In a season where a number of up-and-coming teams in the Eastern Conference made surprise playoff appearances, the Brooklyn Nets were a true joy to watch.
From the tremendous growth made by point guard D'Angelo Russell in making his first All-Star team, to the productiveness of journeymen like Joe Harris and Jared Dudley and the defensive presence that was Jarrett Allen, Brooklyn almost had a “happy to be there” attitude as they continue to develop as an emerging threat in the East.
The Nets had the tenth-youngest roster in the league in terms of average age during the 2018-19 season, but most of their key contributors (Russell, Allen, Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert) are all 26 and under.
Russell continues to look like he will be a top three point guard in the league in the near future, while Allen could become one of the preeminent centers in the game. The Nets will be hoping to build on an impressive season under head coach Kenny Atkinson, and another solid draft could pay big dividends in feeding into the culture of winning that is being established in Brooklyn.
With the no. 17 pick, the Nets find themselves firmly in the middle of the first round, but with little potential to move up without sacrificing a player or future assets. Thus, they may be better off staying put.
Here are three ideal players that the Nets might draft with the no. 17 pick.
3. Brandon Clarke
Much like his fellow Gonzaga teammate, Rui Hachimura, Clarke's stock has been all over the place as June approaches. Some mock drafts have him going in the top ten, while others have him falling towards the end of the first round.
And in fact, Hachimura would be an interesting fit in Brooklyn as well. But let's go with Clarke, the 6'8″ athletic beast that averaged 3.2 blocks per game last season. What he lacks in sheer size and length, Clarke makes up for in athleticism.
His 40.5 max vertical jump was easily the best at his position, and he also finished no. 1 for his position in the lane agility drill. Pairing him alongside with the taller Allen in the frontcourt would make for a devastating defensive tandem and immediately bolster Brooklyn's weak side defense.
Not to be outdone offensively, Clarke averaged close to 17 points per game on nearly 70 percent shooting.
He will need to develop more of a pick-and-pop mentality and face-up game in the pros, but he can make plays at the rim.
2. Grant Williams
For what it is worth, Williams seems to have “sleeper” written all over him. Sure, he is small (at 6'7″) for a power forward, but he is incredibly strong and has tremendous body control.
Contrary to Clarke and his athleticism, Williams uses his strength and shooting touch to his benefit. He averaged nearly 19 points and 7.5 rebounds en route to being named the SEC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
The Nets could use some scoring in the frontcourt to bolster the shooting abilities in the backcourt. Additionally, Williams has shown he is proficient in handling the ball on the perimeter, similar to the role that Al Horford plays with the Celtics.
And having averaged 3.2 assists per game, Williams has proven to be a very capable passer.
He may be one of the older players taken in the first round of the draft, but his skill set, experience and accompanying pedigree suggest that he could be a wonderful fit with the Nets.
1. Romeo Langford
The Nets will almost certainly re-sign D-Lo, and they might not need too many more pieces in the backcourt. Still, Langford has a lot of upside pending he is healthy after having surgery on his thumb.
The Indiana University product does not shoot the ball very well from beyond the arc (just over 27 percent), but he does create well off the dribble and can finish at the rim against bigger defenders.
Besides, the Nets already have a number of shooters to space the floor. They could use a slasher that can attack the rim and work effectively with Allen in pick-and-roll.
Should Brooklyn continue to add to the backcourt, Langford could be an ideal option, should he fall to the Nets at no. 17.
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