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Brooklyn Nets: Where is Dzanan Musa now?

By Aaron Notis

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 23: Dzanan Musa #13 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after scoring a basket and drawing the foul against the Toronto Raptors during the second half in game four of the first round of the NBA playoffs at The Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 23, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 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 Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 23: Dzanan Musa #13 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after scoring a basket and drawing the foul against the Toronto Raptors during the second half in game four of the first round of the NBA playoffs at The Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 23, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 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 Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images) /
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With the 29th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Brooklyn Nets took Dzanan Musa.

Musa, a 6-9 Bosnian forward, was largely an unknown amongst draft analysts. Sean Marks saw his potential to fit in with the roster, so he took him. Now, a mere three years later, Musa is out of the league.

So where is he now?

Musa spent two years with the Nets organization: his rookie year with the G League Long Island Nets and his sophomore year bouncing between Brooklyn and Long Island. In the G League, he averaged 19.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 31.4 minutes per game. The NBA has been a different story: 4.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game in 10.7 minutes a game.

His career was riddled with shoulder injuries that ultimately slowed his development and limited his chances in the NBA. His big opportunity – the NBA Bubble – didn’t go as planned for him, and resulted in him getting traded to the Pistons for the GOAT Bruce Brown.

Where is former Brooklyn Nets player Dzanan Musa now?

Musa is now in Europe after signing a three-year deal with the Turkish basketball club Anadolu Efes. This club plays in two leagues: the Turkish Super League and the infamous EuroLeague.

In the Turkish Super League, Musa is showing some promise, averaging 11 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 21.9 minutes a game. The EuroLeague, like the NBA, has brought us a completely different Musa, where he has totaled 0 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 12 minutes of action.

Realistically, this was a botched pick by the Nets front office. It’s never a good look when your draft pick ends up on a different continent a few years after you drafted him. Marks and company probably saw a dynamic three-and-D wing who could hit shots when need be and lock down on the defensive end.

At the time Musa was drafted, the Nets were building around an offense-heavy lineup of D’Angelo Russell, Caris LeVert, and Joe Harris. Two of those three are gone, but they definitely needed some more defense. It was a good shot at the time, but there were plenty of other good players on the board, such as Portland wing Gary Trent Jr.

The Nets ended up using Musa to acquire Bruce Brown, who has been an excellent addition to Brooklyn, providing much-needed defense, energy, and athleticism. Will that trade be the shining moment of Musa’s Brooklyn career? Probably. But there’s always a glimmer of hope that he will find his way back to the NBA and not reside in the land of afterthoughts.