While the NBA Playoffs are in full swing, now is a good time to recap the fantasy basketball season for all 30 teams.
In the following weeks, we will provide a recap for each team, starting with the team with the worst record and concluding with the NBA champion in June.
The Brooklyn Nets are the focus of this column, with the franchise shifting its focus to the beginnings of a rebuild. Moves made during the offseason replenished the team’s draft assets, most notably the decision to trade Mikal Bridges to the Knicks for five future first-round picks. While Brooklyn was in a bad spot regarding competing this season, the long-term rebuild is in a better place.
Brooklyn Nets 2024-2025 Season Recap
Record: 26-56 (12th, East)
Offensive Rating: 108.1 (28th)
Defensive Rating: 115.4 (23rd)
Net Rating: -7.3 (26th)
Pace: 96.73 (28th)
2025 NBA Draft Picks: Nine percent chance of winning draft lottery, 19 (from Milwaukee), 26 (from New York), 27 (from Houston), 36
The Nets entered last offseason with a limited draft war chest, but having a clear need to rebuild set the stage for lead executive Sean Marks to address that. Mikal Bridges was traded to the Knicks, with Brooklyn receiving five future first-round picks. The Nets were also able to retrieve picks from Milwaukee and Houston, giving the franchise a total of four firsts to work with in June’s draft.
However, those changes put the Nets in a difficult spot regarding their ability to compete for the entire 2024-25 season. Jordi Fernández’s team didn’t truly get into trouble until January, enduring a stretch in which they lost 12 of their next 13 games. While there was still a chance of reaching the Play-In tournament until March, it was clear that Brooklyn’s goal was to be in the draft lottery for what is projected to be a loaded incoming rookie class.
Among the Nets’ rotation players, Cameron Johnson was the only one who exceeded his Yahoo! ADP this season. Brooklyn struggled with its offensive efficiency, ranking 29th in field goal percentage and 27th in effective field goal percentage. Add in subpar defensive production, and the result was Brooklyn finishing 12th in the East.
Fantasy Standout: Cameron Johnson
Johnson enjoyed the most productive season of his NBA career in 2024-25, capitalizing on the increased opportunities that came his way. In 57 games, he averaged 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 2.8 three-pointers in 31.6 minutes, shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 89.3 percent from the foul line. Ranked just outside the top-50 in nine-cat per-game value, Johnson was a sixth-round player in eight-cat formats according to Basketball Monster. He scored at least 20 points on 21 occasions, more than triple his tally from the season prior (six), headlined by a 37-point effort in a November 22 loss to the 76ers.
While he is extension-eligible this summer, Johnson has two more guaranteed seasons remaining on his current contract. He stands to be a key figure in Brooklyn’s future, but his availability is a concern. On three separate occasions, Johnson missed at least five straight games, and he has not made at least 60 appearances in a season since the 2021-22 campaign. While the production shows Johnson can provide middle-round value in 12-team leagues, the track record regarding his availability suggests that fantasy managers may be able to get him a little later.
Fantasy Revelation: Keon Johnson
There wasn’t a legitimate fantasy revelation in Brooklyn this season. While younger players received every opportunity to pick up additional rotation minutes, no one stood out as a “must-roster” player. Johnson is the pick here because of his availability, playing in 79 of a possible 82 games. Making a career-high 56 starts, he averaged 10.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.6 three-pointers in 24.4 minutes, shooting 38.9 percent from the field and 77.0 percent from the foul line.
While Johnson kept the turnovers in check, the efficiency was lacking due to his poor shooting. However, he did play well to end the season, averaging 14.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.4 three-pointers over his last eight appearances, shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 80 percent from the foul line. Johnson has a team option for next season, and his play may have been enough to earn a more concrete opportunity with the Nets in 2025-26. That said, by no means should fantasy managers target him in drafts, regardless of league size.
Fantasy Disappointment: Nic Claxton
As a career 53.7 percent shooter at the foul line, Claxton has been a player worth targeting for fantasy managers willing to punt that category. Unfortunately, his production decreased in other categories where the sixth-year center is expected to provide solid value. In 70 games, Claxton averaged 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.4 blocks in 26.9 minutes, shooting 56.3 percent from the field. His points, rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage were all down from the 2023-24 campaign. While still a top-75 player in free-throw percentage-punt builds, Claxton has the potential to be better, especially after nearly cracking the top-25 in 2023-24.
