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While the top offseason priority for the Nets is finding a head coach to lead the team beyond the first round of the playoffs, the "next step" in the building process (no, not rebuilding...) is the NBA Draft, where the Nets will have the 22nd pick in the first round.
Reed Wallach already broke down the players who are thought to be on the Nets draft board, ranging from big men to back up Brook Lopez to wings who can help space the floor.
ESPN Insider Chad Ford today unveiled his second (of many to come) NBA Mock Draft, and at No. 22 he had the Nets selecting 19-year-old Russian wing Sergey Karasev.
Ford writes:
No, I'm not just placing Karasev here because he's Russian. Brooklyn is playing to win now, and there aren't a lot of players on the board who could step in and help the Nets right away. Karasev is putting up impressive numbers in Russia, and the Nets could use another sniper from beyond the arc.
Interestingly enough, Wallach also wrote about Karasev last week in his piece, saying that Karasev has a high ceiling and that he can in fact help spread the floor as a prolific three-point shooter and scorer.
Wallach writes:
At the age of 19, Sergey Karasev has one of the highest ceilings of any prospects in this group. Karasev lead the Russian league in scoring this past season, averaging over 16 points per game. Karasev is a dangerous threat beyond the arc, draining 38-percent his threes this season, but is a mediocre finisher around the rim.
Naturally, with Karasev being Russian-born and raised also helps his profile with the Nets, you would imagine. But no one expects them to draft based on nationality. So, forget that theory.
Here's Draft Express' video of Karasev, a lefty, in 3-point shooting drills:
It's certainly worth noting that the player in this spot will continue to change throughout the process, so maybe we shouldn't get too attached to Karasev.
- 2013 NBA draft - Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0 - ESPN
- NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Sergey Karasev, Stats, Comparisons, and Outlook - DraftExpress
- Sergey Karasev - 3-Point Shooting Drill & Shootaround - 2013 Nike Hoop Summit - YouTube
- A first look at the NBA Draft ... and the Brooklyn Nets - Reed Wallach - NetsDaily