The Brooklyn Nets finished the 2024-25 season 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 26-56 record and secured the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Brooklyn acquired three additional first-round picks after multiple trades, and PFSN’s latest mock draft predicts the team will add “the best shooter in the draft” with its first.
Nets Expected To Select Kon Knueppel With Eighth Overall Pick
The Nets’ big move at the 2024 NBA Draft was trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks. Brooklyn traded Bridges, Keita Bates-Diop, the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet, and a second-round pick to New York for three players and multiple picks.
The picks included two 2025 first-rounders, a 2025 second-round pick which originally belonged to Brooklyn, New York’s first-round picks in 2027, 2029, and 2031, and a first-round pick swap in 2028.
Bridges and the Knicks are still alive in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Nets are preparing for a big first night of the 2025 NBA Draft.
How will Brooklyn look to replace Bridges? PFSN’s Brandon Austin predicts the Nets will add Duke’s Kon Knueppel with the eighth overall pick in his latest NBA mock draft that was published on May 24.
The idea that Kon Knueppel can’t create with the ball is an illusion.
Knueppel isn’t flashy. He doesn’t waste dribbles and uses his footwork and strength to carve out angles to the rim.
The handle is solid and the threat of his shooting forces defenses to close hard. pic.twitter.com/vCA6U4vreq
— Latif Love (@realLatifLove) May 16, 2025
Austin wrote, “It will be interesting to see what the Brooklyn Nets do with their four first-round picks, but it would be nice to see them come away with a potential building block at No. 8. They should be focused on drafting the best player available in this spot.
“Kon Knueppel may not be a flashy selection, but he has the tools to be a reliable contributor early in his career. Knueppel is a high-floor wing prospect known for his elite shooting, physical toughness, and refined offensive game. Widely regarded as the best shooter in the draft, he combines deep range with a lightning-quick release and soft touch, making him an immediate floor-spacing weapon and a dependable long-term piece.”
Knueppel averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 47.9% from the field in his one year at Duke. He shot 40.6% from beyond the arc last year and was named to the All-Region team in Duke’s run to the Final Four.
Austin continued, “While he can thrive as a catch-and-shoot threat, Knueppel’s offensive game goes beyond just spotting up. In the halfcourt, he uses ball fakes, precise footwork, and strength to generate looks, even without elite athleticism. His athletic limitations may cap his defensive versatility and self-creation potential, but he compensates with strong positioning, toughness, and awareness.
“He reads the game well and consistently finds ways to contribute without dominating the ball. Knueppel’s decision-making, pick-and-roll passing, and efficient driving could make him a well-rounded offensive presence for a team searching for its identity.”
If Brooklyn selects Knueppel, he could become the first piece in the team’s rebuild. Knueppel isn’t the same level of player as his Duke teammate, Cooper Flagg, but he can be an effective piece that gets the Nets back to the playoffs.
