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 in the first round on June 25…
Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, ESPN
No. 8: C Khaman Maluach, Duke
Height without shoes: 7-foot 3/4
Weight: 252 pounds
Age: 18
Maluach appears firmly in consideration in New Orleans and Brooklyn, but he is also seen by some teams as the most likely among the second-tier players in the Nos. 3-8 range to experience a slight drop if a surprising prospect disrupts this part of the draft, though perhaps only a few slots down the board.
Maluach fills a clear need that many teams are looking for: He's a true center who can serve as a defensive anchor in the paint and has significant potential for growth physically and skill-wise. He plays with tremendous intensity and is beloved by coaches and teammates because of his unique off-court intangibles.
His ability to protect the rim, cover ground in a variety of pick-and-roll schemes, and provide vertical spacing as a roller and cutter, while sprinting aggressively in transition, will appeal to any team seeking a center to build around in the long term. — Givony
No. 19 (via Bucks): PF/C Asa Newell, Georgia
Height without shoes: 6-foot-9
Weight: 224 pounds
Age: 19
Newell is another player who appears to have helped himself in the predraft process, having showcased his physical tools and room for growth as a shooter, helping some teams better understand the potential versatility he could provide as a stretch-4. Still, he has a somewhat wider range on draft night, drawing consideration from teams in the back half of the lottery but with scenarios also in play where he could slip into the late teens or early 20s.
The Nets have understandably been among the busiest teams in the predraft process, holding picks in every part of the first round and five selections in the top 40. Most around the league expect Brooklyn to be active in trades this week, though it's not yet clear exactly what that will look like, the prospect of trading up from here to acquire a second lottery pick is among the scenarios the Nets could explore.
Although the team is unlikely to roster five rookies, Brooklyn has brought in the vast majority of the draft for workouts, giving it more first-hand information on the class than any other team. The Nets are also viewed as a desirable destination by many agents, due to the minutes and opportunity they have available next season. Newell's long-term upside could be appealing to them as a developmental addition here. — Woo
No. 26 (via Knicks): PG Nolan Traore, France
Height without shoes: 6-foot-3
Weight: 175 pounds
Age: 19
With four first-round picks at their disposal, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Nets take several talent swings, hoping to uncover gems with some of their later selections.
The Nets have a void in the backcourt, depending on what they do with their first few picks, and this situation will be considered highly attractive to any of the guards slated to be picked in this range.
After starting the season projected as a top-10 pick, Traore's draft stock dropped because of inconsistent play, but there's still plenty to like with his size, ballhandling, playmaking creativity and upside, making him a worthy gamble for a team in Brooklyn's situation and at this point in the draft. — Givony
No. 27 (via Rockets): PF Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph's
Height without shoes: 6-foot-8 1/4
Weight: 232 pounds
Age: 20
As previously mentioned, these Nets picks — particularly the pair in the 20s — are viewed around the league as fluid, depending on what moves Brooklyn ultimately decides to pursue this week.
Fleming was not invited to the NBA draft green room, pointing to the likelihood he might fall to the back of the first round. He hasn't gathered much momentum over the past month but remains in consideration due to his physical tools and improving 3-point shooting. While not a flashy player or immensely skilled, his length, improvement track and late-blooming trajectory point to untapped potential. — Woo
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report
No. 8: PF Noa Essengue, France
Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 194 pounds
Age: 18
Pro comparison:Jerami Grant, Pascal Siakam
Noa Essengue may not make it to the United States for workouts with his team now in the German BBL Finals. His physical tools, motor and improving offensive skills have played a key role in Ulm's run.
Picking up easy baskets, crashing the glass and occasionally making spot-up threes, Essengue has been a consistent contributor among pros despite being the second-youngest draft-eligible prospect.
A rebuilding team that can afford to be patient could see a strong upside bet in Essengue if his growth continues at its current rate.
No. 19 (via Bucks): PG Nolan Traore, France
Height without shoes: 6-foot-3
Weight: 175 pounds
Age: 19
Pro comparison: Lonzo Ball
Nolan Traore flew to Treviso for official measurements, and they were strong, with the 19-year-old point guard coming in at 6'3" in socks with a 6'8" wingspan.
