As we continue to hear quotes and read stories about Billy King's itchy trigger finger and see the roster of guys who are being worked out - I have a feeling that the Nets will be trading up in front of the Knicks.  And I think the guy on their radar is Josh Selby.  Remember Billy King cut his teeth in Philly with a certain undersized scoring 2 guard (AI) and saw the impact of AI firsthand.  Just the fact that Selby worked out with the Nets (who are picking 27th) is telling. Projected to go in the top 20 - there is no reason his agent would have sent him to work out for the Nets without thinking that the Nets were poised to trade into the top 16 of the draft. 

This quote "He's a basketball player. He just knows how to play. You find these guys from New York or Baltimore that just have a feel for playing basketball. They just know how to get things done, get to the bucket. If they need to make a jump shot, they do. A defensive stop. Those are the guys that just basketball players and just know how to survive on the court and stay on the court."  This quote really tells a lot - as these are the kind of guys that you want to have on a team - especially one with championship aspirations. 

My thinking is that the Nets front office has realized that there are no impact SFs that are available in the draft (barring Derrick Williams) or in free agency who are going to be worth the price tag (irrespective of what Avery says about Young - he is a tweener).  The wild card being AK47 - who may give Proky a hometown discount to finish his career in NJ with DWill (which also may appease DWill). 

King realizes that we need offense, but not necessarily at the SF position (again if we were to sign AK47 - he is not going to transform our offensive production).  I think the Nets are going to actively look to get in front of the Knicks to take Selby and plug him into the backcourt as the starting SG.  Selby has the potential to be an AI/Jason Terry type of scorer in the NBA - and his lack of height is less of an issue in a backcourt shared with DWill.  This would give the Nets a slashing/scoring starting SG in Josh Selby and a jump shooting threat off the bench in Anthony Morrow. 

If the Nets are getting offense from the starting backcourt (DWill, Selby) and Brook down low - they are less reliant on offensive production at the SF position and instead need a 3 who can score in transition, rebound and defend.  That guy is possibly already on the roster in Damion James (providing he can stay healthy) and to a lesser extent Travis Outlaw (I don't think that we see an amnesy clause in the next CBA as the smaller market teams will be adamantly against this as it is a free out clause that will help the big market teams). 

Assuming that we keep our second round pick in a trade to move up (and if we do trade it - I think we purchase an early second rounder) and that the Nets take a very long look at Shelvin Mack.  He is a big PG with a highly successful collegiate career for a winning program in a pick and roll offense.  He would be the perfect understudy to DWill (and also provides a bit of a hedge in the event that DWill bolts in free agency).  This also frees the Nets up to package Jordan Farmar in a trade (possibly with our first round pick and cash to move up) to get Selby.  And while Mack may never be an elite starting PG in the NBA - I guarantee he becomes a 10 year veteran who plays a part on a championship team - as his intangibles are off the charts. 

Making a move to trade up for Selby is definitely high risk/high reward - but as you start to think about it - it makes sense for a team that needs to increase their offensive production on the perimeter and has a big PG who can check an opposing 2 guard if necessary.  Selby's game is also a perfect complement to Anthony Morrow's.

Regardless, I think Billy is going to find a player (or two) in this draft - and improve our roster.