A top prospect is showing shades of Michael Porter Jr.'s situation from 2018.
Six years ago, Michael Porter Jr. had major injury concerns, causing him to drop to the Denver Nuggets at pick 14. After sitting out his rookie campaign due to back surgery, Porter Jr. developed into one of the best scorers in the NBA and served as a key piece in Denver's 2023 Finals run.
Nikola Topic, once considered a lock to go within the top-7 of this year's draft, was recently announced to have partially torn his ACL that will require surgery. This will undoubtedly cause the six-foot-six guard to drop in mock drafts, and potentially scare away teams who once were vying for his services. This is where the Nets need to jump into the mix.
Will he be able to contribute immediately? Certainly not, but Brooklyn will not be in position to heavily compete next season anyways. If they can trade into the No. 14 or No. 15 pick to snag Topic, the impact could be immense. With head coach Jordi Fernandez's new "player development-first" approach, Topic would have all the tools available to him to not only recovery properly, but develop into the star he was supposed to pre-injury. The 18-year-old possesses elite floor general ability, something the Nets desperately lack.
Sacrificing one of Brooklyn's sought after pieces, like Dorian Finney-Smith, to take a chance on the Serbian prospect who was once viewed as a potential first-overall selection would be an extremely successful kick-off to the Fernandez era, and possibly provide the Nets with a star point guard in the future.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Nets Owner Joe Tsai Opens up on the Brooklyn Nets’ on Court StrugglesTsai is not in a rush.
Read more »
Former Brooklyn Nets Coach Jacque Vaughn Buys a $2.5 Million Condo in Brooklyn’s Quay TowerFormer Brooklyn Nets coach Jacque Vaughn had paid $2.5 million for a two-bedroom home with luxe amenities at Brooklyn's Quay Tower.
Read more »
What Should the Brooklyn Nets Do with Dennis Schroder?The German point guard is still a reliable veteran, but is it necessary to keep him in Brooklyn?
Read more »
The Biggest Question Mark Surrounding the 2024-25 Brooklyn NetsA valueless asset is set to receive $40.3 million from the organization next season.
Read more »
Brooklyn Nets Could Trade With OKC Thunder To Start RebuildIf the Brooklyn Nets want to blow things up, trading with the OKC Thunder could be the right move.
Read more »
Brooklyn Nets Could use In-Season Tournament as Way Into NBA PlayoffsRaising the stakes for the In-season tournament is being discussed for the 2024-25 season.
Read more »