Brooklyn Nets 2025 NBA Mock Draft Roundup 2.0

The Nets were another team that hoped the lottery balls would fall their way. Still, Brooklyn can come out of the draft with an immediate contributor at pick No. 8. Fears is a crafty guard capable of filling an immediate hole in Brooklyn's backcourt.

The French forward is one of the youngest players in this year's draft. Essengue is a dynamic forward who has shown improvement as a shooter throughout his playing career and can be a standout defender at the next level. It wouldn't be surprising if Essengue is a draft riser next month.

What pops on tape from Beringer is his ability to finish consistently at the rim off pick-and-rolls. Beringer can be a great rim protector at the next level. He is also very good at contesting shots as a help defender. He will be a project at the next level, but with the right development, he could thrive. It's worth the swing at this pick.

Brooklyn has four first-round picks this year, including back-to-back picks at the end of the first round. Saraf, a southpaw guard, is a creative playmaker capable of getting others involved in the offense. Saraf earned MVP honors during the FIBA U18 EuroBasket last summer and has been rising up draft boards since.

Maluach, born in South Sudan, began playing basketball roughly seven years ago and is still a bit raw but ranked sixth in the country in offensive rebound percentage (16.5) and 2-point percentage (75.4) this past season. He measured in with a 7-foot, 6 3/4-inch wingspan at the draft combine and has a standing reach of 9 feet, 6 inches, which should intrigue teams. Maluach is one of the top defensive big men in the draft and would be afforded the time to develop with the Nets if that is the direction they go in.

Newell made a name for himself on the offensive glass throughout the season, ranking 20th in the country with his mobility and relentless pursuit down low. He is a prototypical rim-running big man with a limited offensive game outside of the paint, but he performed well in the 3-point shooting drills at the combine on Tuesday, hitting 14-of-25 in the star drill. Newell has a wide range at the moment (12-22) but could establish himself as a lottery pick with a strong predraft showing.

Ben Saraf is averaging 12.2 points, 4.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals on 45.3% shooting from the field in 47 games this season. He is projected to be a mid-to-late first-round pick, given his scoring ability, playmaking and court vision. He dazzles with his passing and innate ability to make pinpoint, cross-court passes off drives and in pick-and-roll situations. It is unclear how many of their first-round picks the Nets will ultimately keep, but Saraf would be a good addition to their backcourt if this is the direction they want to go.

Lendeborg, born in Puerto Rico, is a prospect many are keeping an eye on after declaring for the draft while maintaining his last year of eligibility. He is a two-time AAC Defensive Player of the Year and led the country in rebounding this past season. He had a tremendous day at the combine on Tuesday, shooting 16-of-25 in the 3-point star drill and 17-of-28 from the corner. He also measured in with an absurd 7-foot, 4-inch wingspan, representing one of the largest differentials this draft class (plus-7 1/2 inches). Lendeborg is scheduled to scrimmage beginning on Wednesday and will have the opportunity to solidify his place in the first round with a strong showing. If he opts to withdraw, he'll join Michigan next season.

The reality for Fears is that teams and evaluators either really love him or they don't. He's a very polarizing player for evaluators around the league, because you either believe in the upside of him as a primary ballhandler and think he can be a true top-tier option, or you don't and you think he profiles more as a backup. There are genuinely scouts and executives I've talked to who think he's a top-five upside bet in this draft because of his handle and creativity. Others see him more as a backup long-term and as a bet to take in the late teens or even the 20s.

The Nets have a roster loaded with holes, but the good news is that they seem to have found an excellent coach long-term to build around in Jordi Fernandez. Fears here would make sense, as the team doesn't really have a primary ballhandler for the long haul on its books. He is a playmaking guard who can get paint touches with his quickness and handle. However, he struggles to shoot the ball right now and isn't a great finisher, and his defense needs a lot of work. He's more of a project than a ready-made player. However, the ability to separate is there if he can improve his skill set.

This strikes me as a perfect fit for Newell. He's an all-energy big who was extremely productive at Georgia this year, averaging 15.4 points and seven rebounds as a freshman. However, his skills aren't exactly tailor-made for the NBA. He's a bit stuck positionally between the four and the five; scouts question whether he'll measure to his listed height of 6-11, and he doesn't possess a ton of length. However, he's also not all that skilled as a shooter or ballhandler at this stage on the perimeter. The Nets would be able to develop him a bit more slowly in terms of his skill set while also giving him some playing time to let his energy wreak havoc on opposing teams.

The Nets will likely just be talent searching here with their late first-round picks.

