Nets Select Texas Center Jarrett Allen In 1st Round Of NBA Draft; Trade With Lakers Becomes Official
Updated Friday, June 23 12:20 a.m.
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Two days after trading Brook Lopez to the Lakers, the Brooklyn Nets added a young center in the first round of the NBA draft.
The Nets used the 22nd overall pick Thursday night on Texas' Jarrett Allen.
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The 6-foot-11 Allen, who went to high school in Austin, Texas, averaged 13.4 points and 8.4 rebounds in his only season with the Longhorns, but 18.5 points in eight February games. Texas finished a disappointing 11-22 and out of the NCAA Tournament.
Brooklyn had the worst record in the NBA last season (20-62) and could have had the first pick in the draft if the previous regime had not traded it to Boston in 2013 in a deal that brought Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets. The Celtics also hold Brooklyn's first-round pick next season.
Without top picks to rebuild the Nets, second-year general manager Sean Marks made his big move earlier in draft week.
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The Nets traded pick No. 27 and Lopez to the Los Angeles Lakers for D'Angelo Russell and center Timofey Mozgov. Russell was the second pick in the 2015 draft. The Nets had to make the 27th pick before the trade could become official and took Kyle Kuzma from Utah for Los Angeles.
"D'Angelo is a versatile young guard with a bright future and we are enthusiastic about continuing his development along with our young nucleus, while Timofey will provide a veteran presence who can contribute on both ends of the floor," Marks said in a statement released when the trade was announced.
After moving Lopez and getting the 7-foot-1 Mozgov, the Nets still needed size. Allen is still developing offensively, but his length and athleticism provide potential for him to make an immediate impact as a rebounder, defender and player who can get to the basket.
"I see my role being a rim protector," Allen told ESPN. "Me being athletic, be able to guard guards in pick-and-rolls, too."
Allen, 19, averaged 1.5 blocks per game last season.
He was the 15th freshman taken in the NBA draft, breaking the record of 14 taken in the first round last season.
With the 27th pick in the second round (57th overall), the Nets took Aleksandar Vezenkov, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Cyprus. The 21-year-old averaged 9.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game for FC Barcelona Lassa last season.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
