Brooklyn will have a break this Saturday and should be able to watch the Final Four. The front office ought to look at these four players closely.
Saturday already presents a day off for the Brooklyn Nets, which bodes well for Final Four ratings.
Simply because the Nets can join in on the viewership numbers.
But it's not because the franchise has downtime to observe the action going on in Indianapolis. It's also for another profound reason.
There could be a future Brooklyn Net competing inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
Connecticut, Illinois, Arizona and Michigan all have at least one intriguing NBA draft prospect. Including a potential second-round steal or two. We're going to dive into which player from each team is worth looking at if you're general manager Sean Marks and head coach Jordi Fernandez.
UConn -- Tarris Reed Jr., Center
Reed is a punisher down low and clearly the guy Huskies coach Dan Hurley wants setting the tone.
The 6-foot-11 center plays with a hot motor for two halves. He's strong down low and bullies opponents with his strength.
Reed is a rim finisher who handles the dirty work on the points side for UConn. He's also an unmovable object in the paint, which allows him to gain the edge in grabbing rebounds or second-chance points.
He could be a good complementary piece for Nic Claxton at center, while also forming a formidable front court with 2025 rookies Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf.
Illinois -- Andrej Stojakovic, forward/guard
Does the surname ring a bell?
He's the son of Sacramento Kings legend Peja. This Stojakovic presents more versatility as a slasher to the rim, though.
The younger Stojakovic is more of a three-level scorer, including displaying the long-range touch his NBA All-Star father had.
Teams should love his high basketball IQ, though. Not only did Stojakovic grow up in an NBA household, but he played for three academics-focused universities in Stanford, Cal, and now the Final Four-bound Illinois.
Arizona -- Koa Peat, forward
Peat will have a big decision to make after the tournament: test the draft or return for another season.
But his gritty post game would spark some swagger for the Nets. He'd hand Fernandez a powerful grinder in the paint who finishes his points in aggressive fashion.
Like Reed, Peat sets the tone in the front court for Arizona. He could command mid-first round chatter, though, if he comes out. Brooklyn may have to move out of the second round to nab him if he chooses to come out.
Michigan -- Yaxel Lendeborg, power forward
If Fernandez desires more fundamentally sound players for 2026, Lendenborg is perfect.
Especially on the rebounding side, as Lendeborg grabs boards at a high volume. But Brooklyn should love his ability to defend the rim.
Defense is a big area to address next season. Lendeborg has a chance to become one of the better defenders available in the second.
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