The NBA Draft order has already been shaken up more than anybody could have predicted. The Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs cashed in on long odds to land the top two picks, while some tanking teams like the Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, and Utah Jazz experienced far less favorable outcomes as they slid out of the top three. Still, this draft order is likely not yet settled, and the Brooklyn Nets may be a big reason why.
In a 2020s decade with highs of contention and lows of tanking, the Nets have been no stranger to big trades. Just to name a few, Brooklyn has traded away Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie irving, Mikal Bridges, and more in the last few years alone, which has landed them a bevy of assets. In particular, the Nets enter this month’s draft with four first-round picks, ranging from their own No. 8 overall pick to the No. 19, 26, and 27 picks by way of the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets, respectively.
Coming off of a disappointing 26-56 season, the Nets are left with some quality young pieces, but not enough of a core of talented prospects around Cam Thomas to accelerate their rebuild. As a result, they may look to consolidate their picks to move into the top five and take their swing at a draft prospect that they think can serve as a franchise cornerstone.
Recent history has told us that any trade is on the table in the NBA, but in particular, the Nets have been rumored to be pursuing the No. 2 overall pick from the Spurs. By pursuing this pick, they have their eyes on Dylan Harper, the potent 6-foot-5 guard from Rutgers. Next to star scorer Thomas, the duo would form a lethal offensive backcourt with two handlers equipped with positional size and a versatile scoring package. Harper would also help to take some of the playmaking burden off of Thomas, who is more of a scorer than a facilitator. The 19-year-old just averaged 4.0 assists per game in his freshman season, starring in the pick-and-roll to create oppotunities for teammates. He could potentially transform the Nets attack moving forward with these talents.
If they aren’t able to get their hands on Harper, other prospects like V.J. Edgecombe, Ace Bailey, and Jeremiah Fears would also make sense as trade-up targets for Brooklyn.
