It’s all good news about Brooklyn.
There are a lot of mock drafts out there as our ProfessorB noted in putting together his consensus Friday. One of the best is the NBA Big Board run by Rafael Barlowe. In addition to mocks, Barlowe also provides a lot of draft intelligence and on Saturday he dumped a lot of Brooklyn intelligence… all of encouraging.
In light of rumors that Rutgers 6’9” forward might very well see Brooklyn as his favorite final destination, Barlow wrote he’s not alone. For a variety of reasons.
Bottom line: it’s all good.
One thing I’ve heard consistently over the last few weeks: Brooklyn is the favorite destination for a lot of prospects—and a lot of agents.
The Nets, who currently hold four first round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, have quietly become one of the most coveted landing spots in the league. Multiple agents, parents, and prospects have expressed that sentiment to me directly. Brooklyn checks two major boxes: it’s a large market, which has potential off-court appeal in terms of brand deals and exposure, and more importantly—it offers playing time.
That at least according to various sources is why Bailey doesn’t want the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 3: he and his camp want minutes.
This is a team in the early stages of a rebuild. They’ve got draft capital, a young core, and a front office that’s looking to build through the draft. Which makes them particularly attractive to this year’s class. Outside of Noa Essengue, most of the players projected to go in Brooklyn’s range are freshmen—and for freshmen and young prospects, situation matters. Development matters. The ability to play through mistakes matters. And Brooklyn offers all of that.
Historically, player development has been a Brooklyn calling card .., even if they haven’t had a top pick. Barlowe also talks about Bailey and the Nets.
There’s also been some quiet rumblings that Brooklyn could look to move up inside the top five—potentially with an eye on Ace Bailey. That would require a deal with one of the teams currently in the top tier, but given their draft flexibility—and what agents and scouts believe is Bailey’s strong interest in landing in Brooklyn—it’s something to keep an eye on.
The opportunity will increase if Sean Marks & co. move Cam Johnson.
And if Brooklyn decides to move on from Cameron Johnson this offseason, that opens up another spot in the rotation for a young wing to step into meaningful minutes early. In that scenario, Bailey—or any rookie wing—would be in position to play through mistakes, develop on the fly, and grow alongside the rest of the Nets’ core.
Then there’s the long term prospects enhanced by all their flexibility.
Beyond that, the Nets are a team worth watching simply because of their flexibility. With multiple picks, they’re a logical trade partner for teams trying to jump into the late first round. But maybe more notably—they’re one of the few teams near the top that many players want to play for.
In a draft class that’s more about long-term development than day-one production, Brooklyn offers something that’s hard to find: opportunity and upside.
Of course, it’s all about execution and we’ll see how that works out starting Wednesday.