This is a list of seasons completed by the Brooklyn Nets professional basketball team. The Nets were founded as the New Jersey Americans in 1967, a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association (ABA). A year later, the club relocated to Long Island, New York, and were renamed as the New York Nets. There, behind the play of Hall of Famer Julius Erving, the team won its only two ABA championships: in 1974 and 1976. After the 1975–76 season, the ABA merged with the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the Nets were one of four franchises that joined the NBA. After their first season in the NBA, the team moved back to New Jersey and was renamed as the New Jersey Nets.
In the NBA, the Nets have experienced only one period of sustained success, from the 2001–02 season to the 2006–07 season, when led by Jason Kidd they played in the postseason every year and twice reached the NBA Finals, but lost to Shaq and Kobe-led Los Angeles Lakers in 2002 and then to Tim Duncan-led San Antonio Spurs in 2003. After 35 seasons in New Jersey, owner Mikhail Prokhorov moved the team to the New York City borough of Brooklyn to become the Brooklyn Nets.
| ABA champions | NBA champions | Conference champions | Division champions | Playoff berth |
| Season | League | Conference | Finish | Division | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | Playoffs | Awards | Head coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Americans | ||||||||||||
| — | — | Eastern | 5th | 36 | 42 | — | Max Zaslofsky | |||||
| New York Nets | ||||||||||||
| ABA | — | — | Eastern | 5th | 17 | 61 | — | Max Zaslofsky | ||||
| ABA | — | — | Eastern | 4th | 39 | 45 | Lost first round (Colonels) 4–3 | York Larese | ||||
| ABA | — | — | Eastern | 3rd | 40 | 44 | Lost first round (Squires) 4–2 | Lou Carnesecca | ||||
| ABA | — | — | Eastern | 3rd | 44 | 40 | Won first round (Colonels) 4–2 Won ABA semifinals (Squires) 4–2 Lost ABA Finals (Pacers) 4–2 | |||||
| ABA | — | — | Eastern | 4th | 30 | 54 | Lost first round (Cougars) 4–1 | Brian Taylor (ROY) | ||||
| ABA | — | — | Eastern | 1st | 55 | 29 | Won first round (Squires) 4–1 Won ABA semifinals (Kentucky) 4–0 Won ABA Finals (Utah) 4–1 | Julius Erving (MVP, PMVP) | Kevin Loughery | |||
| ABA | — | — | Eastern | 2nd | 58 | 26 | Lost first round (Spirits) 4–1 | Julius Erving (MVP) | ||||
| ABA | — | — | — | 2nd | 55 | 29 | Won ABA semifinals (Spurs) 4–3 Won ABA Finals (Nuggets) 4–2 | Julius Erving (MVP, PMVP) | ||||
| 11th | 5th | 22 | 60 | — | ||||||||
| New Jersey Nets | ||||||||||||
| NBA | Eastern | 11th | Atlantic | 5th | 24 | 58 | — | Kevin Loughery | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 6th | Atlantic | 3rd | 37 | 45 | Lost first round (76ers) 2–0 | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 10th | Atlantic | 5th | 34 | 48 | — | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 10th | Atlantic | 5th | 24 | 58 | — | Kevin Loughery Bob MacKinnon | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 4th | Atlantic | 3rd | 44 | 38 | Lost first round (Bullets) 2–0 | Buck Williams (ROY) | Larry Brown | |||
| NBA | Eastern | 4th | Atlantic | 3rd | 49 | 33 | Lost first round (Knicks) 2–0 | Larry Brown Bill Blair | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 6th | Atlantic | 4th | 45 | 37 | Won first round (76ers) 3–2 Lost conference semifinals (Bucks) 4–2 | Stan Albeck | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 5th | Atlantic | 3rd | 42 | 40 | Lost first round (Pistons) 3–0 | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 7th | Atlantic | 3rd | 39 | 43 | Lost first round (Bucks) 3–0 | Dave Wohl | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 10th | Atlantic | 4th | 24 | 58 | — | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 11th | Atlantic | 5th | 19 | 63 | — | Dave Wohl Bob MacKinnon Willis Reed | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 11th | Atlantic | 5th | 26 | 56 | — | Willis Reed | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 13th | Atlantic | 6th | 17 | 65 | — | Bill Fitch | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 11th | Atlantic | 5th | 26 | 56 | — | Derrick Coleman (ROY) | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 6th | Atlantic | 3rd | 40 | 42 | Lost first round (Cavaliers) 3–1 | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 6th | Atlantic | 3rd | 43 | 39 | Lost first round (Cavaliers) 3–2 | Chuck Daly | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 7th | Atlantic | 3rd | 45 | 37 | Lost first round (Knicks) 3–1 | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 11th | Atlantic | 5th | 30 | 52 | — | Butch Beard | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 12th | Atlantic | 6th | 30 | 52 | — | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 13th | Atlantic | 5th | 26 | 56 | — | John Calipari | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 8th | Atlantic | 3rd | 43 | 39 | Lost first round (Bulls) 3–0 | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 14th | Atlantic | 7th | 16 | 34 | — | John Calipari Don Casey | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 12th | Atlantic | 6th | 31 | 51 | — | Don Casey | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 12th | Atlantic | 6th | 26 | 56 | — | Byron Scott | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 1st | Atlantic | 1st | 52 | 30 | Won first round (Pacers) 3–2 Won conference semifinals (Hornets) 4–1 Won conference finals (Celtics) 4–2 Lost NBA Finals (Lakers) 4–0 | Rod Thorn (EOY) | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 2nd | Atlantic | 1st | 49 | 33 | Won first round (Bucks) 4–2 Won conference semifinals (Celtics) 4–0 Won conference finals (Pistons) 4–0 Lost NBA Finals (Spurs) 4–2 | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 2nd | Atlantic | 1st | 47 | 35 | Won first round (Knicks) 4–0 Lost conference semifinals (Pistons) 4–3 | Byron Scott Lawrence Frank | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 8th | Atlantic | 3rd | 42 | 40 | Lost first round (Heat) 4–0 | Lawrence Frank | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 3rd | Atlantic | 1st | 49 | 33 | Won first round (Pacers) 4–2 Lost conference semifinals (Heat) 4–1 | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 6th | Atlantic | 2nd | 41 | 41 | Won first round (Raptors) 4–2 Lost conference semifinals (Cavaliers) 4–2 | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 10th | Atlantic | 4th | 34 | 48 | — | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 11th | Atlantic | 3rd | 34 | 48 | — | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 15th | Atlantic | 5th | 12 | 70 | — | Lawrence Frank Tom Barrise Kiki Vandeweghe | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 12th | Atlantic | 4th | 24 | 58 | — | Avery Johnson | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 12th | Atlantic | 5th | 22 | 44 | — | |||||
| Brooklyn Nets | ||||||||||||
| NBA | Eastern | 4th | Atlantic | 2nd | 49 | 33 | Lost first round (Bulls) 4–3 | Avery Johnson P.J. Carlesimo | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 6th | Atlantic | 2nd | 44 | 38 | Won first round (Raptors) 4–3 Lost conference semifinals (Heat) 4–1 | Jason Kidd | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 8th | Atlantic | 3rd | 38 | 44 | Lost first round (Hawks) 4–2 | Lionel Hollins | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 14th | Atlantic | 4th | 21 | 61 | — | Wayne Ellington (JWKC) | Lionel Hollins Tony Brown | |||
| NBA | Eastern | 15th | Atlantic | 5th | 20 | 62 | — | Kenny Atkinson | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 12th | Atlantic | 5th | 28 | 54 | — | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 6th | Atlantic | 4th | 42 | 40 | Lost first round (76ers) 4–1 | |||||
| NBA | Eastern | 7th | Atlantic | 4th | 35 | 37 | Lost first round (Raptors) 4–0 | Kenny Atkinson Jacque Vaughn | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 2nd | Atlantic | 2nd | 48 | 24 | Won first round (Celtics) 4–1 Lost conference semifinals (Bucks) 4–3 | Steve Nash | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 7th | Atlantic | 4th | 44 | 38 | Lost first round (Celtics) 4–0 | Patty Mills (SPOR) | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 6th | Atlantic | 4th | 45 | 37 | Lost first round (76ers) 4–0 | Steve Nash Jacque Vaughn | ||||
| NBA | Eastern | 11th | Atlantic | 4th | 32 | 50 | — | Jacque Vaughn Kevin Ollie | ||||
As of the end of the 2023–24 regular season
| Statistic | Wins | Losses | W–L% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABA regular season record (1967–1976) | 374 | 370 | ||
| NBA regular season record (1976–present) | 1,654 | 2,214 | ||
| All-time regular season record (1967–present) | 2,028 | 2,584 | ||
| ABA postseason record (1967–1976) | 37 | 32 | ||
| NBA postseason record (1976–present) | 70 | 101 | ||
| All-time postseason record (1967–present) | 107 | 133 | ||
| All-time regular and postseason record (1967–present) | 2,135 | 2,717 |