'Can Afford to Wait for the Right Star': Nets Eye Upside in 2025 NBA Draft

Brooklyn lacks a true centerpiece, but with flexibility and a 2025 lottery pick, the Nets are positioned to draft for upside and wait for the right star to emerge.

Jun 20, 2019; Brooklyn, NY, USA; NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum speaks prior to the second round of the 2019 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The media are no longer the only individuals speculating about the Brooklyn Nets possibly taking a swing for a superstar this summer.

Tuesday morning, ESPN's Jeremy Woo and Jonathan Givony released their potential picks for each lottery team, and Woo revealed Brooklyn's counterparts are preparing for the franchise to make a big move.

"The buzz from rival teams has been the Nets aren't planning for a true long-haul tank, even after reacquiring their own picks last summer," Woo wrote. "The Nets have the most cap space in the league this offseason, but with a top-heavy 2026 draft on the horizon and a roster in need of major modifications in order to compete for a playoff spot, patience is still a virtue here."

Brooklyn theoretically would be able to chase any free agent it chooses this summer, albeit in a likely thin class. Jonathan Kuminga is the most logical target, but there isn't much starpower available that would be a good fit outside of the Golden State Warriors' restrcted free agent.

"Brooklyn, currently lacking a centerpiece-caliber player, is in position to swing for upside with this pick regardless of where it falls in the lottery as it figures out what the next iteration of its team will look like," Woo continued. "The Nets can afford to wait until the right star becomes available to shift gears."

ESPN listed Texas' Tre Johnson as the "most likely pick" if the Nets win the sixth-overall selection, a move that would signal the "best player available" approach. Brooklyn has the privilege of choosing near the top of a stacked draft class and likely comes away from the June 25 event with an improved roster, regardless of if Johnson is the pick or not.

Any prospect chosen could ultimately be utilized in a massive haul for the "centerpiece" Woo mentions, especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo asks out. The "Greek Freak" has been and remains "plan A for the Nets," per Brian Lewis of the New York Post, and Brooklyn's 2025 draft class could play a major role in GM Sean Marks and the team's front office making that plan a reality.