Gonzalez is a tremendous athlete playing in Spain for Real Madrid and has started to get some playing time here and there for the senior team as a teenager. He plays with an exceptional motor and just consistently plays incredibly hard all of the time. He's one of those dudes who always gives second and third efforts across the board, both on offense and defense, to get loose balls. From a skill perspective, Gonzalez shows some on-ball ability, but it's going to take time for him to get to NBA level with it. The swing skill here will be the jumper. He's good enough to be an impactful defender and off-ball player. However, he's going to have to make 3s. So far this year, he's only made 29 percent, and it's never been consistent.

Fleming very much looks the part at 6-9 with a 7-4 wingspan. He's also a very real athlete with leaping ability as well as a chiseled frame that allows him to play with force and strength on both ends. He averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, then on top of it drilled 39 percent from 3. The idea here is a 3-and-D forward who can potentially be switchable and guard across the positional spectrum while also drilling 3s. But he doesn't yet process things happening around him on the court all that quickly and needs to keep getting experience. But any team that values looking the part as well as the potential to shoot it will definitely have interest in Fleming.

Pro Comparisons: Cameron Johnson, Kevin Huerter, Corey Kispert, Saddiq Bey

Kon Knueppel has the type of consistent shooting stroke that could mesmerize during predraft workouts. And while shooting remains the No. 1 selling point, the pick-and-roll passing, driving efficiency and IQ plays create more versatility and perceived upside.

Team Fit: — The Nets are focused strictly on drafting the best player available. Knueppel has separated himself from being labeled "just a shooter" with his passing, driving and IQ.

Pro Comparison: Onyeka Okongwu

A foot injury on a big guy will draw extra attention during predraft and medical reviews. Teams will be hopeful to watch Thomas Sorber work out, since he hasn't played since February 15 and was often kept in check against ranked or NCAA tournament teams.

His finishing tools, post skill and passing were noticeably advanced throughout the season. He was disruptive defensively (2.0 blocks, 1.5 steals) and despite poor jump-shooting percentages, the confidence/comfort he showed to keep taking mid-range shots and threes was still encouraging.

Pro Comparison: Taylor Hendricks

A rough postseason for Rasheer Fleming was disappointing, though it won't blind NBA teams from his shooting development and the archetype it's helped create.

He was the only player in the country with at least 60 threes and 40 dunks (one of eight players ever), and there should be a clear stretch-4 role at the next level for a 6'9", 240-pound forward who can catch-and-shoot, finish at a high level and disrupt defensively.

Pro Comparison: Devonte' Graham

Tahaad Pettiford had a needle-moving NBA combine, measuring a 6'5.5" wingspan, jumping 42 inches and lighting up Wednesday's scrimmage with 23 points and eight assists. While his shot fell off on Thursday, his talent still popped relative to the other nine players on the floor. The ability to spots, shoot and leverage his elusiveness into playmaking made Pettiford look like a change-of-pace offensive bench spark at the least.

Scouting report: Despite his modest athletic profile, Knueppel grew on NBA teams as the season moved on, producing consistently and authoring several impressive NCAA tournament performances that highlighted his value as a skilled, versatile wing who can do a bit of everything on both ends of the floor.

He made 41% of his 3s in a variety of ways but also demonstrated his ability to handle and pass out of pick-and-roll and hold his own defensively. NBA teams are eager to see his measurements and get a better gauge on how much his lack of explosiveness and quickness puts a ceiling on his upside, even if his outstanding feel for the game should be able to carry him far. -- Givony

NBA intel and fit: The Nets pivoted in a new direction at last year's draft with the Mikal Bridges trade and are now armed with four first-round picks, as well as significant salary cap space, to jump-start their rebuild in earnest. It will be interesting to see which direction the Nets go in this offseason, as they have the flexibility to attempt to pivot toward winning quickly but could also opt for a longer rebuild with another top-heavy draft coming in 2026.

They might be disappointed to drop a few spots in the draft from No. 6 to No. 8, but they remain in the back end of a range where clear talent still exists, and they have the pieces to potentially move back up the board if they decide to get aggressive. -- Givony

Scouting report: Yet to turn 19, Beringer displayed major strides this season, with a late-blooming trajectory, excellent physical profile and intriguing long-term upside bolstering his stock. Though likely far away from being a plus contributor in the NBA, Beringer has plenty of developmental appeal as a defensive-oriented center with fluid mobility. He's quite raw offensively and would strongly benefit from landing on a team that can afford him patience and developmental minutes. -- Woo

NBA intel and fit: This is the second of Brooklyn's four first-round picks, with the team likely to be very active in trade discussions as it looks to extract value out of its strong position in this draft. But Beringer's long-term upside as a mobile paint protector would make him a nice fit with the Nets, who can afford him the minutes and attention he needs to improve. -- Woo

Scouting report: Saraf brings a potent combination of size, scoring instincts, feel for the game, aggressiveness and playmaking, showing supreme timing and creativity operating in the pick-and-roll. His sharp basketball instincts are evident in every aspect of the game.

