The Brooklyn Nets Enter the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery with Major Stakes
The Nets have not drafted an All-Star since Brook Lopez over a decade ago.
The Brooklyn Nets head into Sunday’s 2026 NBA Draft lottery in Chicago with the best odds in the league. The franchise holds a 14.0% chance of winning the No. 1 overall pick and a 40.15% chance of securing a top-3 selection.
This draft class is widely considered strong, with several prospects viewed as potential franchise players, including AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), Cameron Boozer (Duke), and Caleb Wilson (North Carolina).
Strategy & Flexibility
The team's front office has indicated a desire to add a playmaking guard, but given the team's lack of overall talent, they are expected to draft the best available player and address other needs via free agency or trade.
Brooklyn cannot fall below the seventh pick. Their most likely draft slot is sixth (26.02% chance), followed by fifth (14.82% chance).
The Nets also enter the offseason with the most salary cap space in the NBA, giving them significant flexibility to reshape the roster.
A Note on History
The Nets have historically moved up in the lottery only twice: in 1990 (to select Derrick Coleman) and in 2000 (to select Kenyon Martin). Both times, the team reached the NBA Finals within two years.
Owner Joe Tsai will represent the team in the drawing room, and former player Vince Carter will represent the Nets on stage.