Nothin' But Nets
Fansided

2016 NBA Mock Draft: Brooklyn Nets Trade For 20th Pick

By Jay Siskin

May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; General view during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; General view during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 31
Next

. PF. Croatia. Dragan Bender. 5. player. 86

Dragan Bender is the Kristaps Porzingis of this year’s draft class. Although Bender is coming over to the NBA one year earlier than Porzingis did, the question is, which team is going to end up passing on him and regretting it three or four seasons from now?

He is without a doubt the best draft-eligible prospect in this draft who didn’t play college basketball. In my opinion, I highly doubt he’ll be selected outside the top five. Bender is an 18-year-old forward will be a nice stretch-four for a team at the NBA level. Bender has the ability to switch on defense and hit from the perimeter, both of which would make him an excellent fit on any NBA team.

Bender’s potential gives coach Thibs and the T-wolves a solid player with high upside in the frontcourt, and he would fit excellently along side Karl-Anthony Towns. Boston could take him third overall. But if the Celtics end up passing on him, the Suns most likely won’t.

Along side Andrew Wiggins, Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine and Towns, the Timberwolves are team that is athletic and fast. Bender should fit in perfectly on the roster.

A team with Rubio-Wiggins-Towns-Bender would make a run for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

Next: New Orleans Pelicans No. 6