While the Knicks will be competing in their first NBA Finals in nearly thirty years, the Nets also have important plans in June.
Brooklyn holds the No. 6 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and has multiple roster spots to improve.
After making five first-round picks in last year’s draft via the Mikal Bridges trade, Nets General Manager Sean Marks will be on the clock early again on June 23.
Admittedly, it is somewhat distasteful considering the Nets had the highest pre-lottery odds of 14 percent to get pick No.1, but ultimately, a lottery pick remains a lottery pick.
While the likelihood that AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, or Darryn Peterson will be on the board is zero to none, the sixth selection is still a sound opportunity to land a gem of a prospect.
Right now on Kalshi, Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. leads the way, with 21 percent of trades pouring in on the SEC Player of the Year being taken sixth.
Odds to be No. 6 pick in 2026 NBA Draft
| Player | Kalshi probability |
|---|---|
| Darius Acuff Jr. | 21% |
| Kingston Flemings | 16% |
| Mikel Brown Jr. | 16% |
| Yaxel Lendeborg | 10% |
| Keaton Wagler | 9% |
| Nate Ament | 7% |
| Aday Mara | Less than 1% |
| Brayden Burries | Less than 1% |
| Labaron Philon Jr. | Less than 1% |
If Brooklyn is targeting scoring and playmaking, Acuff Jr. is a jack-of-all-trades prototype who can run an offense right away.
The Detroit native is the latest in John Calipari’s stable of highly touted five-star recruits to go pro, drawing comparisons to Damian Lillard. He led the SEC in both points (23.5) and assists (6.4), leading Arkansas to a conference tournament title in the process.
Acuff Jr. measured 6-foot-2 without shoes at the combine two weeks ago, along with a solid 6-foot-7 wingspan, dispelling the “too small” label.
A pair of fellow one-and-done prospects are next up, as Kingston Flemings out of Houston and Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr., each carry a 16 percent implied probability on the No. 6 Overall pick market.
These two will be the next-best available options for the Nets at guard if Acuff Jr. goes earlier than projected.
Flemings is a high-motor athlete who can compete on both ends of the court. The former Texas Mr. Basketball upped his draft stock by scoring a freshman school-record 42 points against Texas Tech.
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Brown Jr.’s draft process mirrors that of the current Nets’ forward, Michael Porter Jr., as he was recently cleared of a back injury that forced him to miss the last 12 games of his season.
When healthy, he averaged 18.8 points and 4.7 assists, both team highs.
Regardless of who the Nets take a liking to, they’ll be walking into the locker room of the league’s youngest roster with an average age of 23.3.
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Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
