NBA Draft 2012, Nets: Eventful Night Nets New Jersey Tyshawn Taylor, Tornike Shengalia And Ilkan Karaman

The New Jersey Nets had an eventful, if not franchise-defining, 2012 NBA Draft on Thursday night, choosing Ilkan Karaman of Turkey with their second-round pick from Miami (No. 57 overall) and acquiring two additional second-rounders to select Tyshawn Taylor of Kansas (No. 41 overall) and Tornike Shengalia from the Republic of Georgia (No. 54).

The SB Nation blog Nets Daily explains a little more about the two foreign selections, both of whom are likely to remain overseas for at least a year or two to develop.

Shengelia has been a member of the Republic of Georgia's National Team since 2008. He averaged 8.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 18.4 minutes in 20 Belgium League games and helped his team qualify for Euroleague play. In the Euroleague, he posted 8.3 points and 4.3 rebounds during nine games. Shengelia represented the Republic of Georgia at 2011 Eurobasket, averaging 8.8 points and 4.6 boards for the Senior National Team where he was teamed with Zaza Pachulia, who sat next to him at the Draft.

Karaman is from Istanbul, Turkey and played for Galatasaray and Pinar Karşıyaka of the Turkish League. He averaged 10.7 points and 6.4 rebounds in 23 minutes per game. When Billy King flew to Turkey during the lockout to watch Deron Williams play, he saw Karaman put up 13 points on 6 for 8 shooting and grab 8 rebounds.

For more on the Nets, visit Nets Daily.

2012 NBA Draft, Brooklyn Nets: New Jersey Native Tyshawn Taylor Traded To Nets

The Brooklyn Nets had a busy 2012 NBA Draft despite being without a first-round selection. They owned one second-round pick entering the night, which was used to take international forward Ilkan Karaman.

GM Billy King also purchased two additional second-round picks. No. 54 was bought from from the Philadelphia 76ers and delivered another foreign forward, Tornike Shengelia.

Both international players aren't likely to see Brooklyn anytime soon, but their third second-round pick will absolutely see time at the Barclays Center. That's pick No. 41, Kansas senior guard Tyshawn Taylor, purchased from the Portland Trailblazers.

The New Jersey native Taylor averaged 17.3 points at Kansas to go along with 4.8 assists as he showcased eye popping athleticism from a 6-foot-4 guard. He still needs to improve his decision making, but the St. Anthony product should have no problem sliding right into playing time for Nets coach Avery Johnson. [Player Profile from SI]

2012 NBA Draft: Brooklyn Nets Trade For No. 54 Pick From Philadelphia 76ers

The Brooklyn Nets traded cash to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the No. 54 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The Sixers' selection of forward Tornike Shengelia is now headed to Brooklyn assuming the trade is approved.

Philadelphia sent that 54th pick to Brooklyn for cash, source tells Y!

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 29, 2012

Shengelia hails from the Republic of Georgia. At 20 years old, he may not quite be ready to contribute at an NBA level. Still, even though he isn't a household name, Shengelia has a diverse range of skills to be excited about. Wendell Maxey at the SB Nation blog Ridiculous Upside had plenty of good things to say about Shengelia.

A big man with a versatile skill set and both national team and Euroleague experience, Shengelia can handle the ball, shoot inside and out and find teammates with ease as well -- or at least was the case in Treviso. But exactly where he will land in the second round is somewhat of a misnomer.

-- For more on the Nets, please be sure to visit our blog Nets Daily and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

2012 NBA Draft: Brooklyn Nets Select Ilkan Karaman 57th, Swing Deal With 76ers

The Brooklyn Nets had to wait until the 2012 NBA Draft was nearly over to select a player. The Nets only selection of the evenign was the 57th of the 60 selections made Thursday in the two-round draft. The Nets used that selection to grab Ilkan Karaman, a forward from Turkey.

The Nets traded their first-round pick to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for veteran small forward Gerald Wallace. The pick was top three protected, but when the Nets got the sixth selection in the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery the pick was transferred to Portland.

Yahoo! Sports had this report on Karaman, who is a 6-foot-10, 254-pound power forward:

"He's a physical power forward who rebounds well but has a still-developing offensive game. His rebounding ability and intensity could eventually earn him an NBA roster spot."

The Nets offseason, of course, focuses on trying to convince star point guard Deron Williams to stay with the team as it begins its first season in Brooklyn. Pat of that, of course, is upgrading the talent on the roster.

The Nets also acquired the 54th pick of the draft, Tornike Shengelia, from the Philadelphia 76ers for cash. Shengelia is a 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward from Belgium.

2012 NBA Draft: Brooklyn Nets On The Outside Hoping To Get In

As the 2012 NBA Draft begins Thursday night, the Brooklyn Nets look mostly like bystanders. They don't have a first-round pick, and have to wait until nearly the end of the second round (57th overall) to have a pick at all. This is hardly the way to impress free-agent guard Deron Williams and to build talent to add to a roster in need of help as the team moves to Brooklyn's brand-new Barclays Center for the 2012-2013 NBA season.

There have been lots of whispers that the Nets are looking to move into the first round somehow, though no real substantive reports of the Nets targeting a specific pick have surfaced.

Says NBA.com:

"The Nets have the cash to buy into the first round if they see a player they like slip into the 20s. But general manager Billy King has maintained that his team is looking for veterans to convince Deron Williams that this team can win now. So the trade market must be explored on Draft night and as free agency gets underway."