His struggles with turnovers, scoring efficiency and porous defense against higher-level competition have caused some pause among talent evaluators about how his game might translate to the NBA ranks. -- Givony

NBA intel and fit: The Nets have a void in the backcourt, depending on what they do with their first few picks, and this situation will be considered highly attractive to any of the guards slated to be picked in this range.

With five picks in the top 36, the Nets can go in many different directions on draft night. They might elect to be a conduit for trades as they are also projected to have more salary cap space this offseason than any other NBA team. They could also take some swings on talent, picking a younger prospect in need of development, aided by minutes and opportunity to play through mistakes.

Brooklyn also holds the No. 36 pick, giving it flexibility to move around or out of the draft as value presents itself. -- Givony

Scouting report: Fleming broke out as a junior by turning in an efficient, productive season, succeeding by dint of playing hard, scoring opportunistically and providing length and resistance defensively.

He is limited with the ball in his hands and won't be called upon to create offense, but there's value in his skill set that might make him an effective glue guy in the right context. His awareness and consistency need to improve over time, but he has yet to turn 21 and took a nice step forward this season, one that should earn him guaranteed money in the middle of the draft. -- Woo

NBA intel and fit: Expect Brooklyn to look at trade opportunities, particularly with its pair of picks in the 20s, to try to extract value out of its league-high four first-round selections. -- Woo

Fears is one of the youngest players in this draft class after spending only three years in high school (he won't be 19 until Oct.), but Oklahoma trusted him enough to consistently put the ball in his hands in the toughest conference in the country. Fears delivered in a high usage role, getting the Sooners to the NCAA tournament and putting on a show in a close first-round loss to UConn. The 6'3 guard has the best combination of speed and ball handling in this class, generating paint touches at will. What happens once he beats his initial defender is often a bit of an adventure: Fears only shot 53 percent at the rim, and had a bad habit of throwing the ball all over the place with a 20 percent turnover rate. Fears should get better as a finisher as he adds strength and craft to his game, and it's promising that he's already a monster at getting to the foul line. His three-point stroke is another big question mark after hitting only 28 percent of his triples, but his willingness to shoot and touch from the foul line (85 percent) indicates that he's a decent bet to shoot it long-term. If everything comes together Fears could become a gifted advantage creator off the bounce in the NBA, but it's going to take him some time to get there.

Penda is a big wing who emerged this year as a potential first-round pick for his playmaking ability on both ends of the floor. He has fantastic defensive instincts and sharp hands (2.6 percent steal rate, 3.5 percent block rate) with an ideal frame for a pro wing at 6'8, 225 pounds, with a 7-foot wingspan. He's a good passer and smart cutter who knows how to find his way into opportunistic scoring chances. Penda isn't a burner with his foot speed and his three-point shot (34.7 percent on three attempts per game) is inconsistent but improving. He'll turn 21 years old as an NBA rookie, but his production in the top French pro league is encouraging. Teams looking for a connective wing (who isn't?) won't find many bets more appealing that Penda.

Wolf is a fascinating player as a 7-foot, 250-pound big man who mostly operated as a guard after transferring from Yale to Michigan. Wolf ran a steady diet of pick-and-rolls for the Wolverines, combining rare ball handling ability for a big man with solid passing vision and some downhill scoring skill. Wolf was also the biggest culprit of Michigan's turnover problems, finishing with nearly as many TOs (120) as he did assists (132). I'm skeptical an NBA team is going to give Wolf so many on-ball reps, and his jump shot is still shaky for a floor spacer. He hit 33.6 percent of his threes this year, but only 59.4 percent of his free throws. Wolf could be an interesting connector if his shot comes around, but his role, decision-making, and shooting are still big questions despite some lottery hype.

Saraf is a 6'5 point guard who has had a productive season as an 18-year-old in the German league playing for Ulm alongside Noa Essengue. The Israeli floor general is skilled in the pick-and-roll. He's more of a passer than a scorer, bur he does have a nice mid-range pull-up game. Saraf is a shaky jump shooter from deep (29.4 percent from three) who will need to develop more range on his jumper to keep defenses honest from going under screens and sagging off him. Still, his 32.4 percent assist rate, 2.6 percent steal rate, and 27.6 percent usage gives him a chance if he can improve on his struggles to score efficiently in the halfcourt.

