What can the Nets expect from Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Demin this season? - Nets Wire
NEW YORK -- The Brooklyn Nets came into the 2026 NBA offseason with the goal of improving the team as much as possible following a 2025-26 season in which they finished with a 20-62 record. In their pursuit of more wins, Brooklyn will likely be entrusting two young guards in Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Demin to lead the way. What can be expected from that duo?
"When so much of Brooklyn's future—and a big chunk of its present—is wrapped around the development of Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr., it'd feel strange to put anything else under the microscope," Zach Buckley wrote of Brown and Demin for Bleacher Report. The question that Buckley posed is what Brooklyn could expect from their very young backcourt and head coach Jordi Fernandez gave his take on the scenario.
"We may see it. I don't like to give you my secrets, but I'm pretty sure we'll see that. Going back to the skill set, the ability to shoot from both of them, the ability to create and the positional size," Fernandez said during his Media Day interview on Monday. "I also can see the different timelines. It's almost like Egor has already gone through that first year Mikel is going through. I can see them building this relationship and building trust where one can help the other one."
Assuming that Brown is able to come back from his left ankle injury in time to play when the Nets open the season on Oct. 21 at the Charlotte Hornets, he should be the starting point guard. However, Brown will be competing with Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf for the starting point guard spot and Demin will be trying to fend off players like Drake Powell and Keon Ellis for the starting shooting guard position.
Fernandez will likely be leaning on veterans in Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle, and Day'Ron Sharpe to lead the way on both ends of the floor, but Brown and Demin will have to grow while playing. For those that are wondering what Brooklyn is looking to see from its young backcourt, Fernandez has an idea of what that will look like and what the goal be throughout the season.
