Trying to determine the first 26 players to get picked in any draft probably ranks in difficulty just behind mopping up the ocean with paper towels.
But the Nets will have draft prospects ranked one-to-60 in their war room tonight, crossing off each name as it is called a few miles away in Newark. From the start, general manager Billy King has insisted “best player available” will determine whom is called at 27 when the Nets pick in what is considered a generally weak NBA Draft.
When 27 rolls around, the Nets could pluck their first-rounder from a group containing Boston College combo guard Reggie Jackson, perimeter power forward Justin Harper of Richmond, combo guard Nolan Smith with his Duke pedigree and College of Charleston scorer Andrew Goudelock.
In a perfect world — and if you’ve looked at gasoline pump prices recently, you know perfection is not an everyday trait — center Nikola Vucevic of USC would survive for the Nets. Not happening.
They also would like ultra-athletic shooting guard Iman Shumpert of Georgia Tech. But Shumpert, who confidently proclaimed “I bring everything” after his Nets workout, also figures to be gone.
The Nets, who also pick 36 on the second round, could trade up if they see one of those two — or someone else they really like — in the range where a deal is possible. Some have intimated that several lottery teams eye a particular player and would be willing to deal if their guy is gone.
“If we can, yeah, definitely,” King said of a trade possibility.
But you don’t want to go crazy and mortgage the Brooklyn Arena in this draft.
“It has a chance for a player to be drafted 17, 18, 19 to be better than a player that was drafted four or five. That’s how this draft could go,” King said.
If they stay at 27, figure Jackson, Smith, Goudelock or Harper.
At Duke, Smith filled in when Kyrie Irving (the consensus No. 1 pick) was injured. But with Deron Williams, Jordan Farmar and Sundiata Gaines, point guard is not a position that seems to be a Nets need.
Which brings us back to that “best player available.”
Smith certainly feels he has the skills and NBA talents. What’s he got?
“My ability to score. The NBA is a scoring game. Everybody in the league can score. I feel I can do it,” said Smith. “The one thing I think that really sets me apart, I really feel like I can play defense. A lot of teams are looking for somebody who is going to get after it on the defensive end and I feel I can do that.”
Harper has been placed anywhere from 25 to 35 in projections. Some question his toughness. Most everybody loves his jump shot.
“I was able to show my shooting ability and versatility and [that] I can guard post guys,” Harper said after his Nets workout. “Everybody is in your ear saying you might go here, you might go here. I really think the main focus should be to keep improving.”
Jackson is considered a quick, smart athlete with strong ball-handling skill and a nice upside. Of the four, he’s the one who isn’t a senior.
Goudelock is a scorer who was the Southern Conference player of the year. Generally overlooked coming out of high school, the 6-3 wing admits to wanting to prove doubters wrong. But he’s confident he has the necessary stuff.
“I’ve shown people some of the things that they’ve had questions about at the beginning of the process. I’ve had a humble attitude, I’ve been competitive, I haven’t backed down from anyone,” Goudelock said. “I have confidence I’ve shown them what I can do, not trying to do things I can’t.”