The Nets might surprise and move into the first round, but it looks as though this will be a mostly unproductive night for Brooklyn.

2012 NBA Draft Lottery: Nets Say They 'Didn't Expect' To Get Pick

Lady Luck did not shine on the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday night in the NBA Draft Lottery, leaving them without a first-round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

“I guess, going in, I didn’t expect to get the pick, so it’s not a disappointment in my eyes,” Nets general manager Billy King said. “But if we’d gotten it, it would have been a nice bonus.”

The Nets had a 7.5 percent chance of getting the top pick, which went to the New Orleans Hornets, and a 25 percent chance of being in the top three. Had they been in the top three they would have kept their first-round pick. Landing at No. 6, however, meant the pick went to the Portland Trailblazers to complete the Gerald Wallace trade.

King indicated that the Nets, without a first-round pick, will use their salary cap space to try and add veteran players. The Nets also face the possibility of losing star point guard Deron Williams as a free agent this summer.

2012 NBA Draft Order: No Luck For Brooklyn Nets In Lottery

The 2012 NBA Draft Lottery did not go as hoped for the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets drew the sixth pick in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft, which means they will not be picking in the first round at all. Brooklyn's first-round pick goes to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the Gerald Wallace trade.

Odds gave the Nets only a 7.5 percent chance of getting the top pick and a 25 percent chance of landing in the top three. Landing a top-three pick would have allowed the Nets to keep their first-round pick.

The New Orleans Hornets landed the top pick in the draft. Charlotte got the second pick, and Washington ended up with the third.

Earlier on Wednesday, rumors circulated that the Nets might consider dealing the top pick, and the right to draft Kentucky's Anthony Davis, to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Dwight Howard. Landing Howard, the report said, would help the team hang onto to Deron Williams. Whether the report had any substance is now irrelevant.

1. New Orleans

2. Charlotte

3. Washington

4. Cleveland

5. Sacramento

6. Portland (via Brooklyn)

7. Golden State

8. Toronto

9. Detroit

10. New Orleans (via Minnesota)

11. Portland

12. Milwaukee

13. Phoenix

14. Houston

15. Philadelphia

16. Houston (via New York)

17. Dallas

18. Minnesota (via Utah)

19. Orlando

20. Denver

21. Boston

22. Boston (via L.A. Clippers)

23. Atlanta

24. Cleveland (via L.A. Lakers)

25. Memphis

26. Indiana

27. Miami

28. Oklahoma City

29. Chicago

30. Golden State via San Antonio

-- For more on the Nets, please be sure to visit our blog Nets Daily and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

NBA Draft Lottery History: Nets Hoping For A Little Bit Of Lottery Luck

The Brooklyn Nets are hoping that the ping pong balls fall their way Wednesday night in the 2012 NBA Lottery. This is the Nets 16th time that they have been in the lottery, and their luck with moving up has been met with mixed results.

The biggest jump the Nets had was back in 2000 where they were projected at the No. 7 spot, and they were able to earn the No. 1 selection and proceeded to draft Kenyon Martin. That is something the Nets need because if they do not move into one of the top three spots they lose their draft pick to the Portland Trail Blazers.

The odds that the Nets can move up into top three and keep their pick is at 25 percent. Finishing in the top three has happened six times in their history.

In 2010 the Nets had the best odds of getting the No. 1 pick, but ended up with the third selection, taking forward Derrick Favors. The Washington Wizards got the No. 1 pick and selected John Wall.

-- For more on the Nets, please be sure to visit our blog Nets Daily and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

Deron Williams Reportedly Won't Stay With The Brooklyn Nets Without Dwight Howard

According to Yahoo! Sports, winning the Anthony Davis sweepstakes will only help the Brooklyn Nets so much, because Deron Williams will still be on his way out the door.

Brooklyn has been hoping that if a minor miracle happens on Wednesday night in the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery and they get the top pick, Williams would stick around with Davis coming into the fold.

However, it seems the only way Williams will remain a Net is with a trade for Dwight Howard, the embattled Orlando Magic center.

Williams reportedly doesn't want to have to wait around for the team to turn into a serious contender in the Eastern Conference, and who can blame him? It's been a tough year and a half for the star point guard, losing tons of games while waiting for a big star to come join him.

Brooklyn needs to make a move and fast, or it appears Williams won't be around to open the Barclays Center in the fall. According to the report from Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski, a Davis-for-Howard swap is one the Nets are willing to make -- provided they land the No. 1 overall pick and have that opportunity

-- For more on the Nets, please be sure to visit our blog Nets Daily and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

NBA Draft Lottery 2012: Odds, TV Coverage

2012 NBA Draft: Nets Holding NBA Draft Combine

The Brooklyn Nets, in conjunction with the Houston Rockets, will host a draft combine on Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20 at the PNY Center in East Rutherford, N.J., where 44 2012 NBA draft-eligible players will showcase their skills in front of coaches and personnel executives from all 30 NBA teams.

Whether or not the Nets have a first-round selection in the 2012 NBA Draft is still to be determined. The Nets traded a top three protected selection to the Portland Trail Blazers for Gerald Wallace. If they get one of the top three picks in the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery, however, the Nets get to keep the selection.

The full list of players attending is below.

2012 NBA Draft, Brooklyn Nets: Odds Against Nets Getting Lottery Selection