On June 25th, the Brooklyn Nets made a total of five first-round picks in the NBA Draft. This was the most selections made by any team in the first round in NBA history. For now, the consensus from analysts and fans is that the Brooklyn Nets completely botched this draft. The Nets picked at spots 8, 19, 22, 26, and 27 in the draft. Many people were convinced that the Nets should trade one or two of those picks, but they didn’t. The Nets proceeded to draft Egor Demin 8th overall. Followed by Nolan Traore and Drake Powell, 19th and 22nd overall. And lastly, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf, 26th and 27th overall. Which player will be the best in year 1? This article attempts to rank each of the five picks in terms of fantasy basketball next season. Let’s get into it.
Ranking the Nets’ First Round Picks for Fantasy Basketball
5) Ben Saraf – 26th Overall
To start the list, it’s going to be Ben Saraf. For me, it’s hard to imagine a world where Saraf gets significant minutes in his rookie year. Saraf is a 6’5″ guard that is 19 years old from Israel. He is very skilled on the offensive side of the ball, where his playmaking is his best offensive trait. In his latest season in Germany, he averaged 12.3 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game. The reason that I am not as high on Saraf for fantasy basketball is because he is the same type of player as somebody else later on this list. While I do like flashes of his game, he’s going to need a more consistent jumper to be playable early in his career.
4) Drake Powell – 22nd Overall
Next up is going to be Drake Powell. Powell is a 6’6″ guard from the University of North Carolina. He declared for the draft after his freshman season, where he averaged 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. The production was not very good, but the physical traits and flashes of NBA talent are definitely displayed. His best trait to me is the athleticism for sure. I can see Powell being a solid 2-way player, but his defense really stands out compared to the other traits. There is not a high ceiling or floor when it comes to fantasy basketball, landing him at this spot here.
3) Danny Wolf – 27th Overall
Right in the middle, we have Danny Wolf. Wolf was the lowest drafted player out of the five, but he is the only player who is not a guard. The best path to fantasy success is opportunity, and Danny Wolf has a path compared to the other rookies. Wolf stands at 6’11” and is 21 years old out of the University of Michigan. Wolf is a very skilled Forward/Center, being able to handle the ball and pass extremely well for his size. Throw on a Danny Wolf highlight tape, and it’s hard to not like what you see. In his last season at Michigan, Wolf averaged 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. The impressive part is that he shot 50 percent from the field and a solid 34 percent on three-pointers. Wolf can be an effective role player with upside this upcoming season for fantasy basketball.
2) Nolan Traore – 19th Overall
Ranked 2nd on this list is Nolan Traore. He is a 19 year old guard that stands at 6’5″ coming out of France. Traore has improved each year of his international career, and has shown the potential to be a great NBA player. In his last season in France, Traore averaged 11.7 points, 5.1 assists, and 1.7 rebounds per game. He is a solid playmaker and shot creator, but his athleticism is what stands out. He is extremely quick, and from an athlete perspective, he is the most NBA ready compared to his peers. This athleticism really can translate to his defense, and the Nets really need improvement on that side of the ball. Traore has the potential to start on opening night, but will it happen? If he does, he might be a sleeper for fantasy basketball this upcoming season.
1) Egor Demin – 8th Overall
Lastly, number one on this list is Egor Demin. The Nets took a huge risk at number 8 in selecting Demin. Demin is a 6’8″ guard out of BYU. He is just 19 years old, but he does have a lot to improve on. He is probably the best passer in the entire draft class, but his scoring threat and defense as a whole have to improve. Demin will likely start for this Nets team, seeing that they need a Point Guard with this current roster. Although I would not be comfortable giving the keys to an offense to Demin right now, the Nets will end up giving him the opportunity. If Demin can become a better jump-shooter, I can easily see him averaging around 8-10 points and 5-7 assists per game in his rookie year. This makes him the best fantasy basketball bet for the Nets this upcoming season.
Ranking Wrap Up
For this Nets draft class, there were five picks made in the first round alone. At least one or two of these players will become fantasy relevant in their rookie seasons, and this is how I would rank them. Egor Demin being the best bet, followed by Nolan Traore. Next, Danny Wolf with the opportunity he can potentially get. Then, comfortably behind those three players are Drake Powell and Ben Saraf. The Nets had an interesting strategy taking five players in the first round. For a team like the Nets, this isn’t a bad decision in my opinion. Overall, I do hope the Nets have found some guys for their future core. If they do, this draft will be the turning point in their recent franchise history.
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