Nets' brutal Summer League outing makes Rockets' future even brighter

The Houston Rockets own the Brooklyn Nets' 2027 first-round pick. If the Nets' 2025-26 Summer League debut was any indication, it could be a juicy one.

At one point, the Rockets had made a more substantial investment in the Nets' potential failure. Then, Rafael Stone opted to flip most of the Nets' picks the team owned for a larger volume of Suns picks. Given where the Suns are, that could be a wise investment in its own right.

The Suns just committed a supermax contract to a fringe All-Star. Rockets fans who've watched Jalen Green over the years will mostly agree that he doesn't guarantee Phoenix any success. The Suns could send Houston another lottery pick. Still, it feels nearly certain that Brooklyn will do the same in 2027:

This team looked rough against the Thunder.

Rockets' rivals falter in Summer League

The Nets lost to the Thunder 90-81. That's fine. Summer League isn't about results, it's about process. Yet, that's exactly why this was a rough night for Nets fans.

Danny Wolf flashed some of his skills for the Nets. If you watched highlights, you'd think he looked like a future superstar.

The box score tells a different story. Wolf had 4 points, and they all came from the free throw line. He dished a couple of impressive passes, and he handled the ball exceedingly well for a big. Still, his scoring struggles didn't bode well for his short-term outlook.

Egor Demin and Ben Saraf combined for 11 points on 3/10 shooting from the field in 41 minutes. There's a reason to view them in tandem. These are both jumbo playmakers with overlapping strengths and weaknesses. The Nets' decision to draft two big playmakers with shaky jumpshots was confusing, though it should be said that Demin hit a couple of impressively deep threes.

Nolan Traore was Brooklyn's most impressive prospect with 13 points on 3/5 shooting and 3 assists. He's good, but he's not generally regarded as a future star.

Will any of these Nets gain that status?

Rockets' rival have uncertain future

Demin, Saraf, and Wolf all have star upside. They're also all low-floor prospects. They're project players who are likely to need a few years to hit their stride.

That bodes well for the Rockets' 2027 first-round pick swap rights.

If the Nets' pick lands first, and the Rockets' pick lands 30th, guess what? The Rockets will pick first. That could mean several things. If the Rockets are enamored with a prospect, they could grab him. Alternatively, it could make it easier for them to broker another superstar trade without being forced to move one of their core players.

Is this too much wishcasting? Arguably. Who knows? The Nets could trade all of these young players and their own collection of picks for a superstar before this pick conveys.

That'll be difficult to do if these kids aren't looking good. The bottom line is that every subpar Nets performance is a boon to the Rockets' future.

As if it wasn't bright enough already.