For the first time in 15 years, the Brooklyn Nets will have a lottery pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft. After finishing this past season 26-56, Brooklyn earned the sixth-best odds at landing the top selection—and the right to draft Cooper Flagg—a reality which will earn the presence of the franchise’s lead man.
On Wednesday, Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez confirmed to the New York Post that he will be in Chicago for the May 12 lottery.
“I will be in Chicago,” Fernandez said. “I will be with a group and as you guys know, there’s a lot going on there. And we’re just ready to be lucky.”
The luckiest Brooklyn could get would be adding the first-overall pick to GM Sean Marks’ treasure chest of draft capital, a potential development which has only happened twice in the organization’s existence (Kenyon Martin—2000, Derrick Coleman—1990).
“Obviously, we have a very important summer here,” Fernandez said. “And we’ll be working and organized and excited because obviously with the draft and everything we have going on.”
This report comes just two days after it was revealed the Nets’ draft plan will be a joint effort between Fernandez and Marks, a sentiment the latter again discussed with The Post’s Brian Lewis.
“There’s going to be no surprises at the draft, who we draft, because he would’ve had a say in it,” Marks said. “His staff is empowered to voice an opinion and we truly collaborate on this stuff. We have a year under our belts of understanding Jordi’s system and how he wants to play and what sort of talent he’s looking for, what attributes he’s looking for. What’s important to him is super important.”
As mentioned, Brooklyn is equipped with five total picks in this summer’s draft: the lottery pick along with picks 19, 26, 27 and 36—meaning Fernandez and Marks will be spending plenty of time together hammering out a complete plan for June 25. Of course, with so much flexibility, a trade cannot be ruled out.
That’s a decision Fernandez will rely on Marks to make.
“Yeah, it’s a good question, probably a question more for [general manager] Sean [Marks] than it is for me,” Fernandez said. “I’ll be ready to coach whatever group we put together. And the coaches, as we always try to do, [will] help them get better and show them the way and the habits … and be connected and do all those things we’ve been preaching and build the identity we want to build.”
