Projecting the Brooklyn Nets draft ‘big board’
By Josh Rudy
Until we reach draft night, we’ll be updating our ‘big board’ with the best prospects for the Brooklyn Nets at their given spots. As of now, they will select 22nd, 27th and 57th.
If Brooklyn plans on turning things around, they can take a major step forward on June 22nd. Based on the presence of Sean Marks, Trajan Langdon and Gregg Polinsky at countless pre-draft workouts, coupled with their desire to scour the globe for undervalued talent, the Nets understand the task ahead of them.
Nobody really knows what Brooklyn has planned for draft night. After all, the majority of the players they’ve brought in for their own pre-draft workouts have been touted as ‘second rounders’ or undrafted. NetsDaily has compiled a list of the players who have worked out for the Nets thus far, which by no means has been an easy task. Big shoutout to those guys.
Maybe the Nets already know who they plan on selecting, and have moved their attention to the second round. Or, they plan on finding a diamond in the rough, and taking a chance on an undervalued player in the first round. It worked last year with Caris LeVert, so why not take the same approach this year? Whatever they decide to do, it’s clear they are examining all options.
As the draft nears, maybe the dust will settle, and we’ll have an idea of who Brooklyn is coveting. Many mock drafts seem to think Isaiah Hartenstein is the odds-on favorite for one of the selections, but we’ve heard nothing from the Nets camp that reassures this notion. For now, we must settle for numerous mock drafts and develop our own thoughts for the players the Nets are bringing in for pre-draft workouts.
Many believe the Nets will make a move, or moves, on draft night. They are reportedly very high on this year’s crop of talent in the lottery. The front office also seems to be intrigued by the ’30-40 range’ players, based upon their pre-draft workout invites.
It’s becoming more and more likely the Nets will opt to purchase or trade for another second round pick, similar to last year. But, do the Nets have the assets to creep their way into the lottery? The answer is yes. They could move Brook Lopez, but that seems unlikely at this point in time. They could use their first-round picks to move around as well. Sean Kilpatrick and Trevor Booker could be serviceable players for teams looking to fill a need. Again, the Nets have not revealed much as far as draft night plans, so this is only speculation, but that’s all we can do at this point.
However, we know Detroit could be open to moving their 12th overall pick. Portland could be willing to move their 15th overall pick, and other lottery teams could be open to negotiate as well. Portland’s 15th pick is not considered a “lottery” selection, but it’s the next best option if Brooklyn is looking to move up.
Teams are aware of the Nets ability to swallow a ‘bad’ contract, and their need for draft picks (thank you Billy King) makes them a likely partner for some draft night deals. Expect Brooklyn to be active on June 22nd. In this article, we breakdown what we think the Nets ‘big board’ may look like for each pick they currently possess, and more.