Nets hope Allen big part of rebuilding process

The Brooklyn Nets selected big man Jarrett Allen from Texas with the 22nd pick of the NBA draft, taking a oneand-done freshman who blossomed at the end of his only season with the Longhorns.

The Brooklyn Nets selected big man Jarrett Allen from Texas with the 22nd pick of the NBA draft, taking a one-anddone freshman who blossomed at the end of his only season with the Longhorns.

The 6-foot-11 Allen, who went to high school in Austin, Texas, averaged 13.4 points and 8.4 rebounds for the Longhorns, but 18.5 points in eight February games. Texas finished a disappointing 11-22 and out of the NCAA Tournament.

Brooklyn had the worst record in the NBA last season (20-62) and could have had the first pick in the draft if the previous regime had not traded it to Boston in 2013 in a deal that brought Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets. The Celtics also hold Brooklyn’s first-round pick next season.

Without top picks to rebuild the Nets, secondyear general manager Sean Marks made his big move earlier in draft week.

The Nets traded pick No. 27 and center Brook Lopez to the Los Angeles Lakers for D’Angelo Russell and center Timofey Mozgov. Russell was the second pick in the 2015 draft. The Nets had to make the 27th pick before the trade could become official and took Kyle Kuzma from Utah for Los Angeles.

“D’Angelo is a versatile young guard with a bright future and we are enthusiastic about continuing his development along with our young nucleus, while Timofey will provide a veteran presence who can contribute on both ends of the floor,” Marks said in a statement released when the trade was announced.

In the second round with the 57th overall pick, the Nets selected Aleksandar Vezenkov from Cyprus.

After moving Lopez and getting the 7-foot-1 Mozgov, the Nets still needed size. Allen is still developing offensively, but his length and athleticism provide potential for him to make an immediate impact as a rebounder, defender and player who can get to the basket.

“I see my role is being a rim protector,” Allen said in an interview with ESPN at Barclays Center, where he will play for the Nets. He averaged 1.5 blocks per game last season.

Allen, 19, was the 15th freshman taken in the NBA draft, breaking the record of 14 taken in the first round last season.