Powell was a late first-round pick for the Nets last season, and he carved out a decent rookie campaign. After being selected 22nd overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, Powell averaged 6.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.6 steals across 21 minutes a night. Any rookie receiving 21 minutes is a solid start to a career, especially since he started the final two months of the season. What's also favorable for Powell is the outlook of this Brooklyn roster. This is one of the weakest rotations in the NBA, with Powell battling Egor Demin, Keon Ellis, Michael Porter, Noah Clowney and Josh Minott for minutes. The acquisition of Julius Randle also makes this rotation thinner, but Powell should still see 20 minutes a night. It's unlikely that he sees more than that, but seeing a sophomore progression for Powell would be far from shocking. He also scored 18 points in his final Summer League game, so keep an eye on him throughout preseason.