The Brooklyn Nets (3-8) have not had the start to their 2026-27 NBA season that they were hoping for when they expressed optimism during the offseason for being a surprising team. Brooklyn has had to deal with issues regarding team chemistry and getting everyone on the same page, but as is the case with most teams, they will have to deal with trade rumors as well.

"If you call the Brooklyn Nets about any of their players, they will listen. Per a team source, it’s just that simple," Sam Amick wrote of the Nets for The Athletic. While Brooklyn was hoping that this season could be one that the organization could be proud of, and still has the potential to be so, it would be foolish to ignore that there are players on the team that other teams want as well.

"Such is life when you’re a rebuilding team, not to mention an organization that has two veterans — Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle — who could help any number of contenders," Amick continued. "Those two players are widely discussed as top targets in league circles, with Porter (21.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per) above all the rest of the Nets."

Porter, 28, is having another solid season as he's averaging 21.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 45.6% from the field and 37.5% from behind the three-point line. While Porter has arguably been Brooklyn's best player this season, he is in the last year of his contract and would be an unrestricted free-agent after this season if he doesn't sign an extension.

Randle, 31, is having a down season compared to what he did last year with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but is still averaging 19.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 44.0% from the floor and 30.6% from deep. Randle has proven that he can be a valuable contributor to a team looking to make a playoff run, but he does have a player option for next season worth $35.8 million so prospective teams have to take that into account as well.

Nets general manager Sean Marks has made it clear over the past few years that one of the main aspects of this current rebuild is flexibility and that anything can be on the table as long as it helps the team. Time will tell if Brooklyn ends up trading Porter and/or Randle, but even after just 11 games passing, it seems that the NBA rumor mill is already revving up.