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Brooklyn Nets: Dzanan Musa doesn’t get Nets closer to playoffs

By Michael Mastropierro

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: Dzanan Musa poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted 29th overall by the Brooklyn Nets during the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: Dzanan Musa poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted 29th overall by the Brooklyn Nets during the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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The Brooklyn Nets took 19-year-old Bosnian wing Dzanan Musa in the first round of the NBA Draft on Thursday, a pick that doesn’t move the needle for 2018-19

With the 29th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, the Brooklyn Nets selected Dzanan Musa, a 6-foot-9 forward out of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was a high-risk, high-reward pick that the Nets hope will pay off in the future.

But as for this season, Musa will not help the Nets inch closer to reaching the playoffs.  It’s not even guaranteed that he will come over to the NBA this year. Musa fully intends to play in the NBA this season, but he has a $1 million buyout in his current contract with Croatian club Cedevita.

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On tape, Musa looks like a very good scorer. He has a decent handle for a player of his size and he has the ability to get to the rim or pull up from anywhere. However, he’s inconsistent and doesn’t have much of a 3-point shot.

Last season he shot just 31.3 percent from deep across three levels of competition (Croatia’s A-1 Liga, Adriatic League and Eurocup), which is slightly down from his career number of 32.2 percent from beyond the arc.

With how important the 3-point shot is in today’s NBA and considering Brooklyn’s 3-point philosophy, the fact that the Nets took a scorer who struggles from deep is puzzling.

At just 19 years old, Musa is more of a long-term project rather than an instant plug-and-play piece. Also, given his style of play, if he’s not getting buckets, he’s a liability on the court. He won’t grab rebounds and he doesn’t play defense.

Considering the Nets haven’t made the playoffs since the 2014-15 season, they should’ve drafted more of a sure thing rather than a player who they hope might pan out one day. And does this pick mean the Nets have conceded trying to re-sign Joe Harris?

Musa doesn’t get the Nets closer to playoffs. At least not this year. While he looks like the type of isolation scorer the Nets haven’t had since Joe Johnson, the other parts of his game are seriously lacking. The Nets could’ve had a safer pick who could contribute right away.

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Brooklyn’s fanbase has endured a large amount of heartache over the last few years as a result of one of the worst trades in sports history, the Paul Pierce–Kevin Garnett heist. And Musa does nothing to ease some of that pain.