As the Brooklyn Nets continue their NBA season, their eyes shouldn’t stray too far from Piscataway, NJ, where Rutgers basketball is off to a hot start. The Scarlett Nights defeated Merrimack last night, 74-63.

Rutgers freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey have been on the Nets’ prospect radar for a while now. Both are projected to enter the early lottery for the 2025 NBA Draft, and last night proved why.

Bailey was the star of the show, putting up 23 points and 10 rebounds on 9-of-15 shooting, going 2-for-4 from three. Harper was also impressive with 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists on 5-of-12 shooting.

Bailey scored everywhere and showed off his smooth jersey inside and outside the arc, while also throwing down some wild dunks. The 6-foot-10 forward can run like a center, but is also the focal point of the offense, playing at the top of the key on certain possessions.

Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has been the consensus No. 1 overall pick for what seems like forever, but Bailey could challenge him with a similar frame and skill set.

As for Harper, he has continued to be a facilitator for Rutgers’ offense. The 6-foot-6 guard is averaging 4.3 assists on the season, but has 12 assists in his last two games. He’s getting more comfortable as the primary ball-handler, and while he wasn’t as prolific as a scorer last night, he’s still averaging 19.5 points on 53.8% shooting.

Brooklyn could choose one of the two possibilities to fill their needs. The Nets have solid players in Dennis Schroder and Cameron Johnson and the point guard and small forward positions, but they are likely to be traded. Harper would fill that void at one, while Bailey would be a viable option at both forward positions.

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