Slim pickings for the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA Draft
Over the years, Brooklyn Nets General Manager has had his share of draft-day success, finding hidden gems on the eventful day.
As a General Manager, King has drafted Kyle Korver (in a draft day trade with New Jersey), Lou Williams, Thaddeus Young, Markel Brown, Mason Plumlee, and Finals MVP, Andre Iguodala.
Brooklyn hopes that King can once again stir up some of that draft day magic on June 25th at Barclays Center. After trading Joe Johnson in 2012, the Brooklyn Nets agreed to swap positions with Atlanta in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft. Consequently, the Nets will have the 29th pick and 41st pick in this year’s draft. While this year’s draft has been considered to be top-heavy by many basketball experts, there are plenty of talented players and future stars who will can fall to the team on draft day.
Quality point guards such as Tyus Jones of Duke or Jerian Grant of Notre Dame will likely be gone, leaving the cupboard mostly bare for the Nets. Adding to the challenges, the Nets hope to trim their payroll by trading away either Deron Williams, Jarrett Jack or Joe Johnson. The task becomes even more daunting considering the lack of draft assets going forward. Brooklyn does not own its own first round pick outright until 2019.
With the goal of building a championship contender, the Nets invested payroll and sacrificed assets in retaining and acquiring veterans like Gerald Wallace, Joe Johnson, Deron Williams, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. While the goal was noble and resulted in three straight playoff appearances, the bill has come due for Brooklyn and the price may be hard to repay going forward. Come June 25th and the soon after the free-agency signing period, Billy King would be wise to choose prudently. The excesses of the past few years need to be replaced by incremental improvements that require patience and creativity.
It is a difficult task to improve a veteran team lacking flexibility and assets while hoping to contend in a competitive marketplace. Let us hope that Billy King chooses wisely in the upcoming weeks, as he is often known to make rash decisions. It is a hopeful yet perilous time in the year for the Brooklyn Nets.