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In the latest Big Board by ESPN's Chad Ford, Glen Rice, Jr., drops to No. 22, while his projected pick for the Nets, Jeff Withey, falls to No. 28.
Rice, Jr., who spent last season playing in the NBA Developmental League playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, is a 22-year-old shooting guard who spent two seasons at Georgia Tech was dismissed by Tech for some off-the-court issues.
Ford writes:
Rice came into the combine facing pretty high expectations, and the general consensus was that he struggled to meet them in Chicago. His shot wasn't falling, and he didn't really stand out in any of the drills or interviews. He's still a likely mid-to-late first-round pick.
Rice shot 38.5 percent from the three-point line in the D-League and earned Second Team All-Rookie honors, averaging 13.1 points in 23.7 minutes per game. His strengths, according to Ford, are in his versatility, defense, motor and athleticism. As for what he needs to improve on, Ford notes his consistency in his jumper and his off-the-court issues.
It's certainly worth noting that this is his "Big Board" and not a mock, meaning players slip, but that doesn't take into account team needs. So, if a team who picks higher than No. 22 has a need to fill at the wing position, that doesn't mean they'll pass up Rice for the sake of taking someone else higher on the board.
What this does tell us, though, is that a player like Rice, who is coveted by some Nets fans, seems to be working his way backwards, making it a possibility he'll be there when the Nets pick at 22.
As for Jeff Withey, the player Ford has going to the Nets, he slipped because of his underwhelming showing at the Chicago combine.
What really will matter most, though, are the individual team workouts which begin shortly. From there we'll get a better idea of who might actually move up and down on Draft night.