How will the Nets be able to build their way back into playoff contention?
The Nets ended their season with a record of 45-37, good enough for sixth place in the Eastern Conference and four games ahead of the Atlanta Hawks for a spot in the Play-In tournament. Their hopeful run in the postseason ended in a first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. The Sixers completed a sweep with a 96-88 win over Brooklyn at the Barclays Center.
“I told them they should feel extremely proud when they walk around the borough of Brooklyn,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said, via the Associated Press. “The way that we competed, we didn't make excuses this year. We figured out how to stay together. That locker room was together even until the end of the game.”
The Nets have the No. 21, No. 22 and No. 51 picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. The Nets will have plenty of opportunities to try and draft a diamond in the rough with their later picks or add some stopgap options to address some of their most prominent issues in the offseason.
How would G League Ignite forward Leonard Miller fit with the Nets? And would he be the ideal fit for Brooklyn with one of the team's first-round picks in the 2023 NBA Draft?
Size and potential
Leonard Miller, a 6-foot-10-inch forward out of Scarborough, Toronto, Canada, played in 24 games and started in 19 for G-League Ignite last season. He averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 30.5 minutes played per game, according to Basketball Reference.
The 210-pound forward scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a 130-113 win over the College Park Skyhawks in March, hitting 13 of his 17 shot attempts as he and guard John Jenkins led the team in scoring.
The Ringer Senior Staff Writer Kevin O'Connor highlighted Miller's athleticism and ballhandling in the Ringer's most recent mock draft, putting him as high as No. 12 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“Grew to 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and a strong, wide frame as a high school upperclassman,” O'Connor wrote. “He uses his length to sky above opponents for rebounds and poke into passing lanes. He could become a versatile on-ball defender if his fundamentals improve.
“Takes long strides on drives to the basket and has a fluid handle using either hand. He's at his best when attacking a closeout, attentively cutting into the paint, or pushing the ball in transition. Once he's near the rim, he shows ambidextrous finishing ability, with a preference for going right.”
Miller will need to work on this mid-range and outside shooting, but he could boost a bench that ranked dead last in the league in rebounds per game with 11.9.
Depth at the forward spots
No team can ever have enough depth at either forward spot.
Three forwards, Dorian Finney-Smith, Mikal Bridges and Royce O'Neale, are under contract for the Nets during the 2023-24 season, according to Spotrac. O'Neale is listed on a non-guaranteed contract with $2.5 million guaranteed. The deal will become fully guaranteed on July 10.
Forwards Cameron Johnson and Yuta Watanabe are among the five players on Spotrac's 2023 Free Agents list for the Nets. Johnson is a restricted free agent, while Watanabe is an unrestricted one.
Whether the Nets choose to re-sign the free agent forwards, Miller's combination of size and overall talent can make him a fantastic gamble for the Nets later in the first round. Whether he needs to return to the G-League to refine his craft or stays on the Nets' bench, Brooklyn could benefit from investing in the intriguing forward prospect for the future.
Follow Us
Subscribe