April 2, 2026, 9:09 p.m. ET

The Brooklyn Nets are nearing the end of their 2025-26 NBA season and they’re hoping that they will be rewarded for their tough year by getting their next franchise player. As of this writing, Brooklyn has the second-worst record in the league, meaning that they presumably would be able to select Kansas guard Darryn Peterson in the 2026 NBA Draft. Should the Nets be weary of him?

“I think Peterson is the most talented guy, but the injury stuff is a real question. That’s a valid concern, and it’s been a weird year. But he’s a huge talent, and he was No. 1 at the start of the season for a reason,” an Eastern Conference executive said of Peterson, per ESPN’s Jeremy Woo and Tim Bontemps. If the Nets end up with the second overall pick, they would have their choice of Peterson or Duke forward Cameron Boozer.

“It’s definitely a thing. If you’re a team that’s in the mix for the No. 1 or 2 pick, you’re going to have to get a ton of information on what happened, and why,” an East scout said of Peterson’s injury-riddled 2025-26 season, per Woo and Bontemps. A West executive said of considering Peterson that “I think it forces you to start asking a bunch of questions that you normally wouldn’t have to ask for a guy like [Peterson].”

Peterson, 19, likely finishes his one and only season of college basketball with averages of 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 38.2% three-point land in his freshman season. However, Peterson has dealt with instances of cramping throughout the season that has left some scouts wondering whether Peterson will be affected by these ailments throughout his career.

While Brooklyn wouldn’t have a bad choice to make between Peterson and Boozer, Peterson was once viewed as the best player in the class before BYU forward AJ Dybantsa found his stride during the second half of the season. Be that as it may, the Nets would have to do their due diligence with Peterson and his medicals just to make sure that he can handle the grind of long NBA seasons.

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