Best Case Scenario Draft Pick Possibilities for Brooklyn

Major uncertainty surrounds the 2020 NBA draft due to the coronavirus pandemic, but franchises with nonetheless will be compiling plans on who to pick when it arrives, the Brooklyn Nets as much as any other.

The team went 30-34 before the NBA season was suspended because of COVID-19, and it remains unknown as to if or when the campaign will be resumed as things stand.

This year's Draft Lottery is scheduled for May 2020, with the Draft itself to take place the following month, but it's anyone's guess when those events will actually go ahead.

Brooklyn is slated to go 20th in the running order as things stand and will likely miss out on much of the higher-profile prospects. but there's still value to be had in the class of 2020.

Much can change in the months to come, but a selection of realistic recruits stand above the rest for the Nets this year.

New Jersey residents can bet on which player will be drafter No. 1 in 2020 with New Jersey online sportsbooks such as Unibet.

Saddiq Bey (Villanova, SF)

A unanmous pick for First Team All-Big East at the end of the 2019-20 regular season, Villanova Wildcats wiz Shaddiq Bey could welcome an antidote to a Nets side that needs a player of his profile.

Kevin Durant's injury-forced absence hardly helped matters, but the pressue on him and Kyrie Irving to produce points as the obvious poster biys has to be eased.

Bey averaged a three-point percentage of .451 in 31 games last season—up from .374 the previous year—and would be joining a team that’s been fourth-worst in the NBA in that sector during 2019-20.

Paul Reed (Depaul, PF)

Defense is certainly one area where the Nets look as though they could use help if they stick with a first-round pick. Brooklyn ranked 27th in the NBA for steals per game this season (6.5), and their  blocks-per-game count (4.6) wasn’t far superior, sitting 21st out of 30 teams.

Enter, Paul Reed.

DePaul endured a torrid second half of the 2019-20 campaign, but Reed continued to stand out among his peers and had just enjoyed an MVP performance in the Big East Tournament win over No. 7 Xavier when play was suspended, scoring 23 points and recording 12 assists.

The power forward registered 1.9 steals, 2.6 blocks and 2.3 turnovers per game to showcase his talent out of possession, and there’s plenty of potential there to suggest an improved shooting game could see him fashion into a prized all-rounder.

Nico Mannion (Arizona, G)

An outside bet to make it as far down as 20th in the draft, but Arizona standout Nico Mannion looks to have considerable upside if earlier teams opt to not select him.

NBC analyst Rob Dauster broke down Mannion’s passing range and shooting ability in particular after he starred in a win over Illinois in November, one of numerous star displays from the freshman this past season.

The Wildcats gem—a native of Siena, Italy—has spent most of his formative years in Arizona, but 19-year-old Mannion could be a fitting understudy to fellow guard Irving.