That said, placing the blame solely on Claxton for his 2024-25 season may not be entirely fair. The roster changed considerably, and three-plus weeks passed between the Nets’ decision to trade Dennis Schroder to the Warriors and the return of D’Angelo Russell. And Russell was not guaranteed to be in the lineup every night, either. Instability at point guard can be a big’s worst enemy, whether we’re talking “real” or fantasy basketball. If Brooklyn can solidify its roster this offseason, that should help Claxton in the 2025-26 season.
Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads
Cam Thomas:
Given the moves made by the Nets last offseason, many thought the stage was set for Thomas to go bonkers offensively. And things got off to an excellent start, as he scored 24 points or more in five of his first six games. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury suffered during a November 25 win over the Warriors sidelined Thomas for just over a month, and he would play two games before aggravating that injury. While he would return just after the All-Star break, Cam would appear in six more games before being ruled out for the rest of the season in mid-March.
He did average career-highs in points (24.0), rebounds (3.3), assists (3.3) and three-pointers (2.7), but Thomas’ efficiency took a hit with the enhanced role. He shot 43.8 percent from the field and averaged 2.5 turnovers per game; those aren’t terrible numbers, but they can be more impactful considering Thomas’s lack of defensive production. While unable to live up to his Yahoo! ADP of 69, the Nets guard was a top-100 player in eight-cat formats. Thomas will be a restricted free agent this summer, so it will be interesting to see what offers he receives and how far the Nets are willing to go to keep him.
D’Angelo Russell:
Russell began this season with the Lakers, but it was clear that the team was willing to move him for the right price. The Nets acquired Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three future second-round picks from the Lakers in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton in late December, beginning the point guard’s second stint in Brooklyn. Starting 26 of the 29 games he appeared in for the Nets, Russell averaged 12.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.0 three-pointers in 24.7 minutes, shooting 36.7 percent from the field and 82.6 percent from the foul line.
Having appeared in a total of 58 games, Russell ranked outside the top-150 in nine-cat formats, and just within that threshold in eight-cat formats. The inefficient shooting did him no favors, and that was not an issue he was able to clean up upon returning to Brooklyn. Russell, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, told ClutchPoints in April that he hopes to return to the Nets. He can serve as a veteran mentor to what may be an incredibly young group, even if the team does not hold onto all four of its first-round picks. Regarding fantasy value, he’ll likely be a late-round target after failing to hit his Yahoo! ADP (75).
Noah Clowney:
For those who believed Clowney had the potential to be a breakout player in fantasy basketball due to the Nets’ many roster changes, this season was a disappointment. Injuries limited him to 46 appearances, with the Nets ruling him out for the rest of the season in early April due to a sprained ankle. Making 20 starts, Clowney averaged 9.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks and 1.9 three-pointers per game while shooting 35.8 percent from the field and 83.8 percent from the foul line.
While the averages did improve compared to his rookie year numbers, Clowney’s field goal percentage plummeted. Add in the availability issues, and he was barely a top-300 player in eight- and nine-cat formats. Clowney had a Yahoo! ADP of 144, so fantasy managers who took the plunge in drafts did not lose too much. However, his 2024-25 may dissuade some from using a late-round pick on Clowney next fall.
Day’Ron Sharpe:
Sharpe’s season got off to a rocky start, as a hamstring injury suffered in early October delayed his season debut until early December. The Nets’ backup would only miss one game before a sprained right knee ended his season in late March. While Sharpe did have some moments where he showed the ability to provide tangible fantasy value, most notably a 25/15/5/2/3 stat line as a starter in a February 26 loss to the Thunder, the backup role made him a difficult player to rely on.
In 50 appearances, making two starts, he averaged 7.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks in 18.1 minutes, shooting 52.1 percent from the field and 75.7 percent from the foul line. Sharpe will be a restricted free agent this summer, with a return to Brooklyn likely locking him into a backup role due to Nic Claxton’s presence. The circumstances make Sharpe a challenging player to roster in fantasy leagues, except for the occasional streaming opportunity.
