Will the Brooklyn Nets Land the Celtics the Top Pick?

Will the Nets land the Celtics the top pick?

The Boston Celtics biggest asset is arguably the right to swap picks with the Brooklyn Nets in next year’s draft. The draft is projected to be one of the best in years, and the Celtics could use that to trade for a star or try to find a franchise player through the draft. Although, unlike every other team near the bottom, hoping to land the top pick, Boston can continue to win and compete, while letting the Nets lose the games for them.

After trading Thaddeus Young to the Indiana Pacers for the 20th pick, it was evident that the Nets wouldn’t be bad this year, but really bad. It makes the Celtics’ asset worth even more as the Nets seem to be the heavy favorites to land the top pick.

Although, after adding two young guards, and having a decent offseason, are the Nets going to be that bad? According to NetsDaily, their depth chart will look similar to this:

PG: Jeremy Lin, Grevis Vasquez, Isaiah Whitehead

SG: Bojan Bogdanovic, Sean Kilpatrick, Randy Foye, Joe Harris

SF: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Caris LeVert

PF: Luis Scola, Trevor Booker, Chris McCullough, Anthony Bennett

C: Brook Lopez, Justin Hamilton

More moves could still be made, but, in a word, it’s bad. Still, in a nearly impossible rebuilding situation, new general manager Sean Marks put together a solid summer. They traded into the first round and signed a solid free agent point guard in Jeremy Lin.

Not to mention they nearly added guards Tyler Johnson and Allen Crabbe before the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively, matched their offer sheets. Adding either one would have put the Nets in a much better situation this season and in the future.

Now, they’re stuck with some veterans, nearly no depth and a lot of young players. In a year where the expectations for the Nets are now lower than the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s extremely possible that their young players – Caris LeVert, Isaiah Whitehead, Sean Kilpatrick and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson – see the bulk of the minutes.

Brooklyn isn’t focused on winning over these next two years, rather just trying to develop their young players around a good environment and possibly jump back into the first round like they did this year. With that being said, Danny Ainge should have the biggest grin on his face.

Brook Lopez and Luis Scola are a veteran front line for the Nets, but they’re most important job will be as mentors for the younger players. With Anthony Bennett probably getting his last chance in the NBA, and the Nets having high hopes for Chris McCullough, I wouldn’t be surprised if they saw the bulk of the minutes at power forward. McCullough, the Nets first round pick last year, has a good chance of eventually taking over the starting power forward spot as Brooklyn love his potential.

Besides, in 76 starts with the Toronto Raptors last season, Scola was mediocre, at best. He contributed 8.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, and I wouldn’t expect much more from the 36-year-old. He has always had good health throughout his career – has only missed 15 games in his career – but he’s past his prime and doesn’t provide much value to the Nets in the long run, besides being a veteran in the locker room.

The Nets will likely continue to try to move Lopez at some point in the year, as well. Even though he has an injury history, he has played in at least 70 games in each of the past two seasons and added 20.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game last season. With only two-years left on his deal, his $21M this season and $22M next season isn’t terrible. Moving him this season or next offseason will be a priority, especially if it nets them a first round pick.

While it would be a step in the right direction for the Nets, it would also only make them worse and help Boston, as well. When it comes down to it, it’s really hard to find any positives about the Nets’ roster.

Their rookies Isaiah Whitehead and Caris LeVert both have potential, however it’s hard to imagine them having great rookie seasons. Not to mention LeVert’s injury history at Michigan, which dropped him out of the lottery.

Also, in an injury-riddled rookie season, Jefferson only played in 29 games for the Nets, but his 21.2 minutes per game and 17 starts should help him as a sophomore in the NBA. Still, he’s far from a veteran and will have an up-and-down campaign similar to a rookie.

With Ben Simmons heading to Philadelphia, and Brandon Ingram forming one of the most intriguing back courts in Los Angeles, neither should be that big of a threat to taking the top pick away from the Nets. Although, after the Sacramento Kings drafted potential in the draft and didn’t address their back court, they’ll also be in the running for the top pick.

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With Rajon Rondo gone, Darren Collison is set to take over the point for the Kings. They’ll likely regress from their 33 win season last year, but with DeMarcus Cousins still on the roster, it’s hard to see them finishing below the Nets. Brooklyn’s best player is an aging big man with an injury history, at least the Kings still have a youthful star in his prime.

Sean Marks has done everything right this offseason. He got them back in the draft, added a couple of veterans to mix in with his younger players and nearly signed two free agents who would have significantly helped them. If the Nets signed Tyler Johnson and Allen Crabbe, then I think they’d land around the fifth pick in the draft.

However, now they’re looking at the bottom of the standings. Besides last season when the 76ers only won 10 games, the team with the worst record usually hovers around 15-to-17 wins. Coming off a 21-win season last year, it’s very possible the Nets don’t even reach 15 wins this year. Also, the team with the worst record has only landed the top pick 18.8 percent of the time in the draft lottery’s history – making it far from a sure thing that Boston will get the top choice.

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Unless Linsanity re-emerges in Brooklyn, or LeVert comes out firing as a rookie, Brooklyn should be at the bottom of the standings. The Celtics are still in as good of shape as anyone, and should keep selling their pick as the probable top pick.

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