According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nets have deferred the first-round pick from the 76ers in the James Harden trade to next year.
Philadelphia is set to pick at No. 23 in this year’s draft, and Brooklyn had until Wednesday to decide whether to take that pick or defer to 2023. The Nets ultimately went with the latter.
Brooklyn can now hope the pick improves from 23rd overall next season, and now has the pick to hold over any potential trade offers throughout next season if it decides to make a move and bolster a roster that was swept out of the first round despite boasting Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the latter who the team is reportedly not willing to sign to a long-term deal.
The unprotected pick was sent to the Nets along with Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and a protected first-round pick in 2027.
Brooklyn’s first-round pick for this year is going to the Rockets from when it originally acquired Harden.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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