The Brooklyn Nets tumbled from the third spot to No. 6 in Sunday’s draft lottery, a second straight year of bad luck that left team governor Joe Tsai visibly upset in the lottery drawing room.
General manager Sean Marks now must decide whether to stick at No. 6 or package assets to move up. Two league sources told the New York Post that Brooklyn will explore trade scenarios to climb the board, and rival front-office executives believe the Los Angeles Clippers could be willing to slide down from pick No. 5.
Marks said the organization will stay “opportunistic,” noting that player development and unforeseen breakthroughs often reshape draft evaluations over time. He emphasized the franchise’s cap flexibility and draft capital as tools to pursue improvements but cautioned against “rash decisions” before fully scouting the class.
Additional Eastern Conference Notes
Bucks: Taylor Jenkins received a six-year contract when he accepted Milwaukee’s head-coaching job, according to ESPN. League insiders considered him the top candidate available during that hiring cycle.
Heat: Miami remained at its expected position, pick No. 13. Three of the four mock drafts updated after the lottery project the Heat to select Alabama guard Labaron Philon. Other names linked to the slot include Arizona’s Brayden Burries, Mexican forward Karim Lopez, Michigan big men Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson, Washington center Hannes Steinbach, and Houston’s Chris Cenac.
Magic: Orlando president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said the front office will examine every department—scouting, analytics, performance and medical—after injuries contributed to the club’s first-round playoff exit against Detroit. “We turn over every rock during the summer,” Weltman told reporters, adding that a comprehensive review is already underway.
The Nets, Bucks, Heat and Magic now shift to draft and offseason preparation as they attempt to reshape their rosters for the 2026-27 campaign.
Source: Hoops Rumors
