Nets Grab Two-Way Superstar in Recent Mock Draft

Brooklyn has won just three games in seven tries, and currently owns the third-best odds in the league, only behind the Kings and Pacers. That’s good for a shared 14% chance at the top pick, and a 12.7% chance a No. 3, which they came away with via a Feb. 22 Tankathon spin.

With AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson off the board to the Wizards and Kings, respectively, it carved a path for the Nets to take Duke’s Cameron Boozer, the last of the No. 1-level prospects.

If any consider Boozer a consolation prize at the draft, he’s likely the best we’ve ever seen. At just 18-years-old, he’s cruising toward a National Player of the Year Award with the No. 1-ranked Blue Devils, anchoring the interior with a sturdy 6-foot-9 frame.

Boozer’s averaging a mind-bending 22.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. He’s shooting 58% from the field, and 40% from three on solid volume for a big, showing touch on the interior and perimeter.

He has tremendous feel for the game and processing ability, able to create himself with strength or skill, or dish to teammates with above-average passing ability. His seven-assist, one-turnover game against then-No. 1 Michigan was especially notable, given the Wolverines’ trio of future picks.

Most simply, Boozer’s been a machine, carrying over his winning impact to college basketball seamlessly by helping the Blue Devils to a 25-2 record in total.

The reason he stands at No. 3 for most pundits is due to his stiffer athleticism, and translatability concerns in his play-style, both of which are overblown and would leave Brooklyn overjoyed with the third pick.

AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson offer premier, S-tier upside, but Boozer could very well be the best fit overall given he’ll immediately offer success at the NBA level. The Nets will be looking to win soon given the don’t own their draft capital for the foreseeable future, and Boozer would offer the cornerstone with which they could start building.

For now, the Nets will keep their eyes forward and focus on positioning themselves for the best possible odds. That process isn't fool proof, as showcased by the Mavericks cashing in on a 1.8% chance at Cooper Flagg last season, but it's all the agency they have at this point in the season.