The Brooklyn Nets hosted a group workout Thursday that included some intriguing names for the 2026 NBA Draft, and while most eyes are on that No. 6 pick, the real value might come later. The team brought in Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile, Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton, Miami (OH) guard Peter Suder, Marquette guard Chase Ross, Illinois forward Ben Humrichous, and Vanderbilt forward AK Okereke, according to league sources.
Brazile is the kind of prospect scouts love to argue about. He’s 6-foot-9.5 barefoot with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and a 41.5-inch vertical — that’s the fifth-highest max leap at this year’s combine. On a good night, he looks like a first-round talent. On a bad night, you wonder if he’s paying attention. His motor ran hot and cold across four college seasons, and that inconsistency is why he’s projected somewhere in the second round. ClutchPoints has him at No. 35 on its big board. ESPN says No. 41. The Athletic has him at No. 46.
His offense is still a work in progress. Brazile shot 35.3 percent from three on 6.0 attempts per 100 possessions over his last four seasons, which is enough to keep defenses honest. He can attack closeouts and finish above the rim. But he averaged less than one assist per game for his college career and turned it over more than you’d like. He’s not a guy you run offense through. What he is, though, is a guy who can guard multiple positions and block shots, and that kind of two-way potential is why a team like Brooklyn might gamble on him at No. 33 or 43.
Thornton had a monster senior year at Ohio State. The 22-year-old guard averaged 19.9 points on absurdly efficient shooting splits — 55.4 percent from the field, 40 percent from three, 82.9 percent from the line. He also took care of the ball, posting a 3.02 assist-to-turnover ratio. The big knock? He’s 6-foot-0 barefoot. But he’s a sturdy 215 pounds and averaged 5.1 rebounds, which helps offset the height concern. The Athletic ranks him No. 37. ESPN has him at No. 49.
Suder and Ross are longer shots but still worth watching. Suder, a 6-foot-5 guard, was a key piece for a Miami Ohio team that went 32-2. He averaged 14.8 points, 4.6 boards and 4.0 assists on 54.6 percent shooting. Ross led the Big East in steals at 2.3 per game while putting up 14.3 points and 3.4 assists for Marquette. His three-point shooting needs work — 29.5 percent — but he’s a pest defensively.
The Nets have two second-round picks at 33 and 43. That’s where you find guys like Brazile — high ceiling, lower floor — or a steady hand like Thornton. Either way, Thursday’s workout gave the front office a closer look at the kind of players who can turn a draft class from decent to deep.
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