Nets Reportedly 'Highly Unlikely' to Trade Up to No. 2 NBA Draft Pick for Dylan Harper

As the Brooklyn Nets continue building for the future, they reportedly aren't likely to trade up for one of the most promising players in this year's draft class.

Per the New York Post's Brian Lewis, there isn't much of a possibility that the Nets will try to trade up from No. 8 to No. 2 to take Rutgers star Dylan Harper.

"Unlikely. Matter of fact I might even go highly unlikely," Lewis said. "That's from multiple sources. You never say never, but I think that's something that I wouldn't count on seeing happening. Trading up? Maybe. And I'm sure they'd love to have Dylan Harper, but the odds of him landing here in Brooklyn, not very good."

The Nets have plenty of draft capital thanks to an abundance of picks they've received in trades recently. Along with their own No. 8 pick and No. 36 pick, they have the Milwaukee Bucks' No. 19 pick, the New York Knicks' No. 26 pick and the Houston Rockets' No. 27 pick.

Brooklyn also has eight first round picks from 2026 to 2030.

But the Nets could be thinking bigger than trading up for a prospect in this year's class. They might be looking to exchange those picks for one of the best players in the league this offseason.

It's no secret that Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Bucks is uncertain heading into the offseason, and a team like Brooklyn could very well be in the mix.

Lewis reported in March that the former MVP has long been a target for the Nets and will be their "Plan A" if they decide to part ways with their many draft picks this summer.

Even if the Nets wanted to trade up to No. 2 for Harper, the San Antonio Spurs might not be willing to part with that pick. ESPN's Jonathan Givony noted earlier this month that the Spurs are "excited" about drafting Harper and aren't seeking a trade for their No. 2 selection.

If Brooklyn wanted to slide up to No. 2, it would likely take a big haul considering San Antonio's fixation with Harper. Instead, it seems more likely the Nets will use a chunk of their draft capital in a different trade.

In his latest mock draft, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projects the Nets to stay put at No. 8 and take Noa Essengue out of the German BBL.