The Nets own four first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, including the No. 8 overall pick after falling in the lottery.
It’s the first time the Nets have had a lottery pick since the 2010 NBA Draft when they selected Derrick Favors at No. 3 overall.
After a 26-54 season, how will GM Sean Marks use the draft capital he’s acquired to rebuild Brooklyn’s roster?
Here’s what the draft experts have the Nets doing on June 25…
Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, ESPN
No. 8: SG/SF Kon Knueppel, Duke
Height without shoes: 6-foot-5
Weight: 219 pounds
Age: 19
Count the Nets among the many disappointed lottery teams, dropping two spots from No. 6 to No. 8 after San Antonio and Dallas jumped.
Brooklyn has veteran players, including Cameron Johnson, four first-round picks in this draft and future assets to dangle if it wants to move higher in the lottery. Teams expect the Nets, who are also operating in the interest of present and future cap space, to consolidate some of what they have.
Knueppel’s reliable offensive play and high-level shooting would be a nice building block for the Nets, with his skill set augmenting most lineups no matter how they choose to build long term. League insiders see additional scoring and playmaking upside from the consistent wing.
There’s also an interesting case for selecting and developing a young ball handler such as Egor Demin or Kasparas Jakucionis, or going with the offensive upside of Derik Queen, if the Nets stay at this spot. — Woo
No. 19 (via Bucks): C Thomas Sorber, Georgetown
Height without shoes: 6-foot-9 1/4
Weight: 262 pounds
Age: 19
With the second of their four first-round picks, the Nets could go in many directions, likely taking swings on talent while considering the importance of acquiring size in a league that has swayed back toward seriously valuing big men.
Sorber isn’t expected to conduct on-court activity during the predraft process as he recovers from foot surgery in February. Still, his strong feel for the game, defensive versatility, length, physicality and skill level as a pick-and-roll finisher are attractive qualities at 19 years old that should draw plenty of attention in this portion of the draft.
In Chicago, his wingspan was measured at 7-6, allowing him to play much bigger than his height (6-10½ in shoes). — Givony
No. 26 (via Knicks): PF/C Yaxel Lendeborg, UAB/Michigan
Height without shoes: 6-foot-8 1/2
Weight: 234 pounds
Age: 22
Rival teams expect the Nets to explore moving one or both of these picks in the 20s, as they manage their roster and salary cap situation to best position themselves moving forward.
Lendeborg faced one of the highest-profile, stay-or-go decisions among prospects at the combine, measuring quite well and turning in a solid, if not spectacular, showing in scrimmages, with Michigan coach Dusty May and members of his staff in Chicago to support him. NBA teams are aware Lendeborg has a multimillion-dollar NIL package to attend Michigan next season, and it wasn’t clear by the end of the week as to whether he had done enough to secure the type of guarantee that might keep him in the draft.
He was highly productive last season at UAB and will step into a huge role with the Wolverines as the ostensible replacement for Danny Wolf, giving him an opportunity to improve his draft stock if he withdraws now. — Woo
No. 27 (via Rockets): PF Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph’s
Height without shoes: 6-foot-8 1/4
Weight: 232 pounds
Age: 20
The Nets might not be the team selecting here, which would make these picks in the late 20s interesting swing spots.
Fleming didn’t participate in 5-on-5 scrimmages at the combine, but had impressive measurements. His excellent size and how effectively he scored this season for Saint Joseph’s give him some attractive role-player qualities.
As a late-blooming player who is still lacking in ball skills and overall awareness at times, Fleming is more of a developmental addition than a true plug-and-play option in the late first round. — Woo
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report
No. 8: PF Noa Essengue, France
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 194 pounds
Age: 18
Big scoring outputs are becoming more common for Noa Essengue in the German BBL.
The easy baskets off rim runs, cuts and offensive rebounds have been consistent all season. But he’s looking more comfortable converting off self-created drives and knocking down rhythm threes.
His improving on-ball skill and rising offensive production are becoming notable draft storylines, considering he’s the draft’s second-youngest prospect who also offers exciting defensive tools and movement.
No. 19 (via Bucks): PG/SG Jase Richardson, Michigan State
Height without shoes: 6-foot 1/2
Weight: 178 pounds
Age: 19
Jase Richardson’s 6’0.5″ barefoot measurements could scare a few teams, particularly since his skill set is better suited for the 2-guard position. However, his shooting, touch, finishing and decision-making may all be sharp enough for Richardson to get by and still thrive while undersized.
No. 26 (via Knicks): PG Nolan Traore, France
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 174 pounds
Age: 19
Nolan Traore is in the midst of one of his best stretches of the season. He’s going to enter the draft with the field’s highest assist percentage regardless, but now he’s confidently stepping into three-point makes and creating for himself with visible decisiveness.
Shooting struggles and inefficiency caused by athletic limitations had scared scouts off. But the bar was awfully high entering the season. And now the 18-year-old has looked highly effective generating offense as a starting point guard in Pro A.
No. 27 (via Rockets): SG/SF Drake Powell, North Carolina
Height without shoes: 6-foot-5 1/4
Weight: 200 pounds
Age: 19
Teams figure to put extra stock into Drake Powell’s NBA combine performance and workouts after he spent the year spotting up 49.2 percent of North Carolina’s possessions and taking just 5.7 shots per game.
Despite the lack of production, there could still be first-round interest based on his outstanding physical profile, defensive projection and 37.9 percent three-point shooting.
Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo! Sports
No. 8: PF Noa Essengue, France
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 194 pounds
Age: 18
Essengue is a toolsy forward with a fluid handle, dynamic finishing package and highly versatile defense. Though he’s a raw Frenchman, he’s starting to string together his best run of the season. Over the last two months, he’s making 80% of his free throws. Though his success isn’t translating beyond the arc (29% over this same stretch), it’s at least encouraging his shooting is continuing to progress. Because it’s his one big flaw. Otherwise, the 6-foot-9 forward has clear upside across the board, and that’s why he’s rising up draft boards. Brooklyn has a clean slate of a future, so it’d only make sense to take a big swing.
No. 19 (via Bucks): PG/SG Egor Demin, BYU
Height without shoes: 6-foot-9 1/4
Weight: 199 pounds
Age: 19
Demin has one of the widest ranges in this draft class with people around the league seeing him as an option from anywhere in the mid-lottery to the late teens. The Nets would certainly be happy to take a swing on his rare ability at his size to make dazzling passes. Even though he struggled to shoot and create his own shot against lengthy defenders, he did perform well at the draft combine and is said to be excelling in pre-draft workouts with his tweaked shooting mechanics.
No. 26 (via Knicks): C Thomas Sorber, Georgetown
Height without shoes: 6-foot-9 1/4
Weight: 262 pounds
Age: 19
Sorber has a brick-house frame and the throwback skill-set to match with strong screens, soft-touch finishes and gritty drop-coverage instincts. But to be more than a role player, he needs to tap into the flashes he shows as a shooter while also improving his perimeter defense. Sorber may not make it this far on draft night, but he’d end up giving the Nets a center for the long term.
No. 27 (via Rockets): PG/SG Ben Saraf, Israel
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 201 pounds
Age: 19
The Nets have five top-36 picks. Are they really going to keep all of these? I doubt it. But regardless of what Brooklyn does, drafting one or multiple guards could make some sense since this roster is a clean slate. Saraf is a crafty lefty playmaker who relies on guile, footwork and body control. Limited shooting and athleticism could cap his upside, but his positional size and skill could be hard to pass up.
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