Cooper Flagg's potential return to Duke could affect Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets are starting to shift their focus toward the 2025 NBA Draft now that the trade deadline has passed. At 20-34, the Nets are sitting 1.5 games outside the Play-In Tournament but are still tied with the sixth-best odds at the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

There's discourse on whether or not Brooklyn should make a real attempt at the postseason, even if it means the team gets bounced early and misses the playoffs. Even if the Nets make the Play-In Tournament, they'd still have four potential first-round picks in this year's draft. They'll have their own, along with picks from the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, and potentially the Houston Rockets, based on swaps and protections.

Regarding the 2025 NBA Draft, Duke freshman Cooper Flagg is making recent headlines for his comments in an interview with The Athletic. Amid the generational hype he is receiving, the 18-year-old is more than open to returning to Duke for a sophomore season.

In the interview with Brendan Quinn and Brendan Marks, Flagg said, "I want to come back next year.”

While it's not an official statement to return to play for the Blue Devils, this should pose a concern for teams in play for the 6-foot-9 forward, including the Nets. Flagg is one of the most hyped prospects within the last 10 years, averaging 19.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game for a Duke currently ranked third in the nation. He has a tremendous upside and has already shown he can run with the pros, having competed against Team USA prior to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Simply put, Flagg is the ultimate prize for any team in the lottery. For the Nets, he can be the franchise-changing player that gets them out of a rebuild sooner than people think. Combine that with the fact that Brooklyn has multiple top-30 picks this year, and you have a potential recipe for immediate success.

However, the freshman potentially returning to Duke, combined with Brooklyn's lottery odds, means the organization will likely end up selecting another player to lead the franchise. Slated just outside of the early lottery, the Nets have a better chance of selecting a player such as VJ Edgecombe (Baylor) or Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois), both fantastic options as well.

If Flagg does drop out of the 2025 class, expect Rutgers freshman Dylan Harper to be moved up to No. 1. Each team's needs will come into effect, rather than targeting the best player available in a loaded class. The Nets are desperate for a franchise point guard, forward, or center, as they already have prolific young scorer Cam Thomas. They'll still have a strong group of prospects coming in, but the thought of grabbing Flagg could disappear sooner than we know.