Cam Johnson traded to Denver for 2032 pick
Noah Zimmerman | noah@queensledger.com
The Brooklyn Nets held onto all five of their first round draft picks in last week’s 2025 NBA Draft, setting a league record at the Barclays Center on Wednesday. Their top pick was BYU playmaker Egor Demin at #8, followed by French guard Nolan Traore, UNC wing Drake Powell, Israeli guard Ben Saraf, and Michigan big man Danny Wolf.
General Manager Sean Marks and Head Coach Jordi Fernandez have made their vision clear. They want a fast-flowing offense with playmakers who can slot into different positions and set up scorers.
While they may have been hoping for Ace Bailey or Jeremiah Fears to drop to the 8th pick, Brooklyn seems quite pleased with their selection of Demin. His size and passing ability made him one of the top playmakers of the draft class, and although players like Khaman Maluach, Noa Essengue, and Derek Queen were available, Brooklyn stuck with their gut.
Brooklyn followed up their pick with the selection of Nolan Traore, another foreign-born, playmaking guard. With Saraf and Wolf also prominent playmakers, many wonder if these selections could be a bit redundant.
Only Drake Powell breaks Brooklyn’s 1st round mold, with North Carolina standout bringing athleticism and “3&D” potential at the #22 pick. In addition, Brooklyn added Alabama big Grant Nelson to a training camp deal to compete for a two-way contract.
With the start of the NBA offseason, the Nets also made a few big moves. On Monday Brooklyn dealt top trade asset Cameron Johnson to the Denver Nuggets for a 2032 unprotected first rounder and sharpshooter Michael Porter Jr. The move lands a valuable future pick and a young star scorer while giving Johnson a chance to contend for a ring with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Former Net Bruce Brown previously won a championship with Jokic and Denver in 2023.
Brooklyn also retained wing Ziaire Williams and center Day’ron Sharpe on two-year deals. Both provided valuable depth despite a difficult season and will return as the Nets continue crafting their team for the future. Young guard Cam Thomas was also extended a qualifying offer, with Brooklyn hoping to bring him back on a miulti-year deal.
