Nets head coach Avery Johnson says the team is looking to add a first-round pick in the NBA Draft.
They currently own only the No. 57 pick in the second round and failed to land a lottery pick in the recent NBA Draft Lottery.
“We are preparing like we are still going to be in the first round,” Johnson told ESPN’s Andy Katz at the Chicago Pre-Draft Combine. “We have an unlimited amount of resources within the rules, so you never know. We probably could get into the first round, end of the first round.
“So we’re here evaluating all of these kids, we’re going through the interview process just like all of the other teams. So even though we’re at 57 now, my general manager is Billy King and Mikhail Prokhorov is the owner so you never know what they may pull off. So we’re anticipating that we could move up.”
Asked specifically how the Nets might add a first-round pick, Johnson said: “There are a variety of ways to get there. Can’t give you any of our secrets, but we have some opportunities. We’re talking to teams like everybody else and we have our eyes on some players that if we end up getting in the first round, there’s some guys that we like.”
Johnson said the team’s first priority was to re-sign unrestricted free agent Deron Williams and Gerald Wallace (player option) to go along with Brook Lopez.
“Hopefully we’ll get that one resigned in terms of Deron Williams,” Johnson said. “We’re also excited about Brook Lopez, he hurt his foot last year. But we feel if we get Deron Williams resigned, get Gerald Wallace resigned, Brook Lopez, we feel we have the one, three and five positions covered.
“We have some other spots that we need to upgrade but we feel like we have an opportunity to really put together a team that when we open in Brooklyn in the latter part of October with our first regular-season game we could really be an exciting team.”
