#27. Brooklyn Nets (via Denver Nuggets) – Nicolas Claxton
With this pick, the Brooklyn Nets will be taking a swing on a high-upside sleeper that is widely believed to be more of a second-round pick than anything else.
In fact, we have previously outlined the ways in which Nicolas Claxton out of Georgia might make for an excellent upside play in the second round for the Atlanta Hawks, but in this scenario, the Nets scoop him up late in the first round with a pick acquired in the Kenneth Faried salary dump from Denver.
Claxton is only 19 years old, despite playing two seasons at Georgia, and he often served as the team’s primary offensive initiator due to the Bulldog’s dearth of options at the point guard position.
Beyond that, Claxton was an excellent defender with good size (6-foot-11, 220 pounds) and strong defensive instincts.
The Nets already have their big man of the future in Jarrett Allen, but Claxton could provide another option on the bench to offer up some size and length as well as the willingness to pull up from downtown (something Allen does not offer).
As a better ballhandler and more willing shooter, Claxton is a more modern option at the center spot for the Nets, which might serve as a harbinger for the team’s future if he pans out.