It was the most unified day of exit interviews for the Brooklyn Nets in years, and no matter what those on the outside think, those in uniform believe in this franchise.
Sean Marks may have given the most important comments of the day at Brooklyn Nets exit interviews on Monday, but one consistent theme emerged among the players: They want to be back.
Brooklyn only has six players under fully guaranteed contracts for the 2025-26 season; the other nine are either free agents or have some sort of club option. In any case, given Brooklyn’s successful hoarding of cap space for this summer, their fates are controlled by the Nets. If Sean Marks wants D’Angelo Russell and Trendon Watford back — even though those two are unrestricted — he has the space to do it.
Furthermore, Marks said, “I do think it is important to have guys under contract that you control the contracts, so to speak. You drafted them, you developed them, and they got to their second contract under your watch. It’s difficult when you’re trying to acquire max-level talent on max contracts.”
The entire landscape of the league, much less one team, can change over an offseason. But for now, all signs are pointing to Brooklyn running back largely the same roster next season, plus some rookies.
I know, I know. The hardcore realists among you will point out that exit interviews are nothing more than hours of lip-service. To agents, to potential future teams, to fans, whoever.
Even with that in mind, 2025 exit interviews were markedly different than those of previous years. Players were wholly unified in their spirit, in their praise of Head Coach Jordi Fernández, and their opinion on the culture Brooklyn professes to be building. And thus, as you’ll see, in their desire to be on the 2026 Nets.
(Individual interviews have been trimmed. Questions have been paraphrased.)
Cam Johnson
Q: Now a vet coming off a career year, do you go to Sean Marks and ask if you’re getting traded? What are those conversations like?
A: “Definitely, definitely go to him and ask, because I have a very vested interest in what we’re doing here. I feel like I’ve put a lot of effort into trying to be a part of this program, and I take that very seriously. And I feel like I’ve also been given a responsibility to have that approach. I would definitely like to know everything that’s going on and I understand that I’m not going to be let in on every decision or have say in every decision. But I would like to know going forward.”
Q: How do you square being a veteran leader for rebuild with desire to contend?
A: “I think the point I’d make to that is I feel like I’m growing right alongside of them. I don’t feel in any way, shape, or form that I’m a finished product myself … We’re all working, we’re all trying to get better, we’re all chasing something. So yeah, obviously I wanna win. Bottom line. I play this game because I like to win. I hate losing, it does not sit well with me, but I can also find silver linings in situations. And one thing that I’ll always do is put my head down and work and try to be a better player and teammate and all of those things. So I can pivot and focus on those things, and I think I have to some extent. Obivously I would like to get back to winning as quick as possible, but in the meantime, I’m gonna enjoy every moment of chasing it, because that’s what makes it feel even better, is when you really gotta work for it.”
Takeaways: I saw Cam Johnson in the hallways the day after the trade deadline passed, and he had big ol’ smile on his face and mentioned he was happy to still be in Brooklyn. All off-the-record stuff. Obviously, trade talks will begin again this summer, but all the above seems genuine. He also praised Fernández and the spirit of the team this season.
Cam Thomas
Q: What’s your relationship with Jordi like compared to beginning of season?
A: “I think now we’re in a really good spot. A great spot, actually. It’s great. I love Jordi, because I learned a lot from him. I can’t wait to run it back next year with him, if that is the case. We’ll see. But, it’s definitely been great learning from him, for sure. I think we are in a great spot, a great relationship. Just want to keep building that and keep growing.”
Q: You said that getting drafted to the Nets was a “match made in heaven.” Do you still feel that way?
A: “I never wavered from that. I always felt like this was a great fit for me. Just seeing the team, even with the team at the time, it was a great fit. For me, obviously, I would’ve loved to play more, get more run. But, it was just part of the league, part of the business. I understood, but I never wavered. I always loved playing here, even when I got the opportunity to play in front of fans, everybody in the arena. I got excited when I was out there playing, scoring. I definitely love playing in Barclays, playing in front of everybody. Even now, I’m just playing freely, playing with a green light, I would say. So, just experiencing that has been great, but definitely never wavered from the match made in heaven that I said on draft day. It still applies to this day for me.”
Takeaways: Thomas also re-iterated that his hamstring injuries were “flukes” and that the team identity this year was “dope,” while giving standard non-answers about free agency. But for the first time in his career, Thomas was effusive with praise for his coach, and probably the most outwardly happy he’s been to be a Net thus far.
Day’Ron Sharpe
Q: What’s your mindset heading into free agency?
A: “I’m new to this so whatever happens, happens. God willing — I like Brooklyn — so God willing [I’ll be back].”
Q: Do you want to find a situation with more playing time/starts in RFA?
A: “I don’t really look at starting and the bench type of thing. I just look at the minutes, I already know. So if I have to play 18, I have to play 18. If I have to play 14, I have to play 14. If I have to play 30, I have to play 30. You know, it’s whatever I can get. I always just look at it as: There’s people who want to be in my position every day that hoop. Some guys don’t even play, and I used to be in a position where I didn’t play at all.”
