. The team did not offer him a second contract, but his numbers suggest he could be a useful option, especially if the Nets need guard depth next season.
