Nets must make obvious move to ensure they get a top-five draft pick

It felt at one point the Nets were headed for an inevitable tank, but after a string of wins and a silent trade deadline capping their floor, there’s an obvious move that now has to be made.

Brooklyn has too many selections this year, and it’s extremely unlikely the franchise keeps them all. Four first-round draft picks in 2025 sit in the Nets’ pockets, with their highest selection currently holding the seventh-best odds (8.2%) to win the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery and a 34.5 percent chance of landing within the top four.

Nets general manager Sean Marks has his eyes all over the stacked 2025 class, featuring Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey and many other elite prospects, with everything needed to trade up for the ideal fit if necessary. Yahoo! Sports analyst Kevin O’Connor admits Brooklyn doesn’t necessarily need to tank, but like many others he thinks they still should. We can all agree that a Nets play-in run would be enjoyable, but what does it mean without certainty in the long-term core of this rebuild?

Either way, Marks will be able to consolidate the picks for a top-five spot if the organization isn’t able to secure one naturally through ping-pong balls.

O’Connor also calls the idea of the Nets clinging to their collection of 2025 picks ‘crazy’, presenting one top-five projected guard as a potential target this offseason. BiB mentioned the same trending prospect to start the year among five players Brooklyn should target in the 2025 NBA Draft not named Cooper Flagg. 

Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe

Age: 19; Size: 6-5, 185 lbs.

O’Connor: “If they do end up with a top-five-ish or so pick, VJ Edgecombe — he is ascending big time to close this season. [...] Great shooter, can attack. A little bit of a creator, more of a secondary guy. Emerging, versatile defender as well. Can fit what this Nets team is doing on the defensive end as of late.” 

"Words like 'intensity', 'explosiveness' and 'bounce' are all extreme understatements when it comes to Edgecombe, the Allen Iverson Player of the Year winner who competed for the Bahamas Olympic Qualifier team in 2024. His quickness and agility applied to dominance in transition and playing above the rim, not to mention versatility guarding multiple positions, make him a more than promising two-way threat."

Trevor Ritchie, Buckets in Brooklyn

Marks scouting 2025 prospects

Marks was recently seen at the Jan. 28 matchup between Baylor and BYU, showcasing both Edgecombe and fellow projected lottery pick Egor Denim. Representatives from half of the league showed out for this highly-anticipated overtime thriller, where Edgecombe shined with 28 points, five assists, four rebounds and a block.

Rutgers is also a must-watch for Marks, who has made numerous trips to see the dynamic duo of Harper and Bailey (as recently as Feb. 5 v. Illinois).