Nets mock draft is reminder of how short-lived second D’Angelo Russell stint will be

D'Angelo Russell returning to the Brooklyn Nets is a fun wrinkle in the Dorian Finney-Smith trade — but the D-Lo reunion in Brooklyn might not last long, as the Nets are projected to land Baylor freshman guard VJ Edgecombe in our latest NBA Mock Draft.

Plus, Russell is in the last year of his contract, and although he's a beloved figure in Brooklyn thanks to leading some fun Nets teams of the past, it wouldn't make much sense for the team to bring back a veteran role player while also looking toward the future.

Edgecombe may not be Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper, but his ceiling is also sky-high. His raw numbers at Baylor don't pop — 12.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 42.2% FG — but his defensive impact and the potential to be a two-way monster in the NBA keep him squarely in lottery discussions.

In Brooklyn, he'd probably start immediately, taking over a guard spot from D-Lo. An Edgecombe + Cam Thomas backcourt could be rough to start — but it also has the potential to be thrilling, and thrills count just as much as "wins" early in a rebuild.

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Edgecombe is a thrilling prospect for the Brooklyn Nets

You know that a dunk was nasty when a team is down by 36 and still silences an entire arena on the road — that's how Baylor freshman VJ Edgecombe introduced himself to the college basketball world this year, by unleashing what is still probably the dunk of the year on Gonzaga's Joe Few.

Simply unneccesary! (Don't stop.)

This is the explosiveness Edgecombe brings, and that stupendous bounce is one of the reasons he's projected to come off the board early in this year's NBA Draft.

But leaping ability isn't the only thing Edgecombe would supply an NBA team on day one — he's also a plus-defender already, averaging 2.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game and consistently disrupting opposing offenses. Edgecombe seems to have fun blowing up sets and that's such a good trait for young guards to have.

The Brooklyn Nets should be picking the best players available in the next few drafts, and if the team lands at pick No. 8 in 2025— the most likely scenario if the season ended today — they'd be wise to take a long look at Edgecombe, who brings a spark that could make him special down the line.