Next month's supposedly loaded 2025 NBA Draft could have multiple future All-Stars.
While Duke phenom Cooper Flagg appears to be a no-brainer to be selected with the No. 1 pick by the Dallas Mavericks, questions abound about where the rest of the expected top prospects will line up.
The San Antonio Spurs, who possess the No. 2 pick, could use that selection in a trade to acquire a win-now superstar, which the team could then add to its All-Star core of Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox.
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The Philadelphia 76ers, who boast the No. 3 pick, already have a very talented squad - on paper, at least - and may look to move down in the draft.
One team that many pundits mentioned during the NBA draft combine in Chicago earlier this month is the Brooklyn Nets, per insider Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
The Nets currently have a whopping five picks in this year's draft: the Nos. 8, 19, 26, 27, and 36 selections. It's unclear how many of those selections Brooklyn will want to keep.
Given that Brooklyn has significantly scouted Rutgers star Dylan Harper, the projected No. 2 pick, many have wondered if the Nets may be able to finagle a trade with the Spurs for the rights to that selection.
Harper's father, five-time league champion guard Ron Harper, even weighed in on the possibility of him playing in Brooklyn, noting that there is always "a chance" that the Nets could trade into the No. 2 pick thanks to a boatload of assets the team added in its Mikal Bridges trade to the New York Knicks last summer.
That said, a source told Lewis that any chatter of a potential trade for the No. 2 selection was "all BS and rumors." Another source expressed skepticism that the Nets and Spurs could figure out a deal.
Lewis considers the Philadelphia 76ers (who possess the No. 3 pick), the Utah Jazz (who have the No. 5 pick) and the Washington Wizards (who have the No. 6 pick) to be the likeliest landing spots for Brooklyn.
During a new conversation with New York Post Sports' Brandon London, Lewis expounded on the realistic options available to the Nets.
"I think [pick Nos.] 1, 2, 4, and 7 are probably all off the board, realistically speaking," Lewis said.
The lowly Charlotte Hornets, who haven't made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season, have the No. 4 pick, and will happily take yet another swing at lottery gold.
The New Orleans Pelicans, whose best player, Zion Williamson, has played over 30 games in just two of his six pro seasons, are expected to stay locked in with their current No. 7 selection.
"The Sixers could move the pick at 3, that's not impossible," Lewis said. "I think it would be hard to get, and I'm not sure whether it would be worth what you're going to have to give up to get it."
Following seven consecutive playoff seasons with All-Star Joel Embiid in tow, Philadelphia fell back to earth with a resounding thud in 2024-25. Embiid, plus fellow All-Stars Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, were barely made available. The team finished 24-58 and managed to move up in the draft lottery. Philadelphia general manager Daryl Morey may think his current core still has a chance to compete for an NBA Finals berth if healthy - but that's a big "if."
It may just behoove Morey to hold onto that pick and grab a top young prospect. Still, there's a world in which they could do that: specifically, a trade down to the No. 8 pick.
Per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Philadelphia is still considered likely to prefer to remain in the lottery even if the team does trade down from the No. 3 selection, as the Sixers are still hoping to add a talented young player to their current roster.
Lewis observed that the Utah Jazz, who have the No. 5 selection this year, could be open to wheeling and dealing.
"Now at 5, maybe. Danny Ainge, he's in possession of that and you know he's always willing to deal," Lewis said. "There are credible reports out of Washington that the Wizards could conceivably be willing to move off of 6. That makes sense. They've had, what, maybe seven straight losing seasons?"
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Lewis is exactly right: Washington has finished with a sub-.500 record every year since its uninspiring 43-39 run in 2017-18.
The Wizards did wind up with the Nos. 2 and 14 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, which they used on big man Alex Sarr and guard Bub Carrington.
"But I do think it's also important to remember that moving up doesn't just entail going from 8 to whatever," Lewis noted. "They do have five picks. And it's also, for some of these same reasons, it's hard to envision them rostering five rookies, and trying to actually develop five rookies at the same time. So I think what's also feasible is the idea of packaging some of those lower first round picks... maybe with future picks, or maybe with veterans, and trying to move up and get a second lottery pick."
More Brooklyn Nets News:
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For general NBA news and rumors, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
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This story was originally published May 28, 2025 at 11:32 AM.