The 2025 NBA Draft is already stirring buzz across the league, not just for its talent pool but for the sheer number of picks certain franchises are stockpiling. This year’s draft outlook offers a revealing glimpse into long-term planning.
Front offices have been busy reshaping rosters and trading away veterans in exchange for draft capital. The result? Some teams have quietly built up a surprising arsenal of selections, positions that could reshape the future.
With contenders eyeing upgrades and rebuilders clinging to hope, the question isn’t just who will go first—but who holds the cards. The 2025 draft board is a chessboard in motion, and one team is sitting with more pieces than the rest.
Brooklyn Nets lead the pack with Draft-day firepower
No team enters the 2025 NBA Draft with more leverage than the Brooklyn Nets. Armed with five total picks—an impressive four in the first round and one in the second—the franchise has quietly built a powerful draft arsenal.
Asa Newell speaks during a Media Availability session prior to the 2025 NBA Draft at Lotte New York Palace on June 24, 2025. (Source: Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
This stockpile is the result of several calculated moves in recent seasons, where Brooklyn prioritized long-term value over short-term success, trading away veterans and capitalizing on favorable deals to secure future assets.
The impact of those decisions is now coming into focus. With four first-round selections, the Nets hold more chances than any other team to reshape their roster with young talent or to maneuver strategically through the draft.
Hot on their heels are the Utah Jazz, who trail closely with four picks across the two rounds, granting them significant flexibility. With nearly as much draft capital as Brooklyn, Utah also finds itself poised to make bold moves.
Who did the Brooklyn Nets pick in the 2025 NBA Draft?
The Brooklyn Nets are entering the 2025 NBA Draft with unmatched capital: five first-round selections and one early second-rounder. According to ESPN, the franchise is slated to pick at #8, #19, #26, #27 and #36.
Mock drafts suggest a diverse mix of prospects: at #8, the Nets are projected to select Tre Johnson, a dynamic shooting guard out of Texas. At #19, they may target Asa Newell, a highly regarded power forward from Montverde Academy.
Later in the first round, predictions have Brooklyn choosing Nolan Traoré (a rising point guard) at #26, and Hugo González, a skilled wing from Real Madrid, at #27. With the #36 pick, ESPN’s mock points to Hansen Yang from the Shanghai Sharks.
