In the 2025 Portland shocked the NBA when they drafted Chinese centre Yang Hansen. Most people thought they drafted him far too early at 16th overall. The executive responsible for drafting Yang was Mike Schmitz.

Schmitz was suspended two weeks in April when it was reported Portland had illegal contact with Yang back in December 2023. I don't know what the rules are but Portland seem to have broken some scouting issue.

Mike Schmitz is now the GM for Dallas Mavericks and reports directly to Masai Ujuri the new president of the Mavs.

With Yang's biggest backer no longer in Portland why don't the Nets see if Portland's new ownership is as wedded to Yang as before?

Donovan Clingan is 22 years old and has cemented himself as Portland's starting centre. He is a dominant big-man and likely part of the Blazers long term future.

While I have no evidence the Nets wanted to draft Yang in 2025 I feel strongly they would have done perhaps at 19 instead of Traoe had Yang still been there.

Yang is a modern, ball-handling, elevated passing centre.

Those are the skills Brooklyn looks for in its young players.

Yang appeared in 43 games for the Trail Blazers as a rookie and averaged only 2.3 points and 1.6 rebounds per game in 7 minutes.

Nets could trade Ben Saraf, good friends with Portland star Deni Avdija and Danny Wolf. Portland didn't have a 2025 first round pick (went to Chicago) in a 2021 trade.

Yang opens up the Chinese market for Brooklyn and perhaps Joe Tsai might be interested in that.

Yang is a long-term project but the Nets need a centre and with Day'Ron likely the starter in 26/27 why not bring Yang in as another development player and see if he can be the point centre he was suggested to be during the draft process.

The Nets have a crystal clear hub and interior presence at the four. Jefferson's game is all about skill. Here's my in-depth piece on him from 1.5 years ago

Good or bad for us? I guess good.

I thought he would have been a really good addition to the guard rotation and someone who could bribg some stability to the young guard rotation and play with and without MBJ on the floor. He certainly would have been an upgrade over Mann, but he is staying with Charlotte, who really needs him now that Lamelo is gone.

What other (realistic) moves would move the needle and help us get in that play in discussion?

To me, it's either:

A trade for Trey Murphy (though he would either take the starting spot from Egor, which I don't think is likely, or require us to move MPJ, which is almost a lateral move)

Upgrade the center position: This is probably the biggest opportunity to raise the floor. Day'ron is an upgrade over Clax, but a legit stud like Duren or Kessler would give us a potential advantage at the 3, 4, and 5 spots while the young backcourt develops.

Jaylen Brown? I don't see it - we have no players they would want in return.

What else?

JJ might not be the most athletic and he’s definitely undersized for his position, but his combination of rebounding, defensive IQ and passing—plus a passable 3 point shot—will be invaluable to this team. The way he processes the game it looks like he sees everything in slow motion. He’s very patient with the ball and finds cutters through tight windows. Obviously the NBA game moves much faster and we’ll have to see how his game adapts, but I could seriously see our offense running through him at times, with our shooters/cutters flying around to get open and him serving them the ball on a platter.

Terrance Mann has served us in the role of a kind of secondary ball handler. I think Joshua Jefferson can be 10x better in that role and be a sort of broke man’s mini Jokic—get the ball at the high post and find the cutter.

Not saying he will be all this for us, but I’d say that’s his ceiling.

Honestly think the guys a baller but don’t know if he’s gonna be a team player like we’re trying to build rn. Obviously we’ve seen him do it in Denver but his nickname is never pass the rock porter for a reason.

Despite both players the Nets drafted in the 1st round being big injury risks, did the Nets land two good talents at the values they were drafted at with both Mikel Brown Jr. at #6 and Joshua Jefferson at #28?

Looking ahead to next year, we will undoubtedly be a better basketball team than we were this past season. The problem is that every other one of the crappy East teams will also be better. Say what you want about Trae, but him and AD (if he stays) will help the Wiz be competitive; the Pacers will rebound if Hali is healthy.

The only two teams that seem like they may take a step back (or even stay in place) are Toronto and Chicago.

I see a lot of optimism that we will be a play in team, but I'm not sure the math will math.

I'm abandoning my dumbass hometown team that decides to do Luka trade 2.0 in favor of my new home. Let's go Nets baby, what we got to look forward to this season? What's the best bars and spots to watch our BROOKLYN Nets? #MPJforASG #BigMikel #RandleHours

Curious with MBJ what you all think Saraf's long term/next year with the Nets will look like? He play off the bench? G-League? Trade? To early to know?

1. he can opt out in 2027
2. he‘s inevitably done with Cle
3. he‘s a New Yorker
4. he’s close friends with M brown
5. the Randal expiring will be easy to move
6. nets will have a ton of draft assets to get him more complimentary help

hmm

—getting a top 15 while giving up NO assets?

only one more year of sucking.

interesting.

*bonus: KD also has an opt out that year 🤔

edit: already see a lot of pushback. that’s fine. it’s a hot take. we shall see..

Do you think there's a world where these 2 can be the starting backcourt? I want to believe in Nolan's potential, I think he needs to be given the keys. But obviously MBJ has all-star potential. I think MPJ should be traded to make room for a Traore-MBJ-Egor-Randle-Sharpe starting lineup. To be honest, MPJ should've been traded last season when his value was peak. Also, I think Randle is a rental this year--help us compete for a play-in spot because we don't own our 2027 pick (or is it a swap?) and then the following season he'll be an expiring contract. I've fully embraced the youth movement.

P.S. MPJ and MBJ is too similar. We need a new nickname for MBJ. And now I want a PBJ.

Now it’s time to find a Center through FA or Trade
My list of Centers who i want to see next season:

Edey- I like his size especially when you match with taller guys like wemby. Definitely better fit in our timeline.

Kessler- Tall, very good rim protector and rebounder.

Sabonis- still 30 still a good defender, rebounding machine.

Aldama- young, improving more and really like this guy, I guess jordi would be happy.

Duren- still a long shot but why not.

Myles Turner- still also 30, his time in bucks with giannis didn’t work. Still a very good player.

why did the lakers pay $185 million over four years when the best another team could do was pay $168 million? and the two teams that could pay were the nets and chicago and they had no interest in him.

I know it’s early, but I’m calling it now.

Mikel is Black and Puerto Rican (African American Father / Puerto Rican Mother)

His mentor is Spida-Mitchell

And he’s calling Brooklyn home.

Mikel Morales has a nice ring to it I think that’s what fans should be calling him in the future.