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Brooklyn Nets: 3 picks from the 2010s we wish would have worked out

By Zane Harris

NEW YORK - JUNE 24: Derrick Favors of Georgia State stands with NBA Commisioner David Stern after being drafted by the New Jersey Nets at Madison Square Garden on June 24, 2010 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - JUNE 24: Derrick Favors of Georgia State stands with NBA Commisioner David Stern after being drafted by the New Jersey Nets at Madison Square Garden on June 24, 2010 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Brooklyn Nets draft picks we wish worked out: 3. Kyle Kuzma

Kyle Kuzma is the player that the Nets selected with their second pick in the first round.

Kuzma was a member of the Utah Utes for three seasons. In his junior year, he averaged 16.4 points per game on 50.4 percent shooting from the field and 32.1 percent shooting from three.

He was traded from the Nets on draft night in 2017, never playing a game for Brooklyn. That deal sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers along with Brook Lopez in exchange for D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov.

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This was by no means a bad deal for the Nets. While they had to take on the massive contract of Mozgov and lost their franchise leader in points in Lopez, they got back a budding young star in Russell.

Despite this, it would have been very interesting to see how Kuzma would have developed if he stayed a member of the Nets. It is likely that they would have missed the playoffs in the 2018-2019 season, however, Kuz would be a very solid fit on the roster today.

While not being the most efficient scorer in the league, he is more than capable of carrying the scoring load of a bench unit. Along with this, he is making strides in becoming a more well-rounded player.

His defense has begun to improve and he has the build to be able to be an elite defender. Along with this, his field goal percentage improved from the 2019-2020 season, and he was a 36.1 percent 3-point shooter last season.

Keeping Kuzma on the Nets would have given the team a quality bench scorer who is making progress on being a more all-around player. It would have been nice to see how he would have developed and his career path if he stayed in Brooklyn after they drafted him.

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