00:00Are the Brooklyn Nets and GM Sean Marks starting to feel the heat to draft a franchise changer
00:05with the sixth overall pick in the NBA draft on Tuesday?
00:08Will that player even be at six or will they have to use some picks to try and move up?
00:14Well, our Nets beat writer for the post, Brian Lewis, hops on with us fresh from the NBA pre-draft
00:20presser with what options the Nets may have to hashtag Save Brooklyn Basketball.
00:26Brian, thanks for hopping on with us fresh from that presser, like I said, but I want
00:31to go back to May 28th when you had an article on the website about Keaton Wagler being the
00:38best fit for the Nets to take sixth overall.
00:41We're what?
00:42A little over 24 hours away from the draft.
00:45Is Keaton Wagler still the best fit or is he a franchise changer or both and why?
00:53Uh, I mean, listen, I'm sure they'd be very happy if, if AJ or Boozer fell to them.
00:59Um, do I think he's the best?
01:02I do.
01:02I think he can be a franchise changing player.
01:04Yes.
01:05I think he's a foundational player for them.
01:09If he's there.
01:10Um, do I have concerns with fit?
01:15Not huge concerns.
01:16No, I mean, you'd be foolish not to at least consider the fact that he didn't have a dunk
01:22all year and you've got Yegor who clearly is not the most athletic and doesn't touch the
01:30paint well, right?
01:32So there would be some question how those guys would coexist.
01:38But if we're going on best available, there's a very good chance that if they're sitting
01:44at six, he's the best available player and he would be definitely a good pick for them.
01:52I also have questions of whether he'll be there, uh, at six.
01:56As a matter of fact, more and more, I'm beginning to think he may not be there at six.
02:01It's in that tough position and you know, the Nets fell casualty of the lottery, uh,
02:06after trying to tank all season.
02:08And I also hear that, that guards, Mikel Brown and Darius A.
02:12Keff Jr.
02:13Those names have been floated around as a possible pick at six.
02:17Do you think they could possibly fall to the Nets?
02:20And let's say the Nets don't get any of these guys.
02:23What would be the backup plan then?
02:25I think there's a very good chance.
02:28Well, I would be stunned if neither of those players are available to them at six, uh,
02:35to put it in perspective, uh, Keaton Weigler, he worked out, uh, Chicago and the Clippers
02:43and then promptly canceled his workout with Brooklyn.
02:47And today, you know, the question was put to him, why did he cancel the workout?
02:52Uh, and essentially he said, well, after working out with four and five, you kind of get a feeling
02:58where you might end up.
03:00Uh, and I didn't think there was any more need to work out.
03:04So I understand that, you know, there's a lot of misinformation that goes around, uh, this
03:09time of year.
03:09Uh, and there's a danger in reading the tea leaves too deeply, but it makes one think that
03:18he's probably going to the, no worse than the Clippers at five.
03:22If that's the case, then that means there's a good chance that a cuff and Brown would be
03:29available for the Nets at six.
03:31Um, if that's the case, they're still going to end up with a very fine player.
03:37I think Brown is just a wonderful fit for them.
03:44Um, he's at that intersection of great range, great passing range, right?
03:53But also deep three point shooting and rim finishing.
03:57Um, you put those things together when you clean up the decision-making Brown would be
04:03kind of a home run pick for them at six.
04:06You were at the pre-draft pressure with everything, every player, GM, scout may have said, do you
04:14feel like there's any chances that the Nets get aggressive and try and trade up?
04:20And if they do, who do you think would be that player that Sean Marks would go all in
04:26for and trade up for?
04:29Okay.
04:30I think there's probably close to a hundred percent chance that they either do or have
04:38tried to trade up.
04:41Um, but again, there's a lot of range in there, right?
04:47Um, somebody with, who's familiar with, um, Washington's ownership has said to me that
04:56there's a very slim chance that they would trade down as far as six, mainly because ownership
05:04would not want to vex the fans, not necessarily a basketball decision, but purely a business
05:10decision, right?
05:12Um, could Brooklyn end up getting to four or five, maybe five, because people around
05:21the league think that the Clippers are open for business.
05:25Do I think it's likely that Brooklyn trades up successfully trades up from six?
05:31No, I don't think it's likely, but if they could, I listen, I think Boozer is perfect for
05:38them.
05:39If they could end up getting to three or four, I think he's perfect for them in every way.
05:45Um, but I don't think it's likely.
05:47I think the most likely scenario is they'll field offers for their number six pick.
05:55Those offers probably will not be to Sean Marks's liking and they'll end up picking at
06:02number six.
06:03I think that's the likeliest outcome.
06:05After covering this team for a year, you know what Sean Marks in ownership, you know what
06:11their vision is.
06:12Then you're at the pre-draft pressure today from what you've heard throughout your course
06:18of your sources, scouts, GMs, players, what would constitute as a successful draft for the
06:26Brooklyn Nets Tuesday night and Wednesday night?
06:30Right.
06:32Okay.
06:33Sean Marks has made a move, has made a trade.
06:37I think not within 48 hours of nine of the 10 drafts that they run.
06:43All right.
06:44So I'm not sure that it's likely that he drafts at six, 33 and 43.
06:51I think there's a good likelihood that he makes a move.
06:56I think they are trying to get into another pick in the first round.
07:02To me, successful would be coming away from the first round with either Brown or Wadler,
07:11whichever one falls to them at six.
07:14And if they can end up either packaging the two seconds or taking a first from another
07:24year and getting a second first round pick, to me, that's a, that is a resounding success.
07:33If that's what ends up happening over the next two days, that's a home run.
07:38All right.
07:40Batter up, Sean Marks.
07:41You're on the clock.
07:42Brian Lewis, thanks for joining us.
07:45Oh, thanks for having me.
07:46I appreciate it.
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