Ziaire Williams:
After spending the first three seasons of his NBA career in Memphis, Williams was traded to Brooklyn along with a 2030 second-round pick and a trade exception in exchange for Nemanja Dangubic and Mamadie Diakite. After being part of a crowded wing rotation with the Grizzlies, the move to Brooklyn appeared to be one in which Williams would have more opportunities to produce. He made a career-high 63 appearances, averaging 10.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.6 three-pointers in 24.5 minutes, shooting 41.2 percent from the field and 82.1 percent from the foul line.
While Williams did finish the season with career-best averages in points, rebounds, steals and three-pointers, the production was not enough to impact fantasy basketball. He ended the season ranked just inside the top-200 in eight- and nine-cat formats, not doing enough to make himself a worthy streamer in most leagues during the “silly season.” The more important question: did he do enough to earn himself some money this summer? Williams will be a restricted free agent, but he’s unlikely to be a player worth targeting in most fantasy leagues.
Trendon Watford:
Like Sharpe, Watford’s 2024-25 season got off to a late start due to a hamstring injury suffered during the preseason. The versatile forward would make his season debut on November 17, appearing in 13 games before another hamstring injury put him back on the shelf until late January. Watford would enjoy two separate stretches of at least five straight games in double figures, and he finished the season scoring at least 11 points in five of his last six. Making 44 appearances, the Nets forward averaged 10.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.7 three-pointers in 20.8 minutes.
Watford, who shot 46.9 percent from the field and 76.2 percent from the foul line, recorded career-best averages in points, assists, steals and three-pointers. Even with averages of 11.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.8 three-pointers in his last 20 games, Watford was ranked outside the top-200 in eight-cat formats. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, but it isn’t easy to envision a scenario in which Watford lands a role that will make him fantasy-relevant in 2025-26.
Jalen Wilson:
Wilson finished the 2024-25 season on a high note, scoring at least 12 points in five of his last six outings. He would start 22 of the 79 games he appeared in, averaging 9.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.5 steals and 1.5 three-pointers in 25.7 minutes, shooting 39.7 percent from the field and 81.8 percent from the foul line. While the field goal percentage left something to be desired, Wilson made improvements in points, rebounds, assists, steals and three-pointers compared to the averages recorded during his rookie season.
He scored 20 points twice in his last six appearances, averaging 15.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.5 steals and 3.8 three-pointers per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 70.6 percent from the foul line. The Nets hold a team option on Wilson for next season, and he may have done enough to earn another opportunity with the team. However, the team’s decision may depend on various factors, including how they approach the draft in June. Either way, Wilson will likely be more of an in-season streamer than a player worth selecting in most fantasy drafts.
Dariq Whitehead:
After only appearing in two NBA games as a rookie, Whitehead played in 20 games this season. The 2023 first-round pick averaged 5.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 1.7 three-pointers in 12.3 minutes, shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 60 percent from the foul line. Whitehead got many of his shots from beyond the arc, as he had a 77.1 percent three-point attempt rate in 2024-25. The numbers aren’t good enough to make him a player worth monitoring in most redraft leagues, but the Nets wing may be of interest to some competing in dynasty formats. Assuming Whitehead will play in Summer League, this will be a critical summer as he looks to establish himself as a pro.
De’Anthony Melton:
Melton began his season with the Warriors, with Golden State hopeful that he could be a difference-maker for them, especially as a defender. Unfortunately, he only appeared in six games before suffering a torn left ACL in late November. The Nets would acquire Melton as part of the deal that sent Dennis Schroder to Golden State, with the benefit being his expiring contract. Melton has undoubtedly had his moments as a fantasy asset, but he’s a difficult player to trust fully after playing 44 games the last two seasons. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, which is another issue to consider.
Restricted Free Agents: Cameron Thomas, Ziaire Williams, Day’Ron Sharpe, Reece Beekman
Unrestricted Free Agents: D’Angelo Russell, De’Anthony Melton, Trendon Watford
Team Option: Keon Johnson, Jalen Wilson, Tyrese Martin, Drew Timme
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