5 storylines to track during the Brooklyn Nets’ 2022 offseason: 2. What direction does Brooklyn take with the 23rd overall pick?
In trading Harden to the 76ers, Brooklyn secured a late-first-round pick to bolster its bench depth and shore up positions of need. This year’s draft class is deep with players who project to fill a role at the next level – although the Nets could also swing for the fences with a project player for its future.
Immediately, Ohio State forward EJ Liddell comes to mind as a stocky yet swift forward at 6’7 with elite fundamentals and improved three-point shooting. 1-for-1 comparisons can be tricky, but Liddell shows flashes of impactful and versatile role players like Grant Williams, P.J. Tucker, and Draymond Green.
If they’d prefer some firepower on the wing, the Nets may look at Notre Dame’s Blake Wesley – a slithery finisher with extremely impressive ball-handling skills that are put to use when creating an individual shot.
Other intriguing wing options in this range include G League Ignite standouts Jaden Hardy and MarJon Beauchamp, the most recent MVP of the Final Four, Ochai Agbaji, and bouncy Baylor forward Kendall Brown.
The Nets may benefit from a true floor general in Kentucky’s TyTy Washington or Tennessee’s Kennedy Chandler at the guard spot. The former benefits from stop-and-go dribbling ability and unique pacing while the latter is a pesky defender and talented passer. Each would help a second unit that doesn’t project to have much emphasis on playmaking, by design or otherwise.
Considering the impending free agencies of Claxton and Andre Drummond, the Nets could opt for Mark Williams or Christian Koloko – two players whose measurements and athletic feats played in their favor at the 2022 NBA Draft Combine.
And with all of these options, the Nets are still very much in a position to trade their pick for established players. It’s hard to say who might become available, but Brooklyn’s front office is sure to be active leading up to draft night in search of the best opportunity to maximize this pick. This team has been rather successful picking in the 20s over the last five drafts.
2021: Cam Thomas, 27th pick & Kessler Edwards, 44th pick
2019: Nic Claxton, 31st pick
2017: Jarrett Allen, 22nd pick