Projecting Brooklyn's 2026-27 starting five after the Randle trade
Claxton's out, Randle's in, and the No. 6 pick looms. Here's the lineup the roster is pointing toward — and where the reporting lines up.
Brooklyn's roster math shifted overnight. The June 22 trade sent starting center Nic Claxton to Chicago and brought in Julius Randle — a 21-point, five-assist forward — reshaping the depth chart on the eve of the draft. Pair that with the No. 6 pick and a young backcourt, and a projected 2026-27 starting five comes into focus.
Mikel Brown Jr.
Projected No. 6 pick — the lead guard mocks keep sending to Brooklyn
Egor Dëmin
2025 No. 8; 10.3 / 3.2 / 3.3, 38.5% on threes as a rookie
Michael Porter Jr.
24.2 PPG — the proven scorer and spacer
Julius Randle
Just acquired; 21.1 / 6.7 / 5.0 on 58.5% TS
Day'Ron Sharpe
Steps in with Claxton gone; 8.7 / 6.7 on 60% FG
Why this five
Start with the two veterans. Porter Jr. and Randle give Brooklyn a pair of 20-point scorers who can carry the offense, with Randle's downhill playmaking (5.0 assists) adding the kind of creation a young roster lacked. That's a real offensive spine.
The backcourt is the bet on youth. If the Nets take Mikel Brown Jr. at No. 6 — the most common projection after a second private workout — he profiles as the floor general the roster needs, with Egor Dëmin's 6'8" size letting the two share creation duties. Dëmin's 38.5% three-point rate as a rookie is one of the most encouraging signs on the roster.
The center spot is the softest. With Claxton in Chicago, Day'Ron Sharpe is the most logical opening-night starter — he finished at 60% and rebounds at a high rate — but it's also the position Brooklyn is most likely to address, whether in free agency (it opens June 30) or with another move. Don't ink the five there yet.
The catch
Two honest caveats. First, this is a projection: Brown Jr. isn't drafted yet, and rookie roles fluctuate. Second, it's offense-heavy. Trading Claxton subtracts Brooklyn's best rim protector, and a Randle–Porter–Sharpe frontcourt will have to prove it can defend. The talent is trending up; the defensive identity is the open question.
We'll update this the moment the No. 6 pick is official — track it live on the Rebuild page.