DRAFT WATCH #2 - Post-Lottery edition

The Pistons won the Lottery but the big winners were probably the Cavaliers and Raptors who moved up. While the Nets didn’t have a ball in that ping pong ball fight, you never know how a lottery will affect other decisions. If the Lakers didn’t move up to two spots to the overall No. 2 in 2017 and take Lonzo Ball, would they have traded D’Angelo Russell to Brooklyn? We all know what ultimately happened in that case!

Putting that aside, the lottery gives the draftniks an opportunity to re-jigger their mocks. So it’s time for a new mock draft round-up! Nets fans haven’t paid much attention to the 2021 Draft for good reason: the future was and is now for Brooklyn. Still, the Nets have four picks in the 2021 Draft, the No. 27 pick (their own) in the first and the No. 44 (Pacers), No. 49 (Hawks) and No. 59 (Suns) in the second. That’s the most Sean Marks has to work with since he took over in 2016.

ESPN+

27. Charles Bassey, 6’11” C, Western Kentucky, junior

44. Terrance Shannon, 6’6” SF, Texas Tech, sophomore

49. Herbert Jones, 6’8” PF, Alabama, senior

59. Ochai Agbaji, 6’6” SG, Kansas, junior

NBADraft.net

27. Charles Bassey, 6’11” C, Western Kentucky, junior

44. David Johnson, 6’5” PG, Louisville, sophomore

49. RJ Nembhard, 6’5” PG/SG, TCU junior

59. Yves Pons, 6’6” PF/C, Tennessee senior

The Athletic

27. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, 6’10” PF/SF, Villanova sophomore

44. Aaron Henry, 6’5” SG/SF, Michigan State junior

49. Sandro Mamukelashvili, 6’11” PF/SF, Seton Hall senior

59. RaiQuan Gray, 6’8” SF, Florida State junior

Sports Illustrated

27. Day’Ron Sharpe, 6’11” C, North Carolina freshman

44. Daishen Nix, 6’6” PG, G League Ignite, 19 years old

49. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, 6’10” PF/SF, Villanova sophomore

59. Isaiah Livers, 6’7” SF, Michigan senior

Tankathon

27. Greg Brown, 6’9” PF, Texas freshman

44. Max Abmas, 6’0” PG, Oral Roberts sophomore

49. Quentin Grimes, 6’5” SG, Houston junior

59. Austin Reaves, 6’6” SG Oklahoma senior

Chad Ford Big Board

27. Isaiah Todd, 6’10” PF, G League Ignite 20 years old

The Ringer NBA

27. Jared Butler, 6’3” PG/SG, Baylor junior

Bleacher Report

27. Miles McBride, 6’2” PG, West Virginia sophomore

Yahoo! Sports

27. Greg Brown, 6’9” PF, Texas freshman

CBS Sports

27. Usman Garuba, 6’9” PF, Real Madrid, 19 years old

NBC Sports

27. David Johnson, 6’5” SG/PG, Louisville sophomore

SB Nation

27. B.J. Boston, 6’7” SG, Kentucky, freshman

Sporting News

27. Ziaire Williams, 6’8” SF, Stanford freshman

Newsday

27. Tre Mann, 6’5” SG, Florida sophomore

Not a lot of agreement on who the Nets will take, but when two of the biggest, best informed mocks project the same player — in this case, ESPN and NBADraft.net — it’s probably good to take notice. Both like Charles Bassey, the 6’11” Western Kentucky big, to the Nets at No. 27. Here’s what Jonathan Givony writes about the fit for ESPN...

The Nets might look to add depth at center with a player they can develop into a long-term contributor. Bassey’s versatility as a shot-blocking, pick-and-roll finishing, floor-spacing big man is intriguing, and he has the strength and experience to help a team sooner rather than later.

Here’s some highlights...

In general, and it’s no surprise, draftniks like bigs for the Nets. Eight of the 14 mocks we surveyed had the Nets taking a player 6’8” or taller, with seven projecting power forwards or centers to Brooklyn.

Could they trade their first as they did in 2019 and 2020? Yes, reports Bobby Marks, but only after it has been made. Restrictions are as a result of the James Harden trade.

As for all those seconds, you can’t dismiss them. Over the past 20 years, the Nets traded away seconds that became Kyle Korver (No. 51): Draymond Green (No. 35); Pat Connaughton (No. 41) and Talen Horton-Tucker (No 46). Not to mention Joe Harris was taken at No. 33 and Spencer Dinwiddie, taken at No. 38.

The Nets have a number of options with the three seconds: They could sign a player to an NBA contract, a two-way deal, directly to the G League or stash him overseas. They’ve done all of that under Marks. They can also use a pick to sweeten a trade, trade multiple seconds to move up, trade for future seconds, particularly in years where they won’t have a first rounder.

The Draft is July 29. Big question is whether the Nets will host the Draft as they did from 2011 through 2019 or whether it will be virtual again as it was last year.