Getty The Nets have a decision to make.
The Brooklyn Nets have a decision to make this offseason with a draft pick acquired from the Ben Simmons deal that sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers.
In the trade the Nets acquired the Sixers’ 2022 draft pick, but they had the option to choose to defer that to 2023 if they’d like. They have until June 1 to make that decision, so they don’t need to announce their plans right away, but it sounds like their mind might already be made up about it.
PhillyVoice’s Kyle Neubeck reports it’s likely the Nets will push this pick back to the next season.
“Just over a week out from the deadline, I’ve been told it’s relatively likely the Nets will opt to defer that pick to next season, a big enough chance that the Sixers are actively preparing to be armed with that chip this summer,” he wrote.
If this report is accurate, then that means the Sixers get to make a selection in the upcoming draft. They will then lose their pick next year as the Nets will take it.
Nets Likely to Defer
GettyJames Harden gained the Nets a few draft picks.
The Sixers won a three-way tiebreaker over the Bucks and Celtics which means they are picking No. 23 in the upcoming NBA Draft. The Nets might’ve decided that’s not worth it for them and are instead deciding to roll the dice on a better selection in the next year.
High-impact players can be found low in the draft, but it’s much more unlikely than simply picking at the top. A recent example of finding a good player deep in the draft is Philadelphia’s own Tyrese Maxey.
The Nets could’ve very easily looked at this year’s draft and decided to take a gamble on next year’s being better and deeper than this one. On the other hand, it’s quite a risk because Philadelphia could get their roster retooled and go even deeper in the playoffs next season, and in the process of doing that they would push the pick deeper into the first round.
In any event, the pick will be unprotected so deferring it would still guarantee the Nets the draft choice no matter where it falls.
Big Offseason Ahead
GettyBen Simmons #10 of the Brooklyn Nets warms up before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center
Whether the Nets decide to keep the draft pick for this year or not changes nothing about this being a very important offseason. There are a handful of free agents that’ll need to be addressed.
Resigning Nic Claxton is expected to be something the Nets do in the offseason, and they’ll have to also make a decision on Bruce Brown. In the case of Brown, he emerged as a key piece in the playoffs especially, and although his offense is limited, he’d be sorely missed on the defensive end if he did move on from the team.
Even if the Nets don’t make any major moves this offseason, they will still get a boon next season with the debut of Ben Simmons. It’s tough to know how he’ll fit in with the team, but at the very least the Nets will be getting a dominant defender who can guard all five positions.
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