Nets Stay Silent in Round One of 2024 NBA Draft

After being rumored to trade into the draft, Brooklyn was quiet on the opening draft night.

Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Jarrett Allen (Texas) is introduced as the number twenty-two overall pick to the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 NBA Draft saw a flurry of picks and trades that had fans buzzing all night. In a draft that expected the unexpected, players were moving up and down draft boards, and now night one has officially concluded. The Brooklyn Nets decided to stay silent amidst all the noise.

The Nets came into the draft fully rebuilding, after trading Mikal Bridges to the Knicks for a haul of first-round picks, and then acquiring their own 2025 draft pick back from the Houston Rockets. Going into draft night, there were rumors of Brooklyn engaging in trade talks to deal into the first round, but alas, walk away with nothing.

The Nets have 15 first-round picks spanning across six years. There really wasn't any pressure for Brooklyn to trade into last night's draft, as the class was generally seen as a weak one. The players that the Nets could've targeted would have likely not been franchise-changers.

It is worth noting, however, that the Cleveland Cavaliers were, and still might be interested in forward Cam Johnson, per Chris Fedor of cleveland.com. Additionally, Johnson was in talks to be moved for the 13th pick in the draft via the Sacramento Kings (per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee), which they used to select Providence guard Devin Carter.

Johnson could still be moved this offseason, as the 28-year-old has lost his place on the roster, with a contract worth up to $23.6 million per year.

I’m told the Sacramento Kings are still engaged in trade talks involving the No. 13 pick in the NBA draft. The two names I’m hearing right now: Washington Wizards small forward Kyle Kuzma and Brooklyn Nets small forward Cameron Johnson.

— Jason Anderson (@JandersonSacBee) June 27, 2024

It seems like there wasn't much emphasis on getting into the draft for Brooklyn, despite being in a rebuild after completing the Bridges-Knicks trade. The organization will have four first-round picks in next year's highly-touted draft, and Nets fans are already keeping an eye on prospects such as Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and Dylan Harper.

Updated list of Nets' first-round picks:

2025 (own)
2025 via MIL (Top-4 protected)
2025 via NYK
2025 (least favorable of PHX/HOU/OKC)
2026 (own)
2027 via NYK
2027 via PHI (Top-8 protected)
2027 (HOU can swap)
2028 (most favorable of BKN/PHX/NYK)
2029 via NYK
2029 (own)
2029… https://t.co/43tua9OoVM

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) June 26, 2024

The general conclusion from the 2024 draft is that because players are and have been moving up and down draft boards so much, this weak class isn't a priority for the Nets as they look to find a suitor for Johnson, and perhaps other veterans. A player already on their team was a bigger concern, as Nicolas Claxton was reported to be returning to Brooklyn on a four-year, $100 million deal.

Nic Claxton intends to a sign a four-year, $100M to return to the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 26, 2024

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