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.