Welcome back. The Brooklyn Nets have put together a surprising December, finishing the month 7–4 after a disastrous start to the season, one that many of us anticipated. So what’s behind this resurgence?

It starts with Jordi Fernández and a team that clearly believes in his system. The Nets have gone from one of the worst defensive teams in the league to one of the best, a remarkable turnaround in such a short span. Add to that MPJ playing some of the best basketball of his career, and suddenly the Nets are trending in the right direction.

This raises an important question: Are the Nets winning too many games, and what does that mean for the future?

The Case for Winning

I firmly believe in this team competing every night and embracing winning basketball. If I’m being honest, this has been one of the most exciting Nets teams to watch in recent years. The defensive effort is consistently strong, Egor has shown flashes of real potential, and Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, and Danny Wolf are all playing excellent complementary basketball. On top of that, Ben Saraf has been lighting it up in the G League.

Many fans view this success as problematic given the strength of the upcoming draft class. However, if we’ve learned anything about the NBA Draft Lottery, it’s that nothing is guaranteed. With that in mind, why not keep this core together, develop five rookies, and see what this team can become?

No one is expecting an NBA Finals run this season. The real value lies in evaluating the potential of this group. The Nets aren’t going to finish as a top-five team, and they are likely to land a top-ten pick regardless. That puts them in a position to bet on internal development while still maintaining solid lottery odds.

So… How Do You Tank?

If you asked me today whether the Nets are successfully tanking, my answer would be no. This team is simply playing too well. But if the organization did decide to fully commit to a tank, how would that look?

The most obvious path would be moving on from MPJ, Cam Thomas, and Nic Claxton. In the two games prior to Denver, the Nets were without both Claxton and MPJ, and the team’s weaknesses were immediately exposed: a lack of scoring, rim protection, and overall identity. Cam Thomas, even coming off the bench, remains a primary offensive spark.

Without those three players, losses would come naturally. If the front office’s goal is to stockpile draft picks and fully lean into the lottery next season, this would be the most effective approach.

Ultimately, the Nets are at a crossroads: continue building a competitive culture rooted in defense and development, or pivot toward a more traditional rebuild. Right now, they’re choosing to fight—and that may not be the worst thing at all.