The Brooklyn Nets surprised many on draft night by doubling down on a specific archetype, which is pass-first guards. After selecting Russian point guard Egor Demin with the No. 8 pick, Brooklyn stayed on the theme at No. 19 by taking French floor general Nolan Traoré.
The 19-year-old from Saint-Quentin brings speed and vision but also some serious questions. With a crowded backcourt already in place, this pick feels like a swing and one that could either connect or confuse.
Nets Stack the Backcourt With Nolan Traoré
The Nets clearly had a plan in mind entering the 2025 NBA Draft. But the execution raised some eyebrows. After selecting Demin, a tall, pass-first point guard with shooting limitations, the Nets returned to the well with Traoré, a player with strikingly similar traits.
Traoré, taken with the No. 19 pick, averaged 11.6 points, 5.1 assists, and 1.7 rebounds last season for Saint-Quentin in France’s LNB Élite. The 6’4” guard boasts elite speed, exceptional ball handling, and a smooth feel for orchestrating offense.
With his quick first step and sharp vision, he can easily shred defenses and set up teammates. He’s a natural floor leader, and at just 19, the upside is obvious. But that doesn’t erase the overlap.
Nolan Traoré is selected 19th overall by the @BrooklynNets in the 2025 #NBADraft presented by State Farm!
Watch on ABC & ESPN. pic.twitter.com/AW3NsOraVY
— NBA (@NBA) June 26, 2025
Brooklyn already had backcourt youth in Cam Thomas and Keon Johnson. Adding Demin was understandable since in a rebuilding situation, taking a big, versatile playmaker made sense.
But drafting another ball-dominant, pass-first guard, especially one who shot just 29.7% from 3-point range in his career and has a slow, mechanical release, feels like a puzzling move for a team trying to balance talent with fit. It creates a crowded backcourt of players who all need the ball but don’t yet stretch the floor.
Still, the Nets appear committed to building around size and two-way potential in their guards. Traoré, like Demin, isn’t polished yet, but his physical tools suggest something big could be unlocked with patience.
His defense remains inconsistent, and his finishing at the rim needs polish. But the framework is enticing. A tall playmaker with length and a high basketball IQ is hard to find, and Brooklyn now has two.
The pick also carries symbolic weight. No. 19 was acquired from the Knicks in last year’s blockbuster trade that sent Mikal Bridges across town. Using it on a player who will need time to develop, rather than immediate help, signals Brooklyn is embracing a full rebuild, leaning into long-term upside instead of short-term fixes.
That said, it doesn’t mean it’s without risk. Traoré and Demin, while promising, are both pass-first players who struggle with outside shooting. In today’s NBA, spacing is non-negotiable. Building a backcourt around two playmakers who can’t stretch the floor could create more problems than solutions.
Still, the Nets are betting on traits. Both guards are young, moldable, and bring skills that don’t show up in box scores.