He'll enter the draft with the highest assist percentage among first-round prospects, but he's also shown real growth as a scorer down the stretch of Saint-Quentin's season. He converted 20 of his last 53 three-point attempts and created offense with noticeably improved decisiveness.
No. 26 (via Knicks): PF Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph's
Height without shoes: 6-foot-8 1/4
Weight: 232 pounds
Age: 20
Pro comparison: Taylor Hendricks
Rasheer Fleming's 7'5" wingspan measurement was eye-opening for a barefoot 6'8", 232-pound forward. That physical profile, plus a shooting stroke that connected on 62 threes (39.0 percent) will generate interest from a number of teams in the mid-to-late first round.
We've heard from scouts who think he's going to go earlier than many initially expected.
No. 27 (via Rockets): SG/SF Drake Powell, North Carolina
Height without shoes: 6-foot-5 1/4
Weight: 195 pounds
Age: 19
Pro comparison: Will Barton, Herb Jones
Teams figure to put extra stock into Drake Powell's NBA combine performance and workouts after he spent the year spotting up on 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.
Sam Vecenie, The Athletic
No. 8: G Kasparas Jakučionis, Illinois
Height: 6-foot-4 3/4
Weight: 205 pounds
Age: 19
League sources have indicated that the Nets have entertained moves up and down the board. They have four first-round picks this year and as much ammunition as anyone to get the players they want.
If they stick at No. 8, a variety of players make sense. I’d be surprised if Jeremiah Fears or Ace Bailey slipped beyond this slot. More than that, if I were Sean Marks and company, I’d be looking to keep as many options as possible and not take a position-locked player at either the center or lead guard position. The Nets are rebuilding and have a lot of needs. And later in the draft, a plethora of bigs and lead guards should be available.
I’m a big fan of players who can dribble, pass, shoot, process the game at a high level, and have good positional size. Players like this tend to have a lot of outs, to use a poker term. If Jakučionis can’t separate enough on the ball, I feel confident in his ability to play off the ball and hammer advantages created for him by high-level creative guards, because he can shoot, drive and make excellent passing reads. Jakučionis is a special passer who I hope continues to work on his craft as a ballhandler to get separation from his man consistently without turning the ball over and feeling rushed.
No. 19 (via Bucks): PG/SG Egor Demin, BYU
Height without shoes: 6-foot-9 1/4
Weight: 199 pounds
Age: 19
Demin can play the point and is the best passer in the class. His vision is sublime. But he struggled to score this year. He struggled to get paint touches because his handle is not particularly developed, and he doesn’t have the threat of the jumper to fall back on, having made under 30 percent from distance. Still, many teams think they can fix the jumper, and if so, it would open up the rest of his game as a passer and playmaker. I’m a bit lower on Demin, but evaluators who like him tend to love him. He had a strong workout in Chicago in front of NBA executives, but that steam has died down somewhat over the last month. He could go anywhere from the back half of the lottery to No. 21.
The Nets are also thought to be exploring moves consolidating this pick with some of their others to move back up into the lottery.
No. 26 (via Knicks): PG Nolan Traore, France
Height without shoes: 6-foot-3
Weight: 175 pounds
Age: 19
Traoré rebounded well from a tough start to his pro season in France. From Jan. 15 to April 6, Traoré averaged 13 points and four assists while shooting 50 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3 and 79 percent from the line. His overall numbers on the year aren’t that strong, but it’s worth remembering that he’s a teenager playing a full season of professional basketball for the first time.
It’s very possible he’ll be on the board for the Nets when they pick at No. 19. Here, they get lucky and get him all the way down at No. 26 as a value pick.
No. 27 (via Rockets): SG/SF Drake Powell, North Carolina
Height without shoes: 6-foot-5 1/4
Weight: 195 pounds
Age: 19
Powell has momentum to end up somewhere in the back half of the first round because of his defense. Nobody guarded Cooper Flagg as well as Powell did this season. He’s a long way away on offense, as he’s not that comfortable as a shooter or that capable as a ballhandler. It’s going to take him some time to play at the NBA level, even with his defensive skill.
Again, the Nets have four first-rounders, so don’t be stunned if they look to consolidate a couple of these.
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