For some players, the NBA is the first time they're on a team with guys who are better than them. While Johnson showed some flashes of selfishness at Texas, he may actually be better suited for the pro environment—where his plug-and-play movement shooting can be an option rather than a team's main mode of scoring. Brooklyn is very much in a soul-searching phase, so it's hard to say exactly what he'll be plugging into. But they're also in a good spot to bet on upside. Johnson will need to improve defensively to avoid being a liability, and both his finishing and ballhandling will require some work before he gets into star territory. But the shooting translates. Sometimes, it's as simple as that.

Newell is caught between glimmers of offensive promise and worries that he might simply be an energy big. The path to avoiding the latter outcome is ball skill development. We know that Newell will be active on the glass, we know he doesn't mind playing without the ball, we know his motor on defense is highly useful for a guy his size. But will he consistently shoot it to avoid being ignored? Will he physically hold his own enough to leverage those positives? He's a major upside swing, and getting that at this spot in the draft would be a coup for Brooklyn.

Philon's gait with the ball is a bit unorthodox, but he's quick and attacks open space, frequently reminding me of high-processing game managers like Mike Conley or Rajon Rondo. His shot will have to evolve so that he can avoid inevitably being dared to shoot in important games, but I trust that Philon will figure out how to coexist well enough with Brooklyn's bucket-lusting guards to become a playoff series regular.

There's chatter that Lendeborg, who committed to transfer to Michigan last month, could be persuaded to delay his NBA debut by a season and confirm that his incredible production at UAB was not the product of whipping up on lesser competition. If he stays in, his above-average rim protection for his position, connective passing, and ability to score within 15 feet would allow him to thrive as a role player in the short term for a wandering Brooklyn team while, in the long term, growing his game along with the rest of the roster.

Brooklyn with four first-round picks takes a big swing here in a high-risk, high-reward prospect in Fears. He's electric as a ballhandler and downhill attacker with some questions about how his slender frame and shot will translate.

Saraf is an Israeli guard who has acquitted himself well overseas as a scorer and playmaker at just 18 years old this season, and he's crafty in using his smarts to find open teammates. Brooklyn needs to invest in talent — regardless of how ready they are or aren't — and long-term Saraf has the tools to be a starter in the league.

Raynuad quietly flourished on a floundering Stanford team last season as one of the best players in all of college basketball. He has remarkable movement skills for his size and can space the floor with a reliable jumper to boot.

Gonzalez hasn't played or produced much for Real Madrid this season, which is mostly the byproduct of being a 19 year old on a first-place team in a legitimate professional league. But the athleticism and high-motor that's made him an intriguing prospect for years still exists and will likely be enough to get Gonzalez selected in the first round. Good flyer for a Brooklyn team with four first-rounders.

Queen is a burly big with guard-like handles who dazzles with spin moves and crafty finishes, like his game-winning leaning jumper to send Maryland to the Sweet 16. From early in his career with the Nets, he can make an impact with those interior skills. The question is how long, if ever, it'll take to translate his velvet touch to the perimeter. If he does that, he has an offensive star upside. But his interior scoring, playmaking chops and magnetic rebounding alone give him tantalizing potential. Those traits make him an intriguing fit for a team with a clean slate like the Nets.

Traoré oozes upside with his size, blazing speed and shiftiness off the bounce. And it's starting to manifest into actual production: In his last game, he dropped 21 points with seven assists to only two turnovers. And he continued to shoot the heck out of the ball too. Over his last six games, he's made 50% of his 3s. And over his last 10 games, he's made 82% of his free throws. Inefficient scoring and erratic decision-making are the big concerns with Traoré, but if he keeps this up there's a chance he won't even make it to this pick for Brooklyn to pair with Derik Queen.

Wolf is a 7-footer who ran point for Michigan, playing a slick style with risky passes and step-back jumpers that made him a highlight factory. But he's also a turnover machine and his shooting numbers are shaky, making him more of a raw bet who needs time to prove he can match his flash with substance. The Nets are exactly the type of team that would be wise to take a swing for the fences with him.

The Nets have five top 36 picks. Are they really going to keep all of them? I doubt it. But regardless of what Brooklyn does, drafting one or multiple guards could make some sense since this roster is a clean slate. Saraf has enough size that he could play with others if his shooting comes along. But for now, his best skill is his playmaking as a lefty shot-creator who relies on guile, footwork and body control.

Brooklyn will likely consolidate some of its five picks this year. But if the Nets keep this pick, Gonzalez could fit anywhere as a high-motor wing with great defensive tools and a slashing style on offense. If his jumper and handle develop, he could be a versatile two-way starter. But he barely even played off the bench overseas.