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The New Jersey Nets enter the pre-lottery draft stakes with the No. 11 pick. Many mock drafts show the Nets taking Jonny Flynn with this pick, but there are several directions they could go with this pick.
The Nets are clearly going to get a future star in this deep draft class, but with some luck in the lottery or with other teams picks the Nets could strengthen their roster very well, and more than likely, they could become a playoff caliber team.
Jonny Flynn (age: 20, pos.: PG, H: 6’0”)
Flynn, the point guard out of Syracuse is being predicted as the Net’s first round draft pick in several mock NBA drafts. This selection seems like a good decision, to draft a guard that averages almost 18 points and seven rebounds per game, but when you think about it, is it really the best choice for the Nets.
Currently the Nets deepest position is at the point. Devin Harris is obviously the starting point guard and Keyon Dooling fills that bench spot very well. The only reason to draft Flynn is if they were planning to shop Dooling.
Hasheem Thabeet (age: 22, pos.: C, H: 7’3”)
The powerful big man out of UCONN is a very nice pick that could easily fall to the Nets at the 11th pick of their lottery pick. Thabeet plays a very good defensive center and can also put up some offense.
He averages 14 points per game, but more impressively he averages almost 11 rebounds and five blocks per game. Thabeet will make a solid center in the NBA, but the Nets spent their first round pick on center Brook Lopez, one of the top rookies this year.
Thabeet could play as a defensive specialist, or they convert him or Lopez to power forward and play Yi off the bench. Right know the Nets have an alright defensive center off the bench in Sean Williams, and have Brook Lopez who led rookies in blocks per game this season.
It is not worth using a second straight pick on a center and the Nets should look somewhere else in the draft.
Demar Derozen (age: 19, pos.: SG, H: 6’7”)
Just like former USC guard O.J. Mayo, Derozen is going to have an immediate effect to his team. Derozen plays a good shooting guard, and he also has the height to learn to play the small forward position.
In his freshman year at USC he averaged 14 points and six rebounds per game, and with some NBA coaching, he might be able to shoot the three-ball very well. Nets are looking for a small forward because right now Jarvis Hayes and Bobby Simmons both seem like they should be roll players off the bench.
The Nets need a clear cut starting small forward and with some coaching Derozen could be groomed into a pretty good one. Also Nets will continue to shop Vince Carter and if a trade occurs Derozen could become the starting shooting guard.
It seems unlikely that the Nets will be able to pick Derozen, but if he slides down just a few picks, it would be a good pickup for the Nets.
Earl Clark (age: 21, pos.: SF/PF, H: 6’9”)
Clark is a good small/power forward out of Louisville. He helped lead his team to a Big East Championship, a Big East Tournament Championship, and a Final Four appearance. Clark averaged 14 points, three assists, nine rebounds, and almost two blocks per game.
He can play both the small forward and power forward spots which the Nets seem to need upgrades in, especially if Yi doesn’t become the star that he is supposed to. He can also step outside and shoot the three, something that the Nets have had their small forwards do this season.
This overall is a good pick for the Nets, and this pick is completely plausible since right now mock drafts have Clark going 12th to the Bobcats.
Terrence Williams (age: 21, pos.: SG, H: 6’6”)
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