The Brooklyn Nets have the 17th and 27th overall picks in the first round in the upcoming NBA Draft. They also have the first pick of the second round, 31st overall. That pick could be just as valuable, as it's barely out of the first-round and could yield them a player with great potential and talent for a cheaper price tag.
However, this is also a pick you need to be careful with. There are the players with a low ceiling by high floor, as well as the players with a high ceiling but extremely low floor. This is a pick that could end up disastrous if you go after someone like that.
If you find the players with a solid mixture of ceiling and floor though – good things happen. There's still a few left in the second-round usually, you just need to find them.
Here are three ideal options for the Brooklyn Nets with the 31st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
3. Tacko Fall
Of course, Tacko Fall (Central Florida) had to be on the list. He's a likely second-round pick and his height is the main attraction.
At 7-6, Fall is a mammoth. However, he's proven that he's not the typical massive center. Fall actually has decent mobility and athleticism. This could turn him into an absolute beast in the NBA, especially if he can pack on some LBs.
Fall would be a welcome addition to any team if he can reach his potential. Admittedly, there's still some “bust” in him as it's hard to gauge how effective someone of his size will be. There's always the chance injuries or mobility become major issues.
That being said, Tacko Fall has alleviated those concerns somewhat and the Brooklyn Nets would be smart to consider jumping on him before someone else does.
2. Kevin Porter
The Brooklyn Nets got a breakout performance from D'Angelo Russell in 2018. He turned himself into a superstar and helped get the Nets into the playoffs. However, the season ended shortly after that, with a first-round exit.
The Nets need more star power around him and they can get someone with potential for that in the second-round. If that happens, they need to jump on the opportunity. Kevin Porter is that player.
As a freshman last season, Kevin Porter showed a ton of promise at USC. However, he's clearly still a raw talent. This is one of those “boom or bust” prospects, but the boom is high volume.
Porter should slip into the second-round due to inconsistencies in his game and his decision making abilities. Those are both things that a 19-year-old can improve on greatly in just a few short seasons though.
Pairing Porter with the likes of Russell and Jarrett Allen could do wonders for his game.
The needle points a lot closer to boom than it does to bust with him.
1. Cameron Johnson
Cameron Johnson (or Cam Johnson) played five years in College (three with Pittsburgh and two with North Carolina). He improved in all five seasons. In each season his points, rebounds and assists per game went up. Johnson also shot a career-best 50.6% from the field in his final year.
Johnson is a fantastic shooter who could help a team immediately. Other than shooting he's shown great discipline and court awareness. He's a solid distributor and pretty athletic for his size (6-8) and has proven to be a strong leader.
The only real downfalls would be average-at-best defense and potential due to age. However, both aren't that great of arguments. Johnson has the makeup of a great defender thanks to his size, length and athleticism. Therefore that could improve greatly in the NBA.
At the same time, being 23 may turn some teams off to him. For example, he turns 24 before Porter turns 20. That's not important when considering he'll be a strong contributor immediately.
There are also plenty of players that didn't hit their peaks until after the age of 23.
Just because he's a few years older doesn't mean Cameron Johnson doesn't have plenty of potential for growth.
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