They stored their picks in any case. Which means a subsequent deal could possibly be imminent.
The Nets held consecutive late first-round picks in Thursday’s NBA Draft and have been anticipated to bundle picks Nos. 21 and 22 in an try to both transfer up within the draft or put collectively a commerce bundle for an impression participant or one other star.
They did neither.
Instead, the Nets chosen Alabama’s freshman stretch 4 Noah Clowney twenty first total, then took Duke’s 3-and-D ahead Dariq Whitehead with the following decide.
Brooklyn’s entrance workplace clearly put an emphasis on ground spacing. The Nets additionally prioritized measurement, they usually acquired each of their back-to-back first-round picks on Thursday evening.
Clowney has stretch-four potential on the NBA stage. He led Alabama in rebounding 14 occasions final season and made the 2022-23 SEC All-Freshman Team whereas changing at a 28.3% clip from downtown. The quantity was extra noteworthy than the share: Clowney tried a median of greater than three threes per sport and profiles as a stable match alongside beginning heart Nic Claxton, akin to Kristaps Porzingis’ projection as a robust match alongside the rim-protecting Robert Williams in Boston.
Whitehead was named the 2022 Naismith High School Basketball Player of the Year. He shot 43% from three-point vary as a freshman with the Blue Devils final season and has legit potential on the NBA stage as a three-and-D wing given his measurement at 6-7, 220 kilos.
Whitehead, nevertheless, additionally comes together with his justifiable share of harm historical past, having undergone not one however two procedures on his proper foot up to now yr, the latest coming within the first week of June. He is anticipated to be a full go for the start of coaching camp in September.
Whitehead can also be the second-youngest Nets draft decide ever. At 18 years previous — with a nineteenth birthday looming on Aug. 1 — the one youthful draft decide in franchise historical past was Derrick Favors.
Both new draftees, nevertheless, are only one yr faraway from enjoying highschool basketball with a steep studying curve forward, confronted with getting up to the mark as new members of a Nets workforce with playoff aspirations.
With a roster stacked with veterans at every place, drafting two rookies possible means a number of of these vets are on the way in which out.
The Nets chosen a three-and-D wing with a logjam on the place. They additionally chosen Clowney regardless of Dorian Finney-Smith’s present standing as a starter on the 4.
For now.
Whitehead has a deeper offensive bag than Finney-Smith, a spot-up shooter and dribble-driver, and possesses the flexibility to create his personal shot off the dribble. Most notably, he has a dependable step again jumper that transformed from three-point vary often: Whitehead shot 42.9% from downtown final season, although he solely appeared in 28 video games for Duke final season.
Regardless, the Nets now discover themselves with a number of reserve wings: Royce O’Neale and Joe Harris have been rotation mainstays final season. Not to say Mikal Bridges and restricted free agent Cam Johnson challenge to see a big quantity of minutes on the wings subsequent season.
It’s tough to examine the Nets choosing these two prospects whereas concurrently retaining their veteran depth and enjoying every Bridges, Johnson and Finney-Smith 30-plus minutes an evening.
This, after all, is barely the start.
NBA free company begins on the high of July, and the Nets are anticipated to be among the many groups energetic each in commerce talks and in makes an attempt to steer free brokers to come back to Brooklyn.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com