It's officially tank season for the Brooklyn Nets. A year and a half removed from trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, owner Joe Tsai and general manager Sean Marks turned to the page to a new era on Tuesday, trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks for a package that includes five first-round picks and a first-round pick swap.
In a separate and equally important trade, the Nets sent four first-round picks to the Houston Rockets – three of which will come from the Phoenix Suns – to regain control of their first-rounders in 2025 and 2026. The move will allow Brooklyn to tank next season in hopes of landing a top selection in a loaded 2025 draft. Marks is expected to move on from veterans like Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Dennis Schroder to further this effort while accumulating more draft capital.
But who are the highly touted prospects that the Nets are tearing down their organization for a chance to draft? Here are five names Brooklyn fans should be monitoring ahead of the 2025 draft.
5. VJ Edgecombe, SG, Baylor
VJ Edgecombe is a top-five high school prospect in the Class of 2024 who will star at Baylor next season. The 6-foot-5 wing is an explosive athlete who thrives attacking the rim and wreaking havoc as a perimeter defender. He's shown flashes of on-ball creation, and while he has room to improve as an outside shooter, his stroke looks natural and continues to develop.
Edgecombe is playing for the Bahamas in the Olympics this summer alongside Deandre Ayton, Buddy Hield, and Eric Gordon, and he hasn't lacked confidence against the NBA veterans during practice.
4. Nolan Traore, PG, Saint-Quentin, France
Nolan Trajoe is the latest French phenom after Victor Wembanyama went No. 1 in 2023 and Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr were the top two selections in Wednesday's draft. The 18-year-old looked like the most polished floor general in the 2025 draft class at the Nike Hoop Summit, showing off his elite ball-handling, court vision, and shotmaking to NBA executives.
Trajoe posted 45 points and nine assists against Barcelona during the Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals last month. The 6-foot-3 point guard is electing to stay in France next season, where he'll continue to play for Saint-Quentin in the LNB Pro A league.
3. Dylan Harper, PG/SG, Rutgers
Dylan Harper has been a household name for the last two seasons while starring at Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey. The son of long-time NBA player Ron Harper and brother of former Rutgers standout Ron Harper Jr., Dylan turned heads with stellar performances at the McDonald's All-American Game, Nike Hoop Summit, and Jordan Brand Classic.
At 6-foot-5, 228 pounds with a 6-foot-10 wing span, Harper has outstanding size for a guard. He uses his strength to consistently put pressure on the rim and effectively defend multiple positions. The 18-year-old showed improvement as a pick-and-roll decision-maker while playing primarily point guard last season. The development of his outside shot will be key to his NBA upside, but Harper's scoring and playmaking capabilities will catch the eye of every NBA GM, including the Nets'.
2. Airious “Ace” Bailey, SG/SF, Rutgers
Airious “Ace” Bailey is viewed as Flagg's top competition for the No. 1 pick after an electrifying senior season. The 6-foot-9 guard averaged 32.5 points, 15.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.4 blocks per game against a nationally-ranked schedule for McEachern High School (Georgia). He's a freak athlete who can guard multiple positions and has shown rapid improvement as an on-ball creator over the last year.
Bailey will need to grow as a decision-maker, but his combination of raw athleticism, ball handling, and shotmaking put him in serious contention for the top overall selection in next year's draft. He'll join Harper at Rutgers next season to make up what will likely be the most exciting duo in college basketball.
1. Cooper Flagg, SF/PF, Duke
Cooper Flagg is already the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 pick this time next year. The nation's top-ranked high school player out of the Montverde Academy is widely regarded as the most-hyped college prospect since Zion Williamson.
Flagg's skillset has already drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant, who raised lofty expectations for the 17-year-old in February. At 6-foot-9, he's an exceptional ball-handler and passer with a promising three-point stroke. Defensively, he uses his explosive athleticism to defend across multiple positions and make highlight blocks at the rim.
Flagg dominated the Nike EYBL 16U circuit last summer, averaging 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 4.5 blocks per game.
The Maine native reclassified following the performance, essentially skipping his senior year of high school and making the age cutoff for the 2025 draft by just 10 days. USA Basketball invited Flagg to practice against Team USA ahead of the Paris Olympics. He'll join young NBA players like Brandon Miller, Trey Murphy, Keegan Murray, Jaime Jacques, Jalen Duren and Amen Thompson on the USA Select Team.
Many NBA fans, executives, and coaches were shocked by Brooklyn's decision to trade Bridges to New York. The Nets elevated their crosstown rival to contender status next season while jettisoning themselves to irrelevance. However, landing a generational prospect like Flagg next June is the prize that would quickly justify the decision.
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