Brooklyn Nets: A look back at NBA Draft history before 2018

By Alec Liebsch | May 31, 2018

Photo by Noren Trotman/NBAE via Getty Images /

In the history of the Brooklyn Nets franchise, the organization has made many transactions revolving around the NBA Draft. Now it’s time to discuss some of their most notable draft-related moves.

The NBA Draft is the definition of the long game. Teams have the ability to lock up young, cheap labor; if the pick pans out, that player can grossly outperform his salary. Additionally, the incumbent team has an advantage in re-signing its draft picks if it elects to do so. If a franchise plays its cards right, the draft game can set it up for the next decade. The Brooklyn Nets do not have the best history in the facet, but they look to change that in 2018.

This year, they will pick 29th, 40th and 45th overall in the draft. The former two picks came from the DeMarre Carroll trade, and the latter pick is via the Tyler Zeller trade.

They have only used No. 29 twice before. In 2015, they selected big man Chris McCullogh. However, McCullogh wasn’t good at anything but rebounding, so they moved on from him in 2017 as part of the Bojan Bogdanovic trade.

Their other No. 29 selection turned out to be a steal in 1992, who fans will remember as P.J. Brown. He didn’t last long as a Net (three seasons), but he had a good career as a solid starting big man. The Nets were smart to pick him; they just couldn’t hold onto him. As for the rest of the NBA, the draft history at No. 29 is a giant shrug emoji. Hits such as Cory Joseph (2011), Toni Kukoc (1990), Vinny Del Negro (1988), Eddie Johnson (1981) and Dennis Johnson (1976) have occurred, but most of the swings have been straight misses.

Considering the fact that the franchise hasn’t had too many draft picks recently, it’s obvious that the Nets need to strike on at least one of these picks, preferably two.

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As for No. 40, the Nets’ history is underwhelming, though short. In 2008, with their only No. 40 pick ever, they selected Chris Douglas-Roberts. His name was memorable, but his career was not; he only lasted two seasons with the Nets before bouncing around the league as a bench scrub.

Second round picks rarely become regular starters, so this isn’t too horrible of an outcome. The success rate of hitting on prospects drops significantly after the first 15-20 selections. George Gervin (1974) was poached at this pick, although that is an extremely special case. Monta Ellis (2005), Lance Stephenson (2010), Will Barton (2012) and Josh Richardson (2015) were also picked here, but no one else selected at No. 40 has accumulated more than 56.7 career win shares.

By the same token, however, this also means that most picks in the second round end up garnering similar player-value dividends. The difference between Nos. 40 and 45 is much less than the difference between 10 and 15.

Speaking of No. 45, Brooklyn has only picked at 45 once before. They selected Mike Phillips in 1978, a guy who never logged a game in the NBA.

Surprisingly, the 45th overall pick has produced a few quality players. Bob Dandridge, an integral member of the great 1970s Milwaukee Bucks squad, was picked here, as was Antonio Davis, another integral part of a Finals team with the 1999-00 Toronto Raptors.

Other notable historical players, such as Hot Rod Williams (1985) and Bryon Russell (1993), and even current ones such as Lou Williams (2005), Goran Dragic (2008) and Dillon Brooks (2017), have heard their names called at this selection too. The sheer amount of hits at this pick is considerable, so maybe the lucky Colt 45 is what the Nets need.

In general, these selections are relatively new territory for the Nets franchise. As for trying to make the most out of low picks, that’s far from new territory for this front office. In the aggregate, the Nets’ history with drafting at these selections might as well not exist.

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However, Marks and the gang are doing their best to change that. With three swings in this upcoming draft, the Nets will look to amend their subpar draft history.

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