Nets teardown puts spotlight on pair of 2023 first-round picks

The only expectation for the Nets next year is there aren’t any. This week’s blockbuster trade of Mikal Bridges to the rival Knicks made that clear.The Nets are tearing it down.

Other established players could get moved.They’re starting over.

They have stockpiled draft picks with the hopes of hitting home runs in the years to come the traditional way. Nevertheless, it does open up opportunities for young players, especially because the Nets didn’t have any draft picks this year. We’re looking at you, Noah Clowney and Dariq Whitehead.The team’s two first-round picks a year ago, selected 21st and 22nd, respectively, figure to get plenty of time next season to prove themselves. A multi-talented 6-foot-9 forward out of Alabama, Clowney averaged 5.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and shot 36.4 percent from 3-point range in 23 games.He showed flashes of potential in April once his minutes increased, notching 12.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.

With the Nets bringing back Nic Claxton on a four-year, $100 million deal, they hope they have two building blocks for the future in the two young forwards. There’s much less of a body of work with Whitehead, the one-and-done standout from Duke.He appeared in just two games with the Nets totaling 24 minutes.

Whitehead was not supposed to have a role last year, as he was coming off an injury-marred season in Durham that significantly lowered his draft stock.Sign up for Inside the Nets by Brian Lewis, exclusively on Sports+.

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Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! The highly regarded 6-foot-7 wing was coming off two surgeries on his troublesome right foot to repair a fifth metatarsal Jones fracture.He appeared in 17 games with the G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, producing 8.8 points in 18.6 minutes, before his season ended in...