Brooklyn’s off-season pivots to salary shedding ahead of 2025-26, re-signing Day'Ron Sharpe and Cam Thomas while waiving Tosan Evbuomwan and adding EJ Liddell on a Two-Way deal. The Nets have executed three trades netting multiple future picks and cap relief, shipping out Highsmith and bringing Terance Mann (via a trade with Hawks) and Michael Porter Jr. from Denver to pair with 2032 picks. The likely plan: accelerate salary-dump moves while retaining core pieces, signaling more roster pruning before the season.

The strategy narrows the Nets’ immediate win-now window but preserves future flexibility. Fantasy readers should watch Sharpe and Thomas for minutes and usage, while noting Mann and Porter Jr. could influence rotation dynamics depending on how Brooklyn reshapes cap space and roles. EJ Liddell’s Two-Way status adds uncertainty around his early-year workload, but long-term upside remains intriguing if he secures a stable two-way path or a larger role via injuries or trades.

Brooklyn reshapes its summer with a cap-space gambit: taking on Denver’s Michael Porter Jr., Atlanta’s Terance Mann, and Miami’s Haywood Highsmith in deals that haul multiple first-round picks and clear room for a late-summer roster tweak. Drake Powell was drafted with one of five June picks, a signal of long-term planning. With about $14.3 million in cap space and the 15-man limit looming after signings for Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams, Brooklyn could absorb another contract-for-pick move, positioning Cam Thomas’ restricted-free-agent status to influence its perimeter future.

The Nets’ playbook centers on upside and flexibility: keep cap room to chase a late-add, push Thomas toward a favorable RFA outcome, and lean into a young core around the guard. The strategy hinges on how aggressively Marks maneuvers the remaining space and roster spots while navigating the evolving market for Thomas and the team’s long-string of draft picks.

Nets cap space exceeds 14 million even after preliminary signings, with Brooklyn still needing to reach the salary floor before opening night. The team can absorb a contract or two and still maneuver for deals, avoiding luxury tax penalties and keeping future flexibility as a facilitator in trades.

Brooklyn added Michael Porter Jr., Terance Mann, and Haywood Highsmith while drafting five players, plus a likely Exhibit 10 deal for Fanbo Zeng. Cam Thomas' next contract will shape the cap sheet, and Brooklyn still must balance extensions and roster moves to hit the floor without crippling long‑term flexibility.

All signs point to a high-variance, cap‑savvy season where the Nets leverage cap space and roster depth to chase upside through trades and affordable signings, balancing veteran wings with rookie potential as training camp looms.

Terance Mann lands in Brooklyn, the oldest Net, embracing a leadership role as a rookie-rich roster arrives in 2025. The move signals a bridge between Mann’s prime and Brooklyn’s young core, with him pledging to teach winning habits and bolster team defense and floor spacing.

Last season Mann split time between Clippers and Hawks, averaging 7.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 49.6% shooting and 36.8% from three across 67 games. Brooklyn bets on his defense and versatility to stabilize the wing spots while rookie Drake Powell seizes developmental minutes alongside a hungry five-man draft class.