The Brooklyn Nets are hoping to snag a steal in this year’s draft to help kickstart the rebuild. Brian Bowen is caught up in an ongoing NCAA scandal, but he is on the Nets’ radar nonetheless.
The Brooklyn Nets have the 29th pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and securing a late-first round steal would go a long way towards their slow rebuild.
Per reports from Brian Lewis of the New York Post, the Nets recently worked out Brian Bowen to see if he could be the steal they’re looking for. It’s unclear whether or not they see Bowen as a first or second round guy.
Bowen is a long, athletic small forward standing at 6-foot-7 with some good offensive skills. It’s difficult to gauge exactly where he ranks among other prospects after being sidelined for an entire season.
There’s no doubt that Bowen has talent and athleticism, but he comes with some baggage. After originally committing to Louisville, Bowen was suspended and ruled ineligible by the NCAA amid the ongoing and wide-ranging NCAA investigation. His eligibility for the 2018-2019 season is in question. Current Nets guard, Isaiah Whitehead, is another name involved in the ongoing NCAA recruiting scandal that has rocked the college basketball world.
Bowen would play with the South Carolina Gamecocks if he is eligible and withdraws from the draft, but his situation is still very fluid at the moment. If he decides to officially enter the draft, the NCAA investigation could scare some teams away. If that happens, Brooklyn is in perfect position to take a chance on Bowen.
The Nets don’t want the rebuild to take forever. Obtaining rotational players from this year’s draft will be priority number one for Kenny Atkinson and Sean Marks this offseason. Thus far, they are casting a wide net in their search for those guys.
