Nets add Cameron Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe in excellent NBA Draft first round

Despite the James Harden trade, the Brooklyn Nets went into the 2021 NBA Draft with an insane five draft picks thanks to a deal that saw Landry Shamet head to Phoenix with Jevon Carter arriving in New York. Picking at No. 27 and No. 29 overall, players like Cameron Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe were within striking distance.

The Nets have a very specific list of improvements they needed to make this offseason. In addition to Brooklyn’s need for some guard depth, adding some size and rebounding at the center position could be a huge win for a Nets team that was brutalized in the postseason on the glass.

The Nets made some moves tonight. and their two most important near the tail end of the first round appear likely to end up in Sean Marks’ ever-growing list of draft day success stories. How did Brooklyn make out in what could be the biggest draft in years for this franchise? They nailed it.

The Nets were able to select Thomas with the No. 27 pick in the draft, while Sharpe fell to the 29th selection. Brooklyn pounced on the LSU and North Carolina alums, and they both figure to be huge parts of the rotation next year.

Welcome to the Brooklyn Nets, Cameron Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe

No. 27: Cameron Thomas, SG, LSU

The Nets didn’t go for a point guard or center at No. 27, as one of the best scorers in the draft in Thomas fell right into their laps with this pick. While Thomas is deficient on the defensive end and will need to improve his court vision on offense, his scoring talent alone makes him worth a pick at this point.

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Thomas averaged 23.0 points per game in the SEC as a freshman, and that kind of jaw-dropping scoring production is rarely available at this point in the draft. With Shamet gone, Thomas could be an instant replacement.

While it might be tough for him to crack a starting lineup alongside Harden and Irving, Thomas could be one of the best sixth men in the league, and his lethal scoring touch should be enough to make him a fan favorite in Brooklyn.

No. 29: Day’Ron Sharpe, C, North Carolina

With the pick they acquired from Phoenix in the Shamet trade, the Nets drafted a center that they had been linked to heavily during the draft process in Sharpe. While he might look like a 6-11, 265-pound battering ram, Sharpe is actually one of the best athletes in his class at the position.

Sharpe will need to answer questions about his lackluster production in college and offensive skillset outside of the paint. At the very least, Brooklyn added a bulldozer who can finish off easy looks in the paint while completely owning the glass. With a year of development, he could be a starter.

Brooklyn went into this draft with some late first-round picks and came out of it with a potential starting center and Sixth Man. Take a bow, Sean.

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