Pre-Draft Outlook
The superstar era in Brooklyn came to an abrupt end in February, and what’s left is an ensemble of solid shooters and defenders. Mikal Bridges emerged as the star of that group, averaging 26.1 points over his 27 regular-season games with the Nets, but the team went just 12-15 in those games and then was the only team to get swept in the first round of the playoffs. The floor is high, but the ceiling is low.
The Way To Go
The Nets have had some success (Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Nic Claxton) drafting late in the first round or early in the second. But they could also use their picks to make an upgrade in their rotation. The Nets got younger with their trades of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, but they remain a team of the present, not necessarily the future. Unless Ben Simmons is going to suddenly become more reliable and Bridges is going to suddenly start passing the ball more, this team needs more playmaking.
— John Schuhmann
Here’s a quick look at who the Brooklyn Nets have under contract, who is a free agent this summer and who they added in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Under Contract
G: Spencer Dinwiddie
G: Patty Mills
G: Edmond Sumner
G: Cam Thomas
G/F: Mikal Bridges
G/F: Joe Harris
G/F: Ben Simmons
F: Dorian Finney-Smith
F: RaiQuan Gray
F: Royce O’Neale
C: Day’Ron Sharpe
C: Nic Claxton
Free Agents
G: Seth Curry (unrestricted)
G: David Duke Jr. (restricted)
G: Dru Smith (two-way)
G/F: Yuta Watanabe (unrestricted)
F: Cameron Johnson (restricted)
> 2023 Free Agent Tracker
Last Year’s Draft
2022: None
* = acquired via trade
** = traded in draft-night deal
*** = traded in offseason deal