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The NBA champions have been crowned and Nikola Jokic is going home. So attention now shifts to the NBA Draft which is a week and a day away, June 22 at Barclays Center. Now, with the latest mock drafts arriving, the news is this: the Nets may be “exploring ... are open to” ... moving both their picks at Nos. 21 and 22 to get into the late lottery or just out of it, per ESPN.
Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, ESPN’s draft gurus, report Wednesday that the Nets first round picture is now in flux. In discussing the two picks, who Givony and Woo project could otherwise turn into Keyonte George, a Baylor shooting guard, and James Nnaji, an FC Barcelona big, they added this caveat...
The Nets are believed to be exploring trade options, including the possibility of packaging both picks and moving into the late lottery or middle first round. — Givony
The Nets are believed to be open to moving around in the draft, with back-to-back picks that create somewhat of a pivot point in the first round.
The two provide no further details, but it seems unlikely that the two firsts alone, whether at the “pivot point” or not, would permit them to move into the lottery. The Nets might have to add another asset, a player, future pick or cash — they have $2.4 million to play with if a deal is consummated before July 1, $6 million after to play with.
A move into the lottery — a first for the Nets in the Sean Marks era — would suggest the Nets have someone in mind. Givony and Woo project that Rayan Rupert, who Marks and B.J. Johnson, Director of Player Evaluation, personally scouted earlier this year in Australia and New Zealand, at No. 18, the Heat pick. (Rupert is all over the mock drafts, with The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie putting him at No. 38 in his new Top 100.)
Meanwhile, Kevin O’Connor reports that the Nets have received calls on both of their 3-and-D wings, Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale, perhaps opening minutes for a long-armed wing like Leonard Miller of G League Ignite. (Brian Lewis reported that after DFS was sent to Brooklyn in the Kyrie Irving trade, the Nets were offered two firsts by an undisclosed team.)
Multiple reports have already said Cam Johnson is expected to return, but league sources say Brooklyn has received a number of calls for two veteran wings in Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith. If the Nets move one or both of them, it would open up more playing time for a rookie like Miller.
All that said, here’s a summary of the latest mocks. A new name has arisen in the latest mocks is Noah Clowney, the 6’10” Alabama big. Of the 10 mocks we tracked, he is projected at Nos. 21 or 22 in four of them. G.G. Jackson, the South Carolina power forward, is projected in three. Leonard Miller, the big Canadian wing who played for G League Ignite and has been a draftnik favorite for Brooklyn. is now projected in only two.
ESPN
21, Keyonte George, 6’4” shooting guard, Baylor, freshman
22. James Nnaji, 6’11” center, F.C. Barcelona, 18 years old
51. Colin Castleton, 7’0” C/PF, Florida, senior
NBADraft.net
21. G.G. Jackson, 6’9” forward, South Carolina, freshman
22. Noah Clowney, 6’10” center, Alabama, freshman
51. Keyontae Johnson, 6’5” small forward, Kansas State, senior
The Athletic
21. Noah Clowney, 6’10” center, Alabama, freshman
22. Nick Smith Jr., 6’4” wing, Arkansas, freshman
51. Jaylen Clark, 6’5” wing, UCLA, Junior
The Ringer
21. Jordan Hawkins, 6’4” shooting guard, UConn, sophomore
22. Leonard Miller, 6’10” forward, G League Ignite, 19 years old
51. Jaylen Clark, 6’5” wing, UCLA, Junior
Tankathon
21. Jett Howard, 6’8” wing, Michigan, freshman
22. G.G. Jackson, 6’9” forward, South Carolina, freshman
51. Mike Miles Jr., 6’2” point guard, TCU, junior
CBS Sports
21. Nick Smith Jr., 6’4” wing, Arkansas, freshman
22. Noah Clowney, 6’10” center, Alabama, freshman
Yardbarker
21. Leonard Miller, 6’10” forward, G League Ignite, 19 years old
22. Rayan Rupert, 6’7” guard, New Zealand Breakers, 18 years old
Clutch Points
21. Kobe Bufkin, 6’4” combo guard, Michigan, sophomore
22. Jett Howard, 6’8” wing, Michigan, freshman
New York Post
21. G.G. Jackson, 6’9” power forward, South Carolina, freshman
22. Kobe Bufkin, 6’4” combo guard, Michigan, sophomore
Newsday
21. Noah Clowney, 6’10” center, Alabama, freshman
22. Kris Murray, 6’8” forward, Iowa, junior
- Nets could package picks to move up in 2023 NBA Draft - Brian Lewis - New York Post
- 11 picks and $100M in salary: How the Nets can build a contender ahead of 2023 NBA Draft - Kristian Winfield - New York Daily News
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