With three picks in the 2019 NBA Draft and several impending free agents, the Brooklyn Nets will likely turn to the draft to fill in a few vacant spots in the rotation. Here are three players they could possibly target with their first selection, the 17th pick.
Brooklyn is back.
After years of turmoil and sorrow following the Billy King Incident of 2013 that saw the Nets mortgage their future for one full season of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett — the duo of ancient Celtics who were both in their late-30s and nowhere close to being worth even a pair of first round picks — that ultimately left the franchise in asset-less shambles.
Three consecutive seasons (2015-2018) saw the hapless Nets post win totals below 30 games, with little hope and optimism for a return to the playoffs anytime soon. Yet, the additions of general manager Sean Marks and head coach Kenny Atkinson in 2016 led to a string of nifty trades and signings with a focus on retooling, rebuilding, and growing. Of course, wins weren’t a part of the equation — losses kept piling up, making it difficult to believe in a bright future that would one day involve a return to the postseason. Just how much longer were Nets fans supposed to wait?
Well, until April 7, 2019, actually.
A late-season victory cemented the Nets’ return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2014-15 season, placing the young squad in the sixth seed (42-40) with a difficult matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. Although they would go on to lose in five games, it was hard not to leave the series with a strong sense of optimism and anticipation for what was next for a talented young roster that featured a skilled core of D’Angelo Russell, Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie and Jarrett Allen. It was hard not to leave the series excited and anxious for what the summer could have in store for Sean Marks and his organization, as the team owned three picks in the 2019 NBA Draft and absorbitant cap space for a number of star free agents.
Although it’s far too early to hypothesize and guess what potential players will join the Nets in free agency (if any), attention should be placed on the draft, which is almost three weeks away. With three valuable picks — 17, 27, and 31 — the Nets have several chances to add talent that could stand out as either coveted trade assets or immediate additions to a playoff-ready rotation.
Brooklyn has several key players heading into free agency, none of which are guaranteed to return: D’Angelo Russell (RFA), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (RFA), Ed Davis, DeMarre Carroll, and Jared Dudley, with Shabazz Napier, Theo Pinson, Alan Williams and Treveon Graham all having their fates solely in the hands of the organization (be it in the form of a team-option or non-guaranteed deal). That could potentially be a mass exodus of talent, with the Nets needing to fill in rotation spots whether they sign stars or not.
The Nets currently possess a potent backcourt of D’Angelo Russell (who is likely to return), Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie and Joe Harris, suggesting that there’s no real need to select a guard with any of the three draft picks unless the team plans on stashing said guard overseas for the foreseeable future. Rather, it would be best to find players to line up on the wing and frontcourt, either pure 3’s or combo-forwards with good size and potential as positive defenders (given the so-so defense of the backcourt).
With the latter picks, it would be beneficial to target a long-term backup center, one with strength and size to defend against the league’s biggest guys — Jarrett Allen struggled mightily against Joel Embiid in the playoffs, and Ed Davis (who may bolt this summer) proved to be the superior option (and he was often the superior option throughout the regular season, anyway, because of his strength down low).
There’s different ways that the Nets can go with their three draft picks, giving them flexibility and room to take chances if they so choose. The only true goal of this draft is to shore up the frontcourt, be it a wing, forward, or center, and there are plenty of options for Sean Marks to pick from with three selections in the top-35 of the draft.
With that said, here’s a look at three possible options for the Brooklyn Nets with the 17th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.