Brooklyn Nets: 2019 NBA Draft grades

Overall

The main storyline for the Brooklyn Nets coming out of draft night will be their trade with the Clippers. Trading out of the first round will save Brooklyn almost $2 million in guaranteed money in 2019-20 and keeps them in the mix for two max free agents.

ESPN‘s Zach Lowe hinted at this after the trade was announced:

By declining Shabazz Napier’s team option and waiving Treveon Graham’s non-guaranteed contract, the Nets would be able to shed the $2 million needed and open these max slots.

They also added a 2020 first-rounder to their stockpile of assets that can either be used to add a cost-controlled rookie next year or be deployed in a future trade.

However, the players Brooklyn added will also help them this year. Nicolas Claxton is an elite athlete and shot-blocker that will contribute immediately as the first big off the bench.

Jaylen Hands may be raw, but is a candidate to replace Napier as a reserve point guard if his option isn’t picked up.

Nic Claxton’s “projects that can play” quote to ESPN’s Maria Taylor during his post-selection interview accurately summed up Brooklyn’s draft picks. Both Claxton and Hands are guys that need to be developed long-term, but their athleticism will allow them to compete from day one.

The two minor concerns with the Nets’ draft class would be that they didn’t add a power forward who can stretch the floor and that they passed on some big-name prospects like Kevin Porter Jr. and Bol Bol.

While each pick was graded in the B/B+ range, the Brooklyn Nets also added a 2020 first-rounder and cleared cap space for two max free agents. Those two factors, along with the potential role players they grabbed in the second round, made this a very successful draft night for Brooklyn.

Final Grade: A-