Feb. 9, 2026, 1:46 p.m. ET

The Brooklyn Nets have been in an extended rut since the calendar turned to January as they are struggling on both ends of the floor compared to how they performed in those areas in December. With Brooklyn having its eye towards getting the best pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, there are some who believe that the Nets don’t have to worry about getting a top-3 overall pick.

“All right, Nets fans. [Let’s say] the absolute nightmare happens on the lottery night and you guys fall out of the top three. I’m here to tell you it’s okay. This is the draft where it’s going to be okay… There is serious firepower all over the place in this draft,” Tyler Rucker recently said on the “Locked On NBA Draft with No Ceilings” podcast. While it’s still early in the draft cycle, most Nets fans have been looking forward to seeing someone like Kansas guard Darryn Peterson put on a Brooklyn jersey next season.

“Do we really project the the Nets to look at another guard? Yes. The answer is yes, because this draft class is going to be one of the better guard classes you’re going to see in a long time,” Rucker said when discussing a player that the Nets could target with their pick if it falls outside of the top-3. “Kingston Flemings is one of my favorites… Both times I walked away incredibly impressed because of the composure, his ability to get the spots, how quick he is.”

Heading into Monday’s game against the Chicago Bulls, the Nets have the fifth-worst record in the league, meaning that they would end up with the fifth overall pick if the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery was conducted today. Assuming that Brooklyn finishes this season with the fifth overall pick, they wouldn’t be able to choose Peterson, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, or Duke forward Cameron Boozer, but Rucker indicates that there are still good players to choose from.

According to most mock drafts, the Nets should be able to choose from players like Houston guard Kingston Flemings, North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, or Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. Either way, Brooklyn will be hoping for the best pick possible so that they don’t have to take a player outside of the top-3, but if they have to, it seems that some around the league are of the impression that this upcoming draft could be deeper than previously thought.

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