The Rock Bottom Brooklyn Trade Machine

 Tuesday night was rock bottom for the Brooklyn Nets. Brooklyn got booed out of the Barclays Center as the New York Knicks stormed back from a nine-point third quarter deficit behind All-Star candidates Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson. Brunson received MVP chants when he was at the free throw line late in the fourth.

The “home” team had their star, Mikal Bridges, booed at the free throw line when the Nets were looking to close out their cross-borough rival. “It’s not fun when you feel like you [‘re] at an away game at home” is what Bridges softly said Tuesday night following the loss, the sixth loss in the last seven games and the 11th out of the last 13. The last winning streak Brooklyn has had was late December beating the Detroit Pistons twice in three nights. Since the home and home with Detroit, the Pistons and Nets have the same number of wins, two. In this dry spell for the Nets the losses have come in every kind: buzzer beater, overtime, fourth quarter collapse, blow out—it’s a loss buffet for Brooklyn at the moment. There isn’t a quick fix either.

Firing Jacque Vaughn will only do so much. Yes, his rotations, end of game strategy, and press conferences leave something to be desired, but Vaughn is doing the best he can with the roster he was given. Brooklyn does not have a point guard or a calming voice at the end of games. They’ve needed both for the entire season. The Nets are all wing players and when crunch times arrives, Vaughn is stuck trying to figure the best combination of hot hands he can find. Vaughn hasn’t done his best coaching job, but the blame isn’t solely on his shoulders. Sean Marks needs to share the spotlight of blame for going into the season with a talented roster with no clear direction.

And because of the James Harden trade, Brooklyn doesn’t have the right to their own pick until 2028. And the fruit of the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trades won’t really start to bear until around the same time. That is too long to stay in this holding pattern that the Nets currently find themselves in. With the state of the 2024 class, the vision for the rest of the season for Brooklyn should be clear… sell everything you can for future picks. What is the difference between giving Houston the 13th pick as opposed to the 5th pick? This draft is full of projects anyway.  And the Nets have the most chips at the trade deadline poker table.

From body language, it seems like Nic Claxton is sick of being on a team that cannot win games. He wants to contend, and Brooklyn will not be in the winning business seemingly for the next presidential term. Claxton is a free agent at seasons end and instead of taking the Toronto Raptors approach, the Nets should recoup whatever they can for Claxton before he wants away for nothing. And Oklahoma City is the perfect spot for one of the most versatile big men in the league.

This trade for OKC would instantly make them the favorites in the West and for the Nets you get a pick for the Thunder War chest (2026 1st round pick from Houston or the Clippers) and a guy in Bertens that is an upside 3-point shooter and if all goes right, the nine-year vet is an expiring contract next year that could garner more assets next trade deadline.

Next up on the docket is Spencer Dinwiddie. The two-time Net is an expiring that could be a good bench option for a team in need of a spark and wants to contend. Which teams fit that description… how about a team that seems stuck in the mud after a tumultuous first half, but is still hanging around the playoff picture, the Golden State Warriors!

Now I know what you’re thinking, why on earth would Golden State get into the Dinwiddie business? Well, their bench scoring is some of the worst in the league, Chris Paul is out for at least another month, and Dinwiddie wants to prove that he is still a rotational piece on a championship level team. Plus, Andrew Wiggins has overstayed his welcome in San Francisco, so like the Oklahoma City deal, the Nets would be buying low, and if Wiggins finds his 2021 magic again, he could be a part of the next contending team in Brooklyn. The Nets would also be receiving a 2026 2nd round pick from Golden State (via Atlanta).

This next trade could be an under the radar move that works out for both teams. Lonnie Walker IV is having the year of his life from behind the arc and selling off high on him should be at the top of the to-do list for Sean Marks at the deadline. Getting Andrew Nembhard as a young point guard that can continue to grow as the leader of the offense moving forward is a prospect that’s too juicy to ignore.

There always has to be one trade that blows up social media and this is it. Let’s talk about the draft compensation that would be changing hands. The Nets would be getting the Lakers 2029 1st round pick and Brooklyn would be sending a 2025 2nd round pick out west (via Miami) and a 2029 2nd round pick (via Dallas). It would be a home coming for Russell and Prince, while the Nets would be getting a big in Hayes that hasn’t panned out in his first two spots. For the Lakers, this would re-establish them as a playoff contender giving the bench the scoring and defense that has been obviously missing all season. Cam Thomas would be a hard guy to say goodbye to, but Thomas won’t reach his full potential on a team hovering around the lottery, he needs to continue to learn from the greats and this sets him up to be the best possible player he can.

The trade machine is smoking and rightfully so, but that’s what happens when you’ve reached rock bottom and cannot see the horizon of contention anymore. These trades would keep the Nets in about the same place they have been all season, while also attaining future assets that will put the franchise in the perfect spot to rebuild as all the current contenders fade at the end of the decade.