Nets, Wizards Set to Clash in Possible 'Cooper Flagg Bowl'

The leaguewide expectation is both franchises will compete for the NBA's worst record.

Mar 27, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) makes a move to the basket during the second half on Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets' second preseason matchup will be a good indicator of where the franchise can expect to land in the 2025 draft lottery.

Set to face off with the Washington Wizards, who like Brooklyn, are projected to to finish around the 20-win mark after 2024-25, the Nets can establish themselves as true suitors for the prize of next season's draft class.

While it sounds strange to speak of Brooklyn contending for a player in the same jargon they would a title, Cooper Flagg is that big-time of a prospect. The 6-foot-9 forward is set to embark on his freshman year at Duke, and barring injuries, will have a Zion Williamson-esque impact on both collegiate and professional landscapes.

The Nets' decision to enter a complete rebuild this past summer positioned general manager Sean Marks and company to obtain the right to select Flagg, completely changing the course of Brooklyn's future.

That said, Jordi Fernandez's backcourt experiment of Ben Simmons and Dennis Schröder may be too much for Washington to handle, potentially shifting the power dynamic at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Yes, it's just a preseason game. No, it doesn't necessarily foreshadow what's to come once the regular season commences.

The matchup at Barclays should at minnimum provide some indication of which franchise should be viewed as the Flagg front-runners as late October rapidly approaches.

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