The Brooklyn Nets opted not to take the No. 23 selection in the 2022 NBA Draft that they were scheduled to receive from the Philadelphia 76ers. Instead, the Nets deferred the pick and will now be in possession of Philly’s first-rounder in 2023.
The Nets received the 76ers’ first-round selection in the 2022 draft as part of the trade that sent James Harden to Philadelphia. However, part of the agreement between the two teams was that Brooklyn could defer the pick to next year if they chose to do so. They had until midnight on Wednesday to make the decision.
The move makes sense for the Nets as they gave themselves more time to use the pick in potential trade scenarios. Also, they can wait out and hope the 76ers decline and end up being worse than they were in 2021-22. However, this also means that Brooklyn won’t have a first-rounder this year, as they sent their own 2022 selection (No. 17) to the Houston Rockets when they acquired Harden.
The 76ers receive some clarity about their short-term options on upgrading the roster that was eliminated in the second round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. The most likely scenario is that they use the No. 23 pick to trade for a veteran that could make an immediate impact.