Q: Takeaways from Jordi and his staff?
A: “They speak life instead of trying to bring us down, even when we mess up. He tells us if we mess up, don’t take it hard on yourself, that type of thing. He’s always trying to speak life into us and do the right things and play better and play hard. So, that’s what I like the most.”
Takeaways: Sharpe mentioned the challenge of starting the season injured, saying he’s still ten pounds above his ideal weight. But the man of few, often direct words reflected on growing up in the NBA, and going through that journey in Brooklyn, a place he wants to be.
D’Angelo Russell
Q: What do you see from Jordi and the foundation?
A: “I’ve seen it over the years, you know, just with teams that are trying to shift their direction and their identity and build a culture. I think every way he’s went about doing it, first with just gathering the guys and getting them to believe. When I came here not too long ago, I felt that, you know, everybody believed in their coach. And you saw it, from all the staff to all the players, to Sean, all those guys believe in coach. So to see what he was doing behind the scenes, to kind of make that go.
“It was that genuine feel that he has. He gives you that vibe that you want to play for him. So, with the talent and the group that the guys that were here this year, they’ll have that chip on their shoulders going into next season. All credit to the work and the staff here as well.”
Q: Takeaways from Jordi and his staff?
A: “I just think the care factor is there, you know, from everybody. And I felt that, and I think that’s a start, you know, when you’re trying to build something. Guys gotta care first, and just from the personalities of players in here, you can tell all the guys have that personality. Obviously the team, the staff, and everybody, the analytics that go into who they bring into this building from everybody, I think there’s this care factor that each individual person has.”
Takeaways: Russell previously stated his desire to return to Brooklyn next season, and hardly spoke about free agency. But in his role as a sort of sage outsider, he clarified what makes Fernández & Co. unique.
Nic Claxton
Q: What was this season like for you?
A: “It was a very humbling season. It was a lot of highs, a lot of lows for me, just physically, mentally, spiritually, everything.”
Q: How was dealing with your back injury this season?
A: “I still need to get it right. It’s still still bothering me, honestly. But right now, we got the whole offseason, I was still able to play 70 games. So that’s a blessing, being able to do that three years in a row. I don’t take that for granted, no major injuries.”
Q: What does getting it right look like? Procedures?
A: No, nothing major. I’m gonna get it right. I got a plan to get it right. No surgeries though, [knocks on wood].
Takeaways: Claxton praised Brooklyn’s “process” this season, opining that the foundation has been set and they’re on the right track, but man, you don’t like to hear that about his back. However it shouldn’t be surprising, saying he expected to be a “long-term” issue and received an epidural during the season. Keep that in mind when inevitable trade rumors pop up.
Other quotes
Ziaire Williams, the last of the 2021 first-round picks on the roster, and thus another restricted free agent, said, “I appreciate Jordi just being consistent. Every day he was just — he’s always gonna tell you exactly how it is, straight up, and that’s how I was taught and raised. So I love that method. I think it’s really the only method to winning, is holding each other accountable and just being there for one another. So yeah, credit to Jordi man. He’s an amazing job so far, and we proved to people, you know, that we’re a special team, and we got a lot of potential.”
Trendon Watford vouched for Fernández as well, calling him a “great” coach to play for, echoing previous responses. As for his free agency, Watford said: “I know we gotta have some talks or whatever coming up soon, but I enjoy being here. I like what we got going on.”
Noah Clowney showed up with a cast on his right wrist, a surprise to all in the media room. He said he underwent a “minor” procedure, and between that and the wrist, just wants to focus on strengthening all parts of his body this offseason.
Keon Johnson had my favorite insight of the day, later adding that his 20-acre ranch holds 25 goats, for now…
Keon Johnson is excited to go back to his ranch in Dallas.
“Agriculture was my major … I kind of want to be a farmer once basketball is over. Just be out on my own land, have my own vibe. But the goal would be to eventually get into aquaponics, hydroponic , fish farming.”
— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) April 14, 2025
Whether it’s Ziaire Williams telling reporters “we” have a lot of potential, or Day’Ron Sharpe and Cam Thomas openly yearning to be back in Brooklyn, part one of this process seems to have been a success.
Jordi Fernández instilled a culture, albeit with guys fighting for their NBA lives, that players wanted to be a part of.
To be clear, this may be the jumping off point for any rebuild, but it is also the least crucial part. It does not matter unless Sean Marks acquires the talent to don these uniforms, and that’s what this summer is about. The Detroit Pistons not only lost 27 straight games last year with a terrible culture, but hired a new coach and signed Tobias Harris, and are suddenly in the playoffs with a great vibe. The common denominator: Cade Cunningham.
Alas, as Brooklyn lies in wait, they met that low bar in 2024-25. They hired the right head coach and got the right guys in the building.
Those guys may be in the building next year, too.