The 2026 NBA Draft is shaping up to be one of the deepest classes in recent memory. After the 2025 iteration was littered with spectacular talent like Cooper Flagg, Kon Knneupel, and Dylan Harper, many teams are hoping for a similar, if not better, haul this year.
However, even in such a deep class, one team couldn’t make its first five draft picks count. As a result, it doesn’t want to take any chances and wants to jump into the top four to take a relatively risk-free prospect.
Brooklyn Nets Enamored by the Top Four in the 2026 NBA Draft
Last year, the Brooklyn Nets created history. Making five picks in the first round of the draft, they became the first team ever to achieve such a situation. However, none of the five have truly panned out.
While the group of Egor Denim, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf, and Nolan Traoré has shown flashes, they aren’t franchise cornerstones in the way the Nets hoped.
As a result, the latest report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype suggests that the team doesn’t want to take any risks this year. Instead, he revealed its intention with a loaded talent pool.
“The Brooklyn Nets have attempted to move up into the top-four range of the NBA Draft by dangling their No. 6 pick with future first-round draft picks, league sources told HoopsHype.”
Moreover, at their current spot, they remain a bit of a wild card with their selection, given the wide array of talent that has already been linked to the franchise.
“Should Brooklyn remain at six, who they’ll select is a bit of a mystery to teams around the league, considering the Nets have been linked to guards Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff, Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings, forward Nate Ament, and center Aday Mara at various points.”
But even with the roster needing help at virtually every position, the Nets are going to have problems with every name. Wagler, Acuff, Brown, Flemings, Ament, and Mara are among the most sought-after prospects in the class.
As a result, they might want to bypass the competition and have free rein over their selection by jumping some of the teams ahead of them. It remains to be seen if any team bites at their offer.
But with teams like the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder showcasing the model of hoarding draft picks, it is interesting that the Nets are willing to sacrifice their capital for some immediate relief.
