Apr 1, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; McDonald's All American West guard Darryn Peterson (22) and McDonald's All American East forward Cameron Boozer (12) pose for photos after the game at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn Images Pamela Smith-Imagn Images

Which 2026 NBA Draft Prospect Could be Best for Nets?

Originally posted on NBA Draft on SI | By Derek Parker | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Brooklyn Nets are undergoing one of the NBA’s newest rebuilds, trading off win-now players in favor of future assets, as well as gambling on a record five first-round prospects at the 2025 NBA Draft.

In doing so, the Nets surely won’t be strangers to next year’s lottery, either, and will likely vie for one of the 2026 NBA Draft’s top talents: Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa or Cam Boozer.

The three are all set to offer No. 1-level talents. But which would fit the best with Brooklyn?

3. Cam Boozer, Duke

A 6-foot-9 combo forward, Cam Boozer is set to make his mark with Duke next season, and should do well in stepping in for No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg.

He offers plenty of similarities: size, feel for the game, versatile defense and play-making. But some differences too in the fact he’s bulkier and shies more toward an interior game built around fundamentals and touch.

Boozer would be a great get for Brooklyn next draft season, though some NBA decision-makers rightfully question if he’ll end up a star in the NBA, opposed to just an impactful player.

2. Darryn Peterson, Kansas

As it stands now, Peterson likely has the most fans in terms of the No. 1 spot, offering a three-level scoring guard with more polish than almost any preps prospect in recent memory.

Darryn Peterson played three games against fellow top-three 2026 prospects Cam Boozer and AJ Dybantsa in the 2024-25 high school season.

He averaged 42 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in those games and went 3-0. Here are his best buckets.#NBADraft pic.twitter.com/D8NjvV23Pf
— Logan Adams (@LoganPAdams) August 30, 2025

He can dive-bomb the paint with incredible coordination, solid verticality and expert-level finishing, or remain on the outside with his crisp jumper. He stands at 6-foot-5 and projects to be more of a two-guard in the NBA, though he’ll command the rock both at Kansas and in the pros.

Brooklyn certainly has need of an on-ball scoring force like Peterson, though they did just take several gambles on ball-handlers in the ’25 draft. Regardless, they certainly wouldn’t pass up on Peterson if given the chance.

1. AJ Dybantsa, BYU

At 6-foot-9, Dybantsa’s stock has taken just a slight hit in recent months, with him falling from outright No. 1 to in the mix at two or three. Despite that, the handling wing still offers what is likely the highest-upside prospect in the class.

Dybantsa has more refinement needed than the other two — but a higher ceiling with size, fluidity, handling, finishing, play-making and the potential for stellar defense down the line.

With Brooklyn being such a blank slate roster, they might rather gamble on the player with the highest ceiling of the bunch, that being Dybantsa if he can hit his potential as a superstar scorer.

This article first appeared on NBA Draft on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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