If one word has filtered through the approach to this year’s draft for the Nets, it’s “athlete.” When you have a point guard like Deron Williams running the show, you want to surround him with as many athletes as possible.
So the Nets, who pick 27th and 36th, brought in six athletic types yesterday — two guards and four power forwards — for the first group of draft workouts. And among the pack were two players, UCLA combo guard Malcolm Lee and Wisconsin shooting power forward Jon Leuer, who have shown up either directly on in close proximity to the Nets in several of the mock drafts. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that those two have experience — Leuer is a four-year guy while Lee played for three.
“Lee is quick. Very, very quick and in their system, the way Ben [Howland] coaches, usually they’re a very controlled halfcourt offense so you see some explosive quickness,” said Nets general manager Billy King, not the only one with that assessment of the 6-foot-5 guard who shot .441 for his Bruins career.
“He’s really quick and crafty,” said Pepperdine’s Mychel Thompson, a guy King said “just knows how to play” and the other guard yesterday whose father is the former pro and whose brother, Klay, is a projected first rounder.
Also working yesterday were VCU’s Jamie Skeen, St. Louis’ Willie Reed and Florida’s Vernon Macklin. King maintained that all the bigs brought different skill sets.
“Jon’s a jump shooter. Vernon is more low post. Willie is a combination of both. Jamie can shoot the jumper, take you inside, out,” King said.
Lee, projected as the Nets’ second-round pick in one mock draft, has a good defensive reputation so he has been working on his shot.
“I feel I’ve made a lot of improvement with my jumper, especially extending my range out to the NBA three. So the hard work is paying off in these drills, these workouts,” said Lee, who also has worked out for the Knicks.
Leuer thinks he showed his athleticism and his shooting skills that translated to .482 for his Badger career.
“It went really well. . . . I felt like I was able to show some things that I can do such as shooting the ball, just competing, offensive rebounding, just getting after it. Playing physical,” Leuer said. “Overall, it was a good workout for me.”
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King said all offseason medical rehabs are going well. Deron Williams (wrist) and Brook Lopez (right arm calcium deposits) needed surgery. Kris Humphries (ankle, heel), Anthony Morrow (knee), Mario West (shoulder) needed rest. Sundiata Gaines (fractured hip) needed rest and rehab.
King on Shaquille O’Neal retiring: “It’s going to be an interesting NBA without Shaq. He’s been such an impact force in this league.” . . . King on Humphries giving Kim Kardashian a $2 million engagement ring: “He’s been playing in the league for a long time so I guess he saved his money.”