Brooklyn Nets: Breaking Down 5 Best Draft Picks At No. 22

Who will the Brooklyn Nets take with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft?(image via NBA.com)

After a decent season that saw the Brooklyn Nets make the playoffs for the first time since 2006-07, the Nets need a solid draft to keep up in the Eastern Conference and establish themselves as a postseason contender for years to come.

Brooklyn can go a number of ways with the No. 22 overall pick, but it should be looking to bolster its bench, as the starters are pretty much already set for the Nets.

The Nets could use depth up and down their bench, most importantly at the small forward and center spots.

So who are the five bet draft picks at No. 22 for Brooklyn?

Take a look:

5. Tim Hardaway Jr., SG, Michigan

There’s no way that Tim Hardaway Jr. could overtake Joe Johnson for the starting shooting guard spot, but he could provide some solid depth off the bench for the Nets.

I don’t think Brooklyn is completely sold on MarShon Brooks and the 6’6” Hardaway had an excellent season at Michigan in 2012-13.

The shooting guard averaged 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc.

Hardaway’s offensive game is somewhat limited when his jumper is off, but there’s no doubting that the Nets would be getting a complete shooter and a solid scorer by drafting Hardaway.

4. Dario Saric, SF, Croatia

It’s always somewhat of a gamble when you take an international player because there’s not as much information and footage on the prospect. Nonetheless, Croatia’s Dario Saric would be a safe pick for Brooklyn.

The Nets need depth at small forward and Saric is a versatile player for his 6’10”, 223-pound frame.

For a big man, Saric can play face-up and can also step back and knock down the outside jumper. He’s a solid ball-handler and have some of the best vision in terms of passing when it comes to the small forwards of this class.

One of the strongest aspects of Saric’s game is his rebounding and the ability to beat his opponents off of the dribble. Defense is definitely the weakest part of his game, but selecting Saric with the No. 22 overall pick is still a solid option for the Nets.

3. C.J. Leslie, SF/PF, N.C. State

It’s no secret that Reggie Evans doesn’t offer the most production on offense.

While I’m not saying Brooklyn should remove Evans from the lineup and surrender all of those rebounds, if the Nets are looking to add more offense at the power forward position, they can look to a guy like C.J. Leslie out of N.C. State.

The 6’9” forward can play either the 3 or the 4—both positions the Nets could use—and would add frontcourt athleticism that Brooklyn doesn’t really have right now.

Leslie averaged 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last season with the Wolfpack and also put his defensive talents on display, averaging better than a block and a steal per game.

If Leslie is still on the board at 22, it could be hard for the Nets to pass on him.

2. Tony Snell, SG/SF, New Mexico

With Brooklyn’s wings aging, the Nets could use a talent like Tony Snell to help on offense and spread the floor. I say spread the floor because Snell shot 39 percent from downtown last season.

The 6’7” guard/forward hybrid averaged 12.5 points this season for the Lobos  Snell is excellent off the dribble and proved to be a clutch shooter at New mexico.

According to J.P. Murrieta of KOB Eyewitness Sports 4, Snell is drawing buzz around the NBA Combine because of his smooth shooting. Murrieta also cites that Snell has already spoken to Brooklyn about his future.

With Gerald Wallace being a non-factor on offense this season and Joe Johnson certainly having struggles of his own, Brooklyn would be wise to draft a player who could spell both Wallace and Johnson if the need be.

1. Jeff Withey, C, Kansas

The Nets already have one of the best centers in the NBA in Brook Lopez, but the problem is that they don’t have a formidable backup for the 7-footer.

Andray Blatche was a nice scoring option off the bench for Brooklyn—averaging 10.3 points per game—but he doesn’t offer the same type of defensive presence that Lopez does.

Jeff Withey, on the other hand, averaged nearly four blocks per game in his last season at Kansas while posting 13.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

The 7’0” center offers a similar game to Lopez’s and would have the opportunity to learn under one of the NBA’s best up-and-coming big men in the league.

That said, the Kansas big man is the best option with the No. 22 pick for the Nets.

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