With Historic Draft Haul, Nets Would Have Been NBA’s Youngest Team Last Year

When the Brooklyn Nets made history by drafting an NBA-record five players in the first round, it became clearer than ever that the franchise is prioritizing youth moving forward.

The team currently has an average age of 23.2, which would have made them the youngest team in the NBA last year and the third-youngest in league history.

Besides their recent draft picks, who average 19.5 years old, the Nets don’t have a single player above the age of 30 on their roster. The oldest player on the team is Terance Mann, who is 28 and entering his eighth season in the league.

Back in March, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps evaluated the Nets among other rebuilding teams, explaining that unless they acquired a franchise-changing player, the team would take some time to develop.

“A couple of years, unless the Nets put the pedal to the floor this summer and acquire a star or two via trade. In that case, Brooklyn’s return to the playoffs could be immediate in a conference with plenty of r oom for another contender,” Bontemps said. “Between all of their draft picks and cap space, the Nets have a lot of options.”

Although the Nets are a really young team, they recently acquired three veterans with deep playoff experience, each bringing different attributes to the table.

In exchange for Cameron Johnson, the team’s top player from last year, the Nets acquired Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-round pick. Along with the future investment and trade capital that comes with the pick, the Nets gained a skilled scorer who will now receive his first chance to be a team’s top scoring option.

By trading for Terance Mann and Haywood Highsmith, the Nets added two strong defenders who could either be part of the rebuild or serve as trade pieces. Besides his perimeter defending skills, Mann is a lso a cerebral ball-handler who could help as a distributor if one of the rookies takes some time to develop as a playmaker. Highsmith's length and athleticism will help as Brooklyn tries to contain some of the league's top wings while Nic Claxton waits in the paint.

With intriguing rookie playmakers like Ben Saraf, Egor Demin and Nolan Traore, a potential 3-and-D contributor in Drake Powell and a versatile big in Danny Wolf, Brooklyn’s rookie core should pair with their recent veteran additions.

It may not happen overnight, but the organization's recent moves should be a sign that the franchise is trending in the right direction.