2025 NBA Draft: Nets Target Jakucionis, Demin, Yang in New Mock

The Illinois freshman averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3.7 turnovers and 1.2 ‘stocks’ per game this season. Jakucionis could be the draft’s best pick-and-roll playmaker. He racked up 501 possessions as the pick-and-roll ballhandler this season. The Lithuanian prospect was measured at about 6-foot-5 barefoot with a near-6-foot-8 wingspan at the Draft Combine.

Jakucionis is a creative passer who can toggle between playing on- and off-the-ball as a guard. He’s a capable scorer with a penchant for getting to his stepback three, although he can also drill spot-ups. This also means that he must keep developing his in-between game. Going forward, Jakucionis must cut down on turnovers and it’s unsure which position he can defend at a high level in the NBA.

“League sources have indicated that the Nets have entertained moves up and down the board. They have four first-round picks this year and as much ammunition as anyone to get the players they want,” The Athletic added. 

The Nets draft another guard at No. 19 in this mock draft exercise with Egor Demin. Demin played the point guard at BYU, like The Athletic mentions, but he might be more of an overall ballhandler in the NBA. He has been linked to Brooklyn throughout the draft process and would give head coach Jordi Fernández a stable table-setter. Demin is possibly the best passer in the draft.

The questions come with his three-point shot and space separation. NBA teams are curious to see how Demin shoots from deep after an inconsistent season at BYU. He’s shot the three-ball better in previous settings, and has seemingly been shooting well in private workouts. 

The Russian prospect “could go anywhere from the back half of the lottery to No. 21,” per The Athletic. Demin posted 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.9 turnovers and 1.6 ‘stocks’ per game as a freshman. He previously played for Real Madrid’s academy in Spain.

Brooklyn’s third theoretical pick of the night goes to yet another guard in the form of Nolan Traoré. The French speedster is a walking paint touch, albeit with efficiency questions. He’s also a very sturdy passer; however, his system at Saint-Quentin likely inflated his numbers to some extent, even if Traoré is a decent playmaker. 

The Athletic said: “It’s very possible he’ll be on the board for the Nets when they pick at No. 19. Here, they get lucky and get him all the way down at No. 26 as a value pick.” 

The Nets played without a point guard for most of last season, particularly once Ben Simmons and Dennis Schröder left the team. D’Angelo Russell was rerouted to Brooklyn, but was constantly injured. Keon Johnson was having to deputize at the 1. Traoré, who first broke out as a draft prospect last year, could be an answer.

Brooklyn deviates from their ‘all-guard’ strategy in this mock by selecting Drake Powell at No. 27. The North Carolina freshman had a very quiet one-and-done season under head coach Hubert Davis, but that’s really because Powell was barely spotlighted on offense. He had a tiny 13.3 USG% that largely relegated him to taking spot-up threes.

Still, Powell showcased his defensive intensity and switchability. He moves around the perimeter very easily to use his long arms and bounce for disruptive purposes. The 19-year-old has a chance of going in the late first round, but he’ll have to produce as a scorer in the NBA. 

The Nets’ last pick and their only second rounder, No. 36, is Hansen Yang. The 19-year-old dominated for Qingdao in China’s first division, averaging a double-double of 16.2 points and 10 rebounds to go with 2.8 assists and 2.7 blocks per game. Yang can finish plays, get his own bucket in the post and make others better through his passing. 

The Chinese prospect was one of the most interesting stories at the Draft Combine. He was in great shape and played very well in the five-on-five scrimmaging portion of the event. Yang has subsequently worked out for a vast array of teams, including Brooklyn, reportedly. He would fit what head coach Fernández wants from his bigs on offense, and he appears to embody what Nets owner Joe Tsai wants to do in terms of helping bring the best Chinese athletes to the United States.

Yang’s defense and stamina will have to keep improving. It’s hard to imagine him surviving the pace of this year’s NBA Finals, for instance, even if he worked hard on his body. Yang can turn like a cruise ship when he’s guarding the pick-and-roll sometimes. As a rebounder, he puts up numbers and he’s a huge individual, but his production on the glass in China often happens because he’s the biggest and most skilled player on the court. It will be harder when it comes to technique and effort going forward.