Brooklyn Nets: 3 reasons Rodions Kurucs was a good pick

1. Fit on the Nets

This is mostly a synergy of the former two points, but 3-and-D wings are a hot commodity in the modern NBA, especially on the Nets.

In coach Atkinson’s system, Kurucs could flourish. The multitude of ball-handlers, including fellow rookie Musa, will give him plenty of catch-and-shoot looks. Best of all, Kurucs will only have to play within himself; he won’t be asked to do more than 3-and-D-and-cut until he shows he can handle a bigger workload.

Specialization is the main conductor of efficiency, and Kurucs is bound to work through his cold spells with the copious amounts of 3-pointers the Nets put up on a nightly basis. Even if he doesn’t put up marksman-like numbers from downtown, he will certainly have his opportunities to work through warts.

Defensively, Kurucs fits Brooklyn’s scheme too. The Nets switch virtually everything, so Kurucs will certainly get his chance to develop into the versatile defender he is capable of being. Added to the other malleable wings, such as Caris LeVert and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, the defensive versatility is tantalizing at its peak.

Additionally, having a rim protector like Jarrett Allen holding down the fort has a domino effect on the rest of the defense. It allows the perimeter defenders to take more gambles and go after more balls, which can lead to easy transition opportunities. Kurucs can be a real pest with a budding stronghold like Allen backing him up, which adds another layer to the Nets’ defensive scheme.

Next: Complete 2018 NBA Draft grades for all 30 teams

Overall, Kurucs brings several tools to the table that most NBA teams are longing for. Two-way wings are all the rage, and if he reaches that level of success, this pick will look like a steal in a few years.