Grubel prioritizes defensive grit and backcourt depth for Brooklyn, targeting a physical freshman scorer and an elite international playmaker to transform their roster with three high-upside draft selections.
The 2026 NBA Draft is three weeks away, and mock drafts are ramping up, as No Ceilings' Nathan Grubel posted his newest mock on X on Monday morning.
The Brooklyn Nets have three picks -- Nos. 6, 33 and 43 -- and could leave with impactful additions despite failing to land within the top four in the May 10 lottery reveal.
NetsRoundtable will focus on the prospects Grubel would take if he drafted for the team. His second-round selections are interesting, in particular.
No. 6: Brayden Burries, Guard, Arizona
Grubel would draft Burries with the sixth pick, which is within his projected draft range. Mocks have the Arizona guard selected from the fifth pick (Los Angeles Clippers) to the 12th pick (Golden State Warriors).
Burries is a stocky, physical guard, weighing 15-25 pounds more than the guards in this draft class. He rebounds well for his size (6-foot-4) and competes hard on defense.
The freshman averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists on 49.1/39.1/80.5 shooting splits. While Burries would be a good addition, he would join a Nets team with an overabundance of young guards.
No. 33: Sergio de Larrea, Guard, Spain
De Larrea is an intriguing foreign draft prospect, whom ESPN's Jeremy Woo has mocked to the Nets with the 43rd pick in his latest mock on May 19. Grubel's early selection suggests he thinks highly of the Spanish guard.
He played for Valencia Basket in the EuroLeague and Liga Endesa. De Larrea averaged 3.6 points in 10.7 minutes of play in the EuroLeague, but upped his production in Liga Endesa.
The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 9.7 points, 3.7 assists and three rebounds in 18.3 minutes of action. He shot 40.7% from three-point range, showcased the ability to make difficult passes and is a solid team defender.
No. 43: Quadir Copeland, Guard, NC State
Grubel would select Copeland with Brooklyn's last pick in the draft. His selection marks a trend of gritty, defensive guards. Burries and Copeland can defend, while de Larrea is a good team defender.
Copeland averaged 1.8 steals at NC State, alongside a career-high 13.9 points per game. He was the 12th-best playmaker in the nation, dishing out 6.5 assists per game.
The 6-foot-6 guard had four games of 10 or more assists, including three straight games. Copeland recorded 10 assists against Wake Forest, 16 assists against SMU and 10 assists against Virginia Tech during that three-game stretch.
Copeland has not appeared in many mock drafts, suggesting he's most likely a late-second-round pick or priority undrafted free agent. He could be a steal if he's available for the Nets, whether in the draft or as an UDFA.
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