Mock Draft: Nets Locked in at No. 8, Confident They'll Land Targeted Prospect

While the Nets have been viewed as a prime candidate to move up in this year’s draft, there is also a chance they already have their eyes set on a specific prospect they believe will be available if they simply stay put.

In a recent mock draft by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, the Nets are projected to remain at No. 8 and select SEC Freshman of the Year Tre Johnson. Based on their comments, it seems the Nets aren’t locked into moving up, especially if they can get their preferred player at No. 8.

"Nets are signaling to teams around the NBA that it's unlikely they move down from this pick, as they are guaranteed to end up landing a player they've targeted throughout the draft process. The front office is not deterred by the idea of adding five first-rounders, a scenario that is certainly in play right now," Woo and Givony said. "There's a "wide open space" in Brooklyn for young players to come in and compete for immediate playing time with a coaching staff led by Jordi Fernandez that is friendly to the idea of developing young talent."

Last season, Johnson averaged 19.9 points and 2.7 assists per game while leading the SEC in scoring and posting the second-best three-point shooting percentage in the conference. As a recruit, he was a consensus five-star and the fifth-best player in the country, according to ESPN.

In Yahoo Sports’ two-round mock draft, Kevin O’Connor compared Johnson to Tyler Herro, an All-Star and former Sixth Man of the Year. Since entering the league, Herro has developed into more of a three-level scorer rather than simply being effective from beyond the arc. O’Connor noted that while Johnson needs to improve defensively, the 6-foot-6, 190-pound guard can make scoring look effortless.

“Smooth shooter off of movement, whether it’s movement threes off the catch, moving away from the basket, or step-backs off the dribble going to his left or right. He’s even effective scoring from the post, getting into fadeaways and turnarounds,” O’Connor said.

The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft will start at 7:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 25.