This summer, the Brooklyn Nets are sitting in a rare and powerful position. After a rough past season where they finished an abysmal 26-56, there is no hiding that this team is in a rebuild. But unlike most franchises starting over, Brooklyn has something incredibly valuable which is flexibility, and they have a lot of it.
With more than $40 million in projected cap space, the Nets are one of the only teams in the league with room to make real moves. That kind of financial freedom is a weapon, especially in a league where so many contenders are trying to find a way around the constraints of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. There are many teams like the Celtics and Suns that need relief. Brooklyn can give it, but should only for a real return.
That is the key
The Nets can’t let this cap space be treated like a free favor. If another team wants to unload salary to get under the tax line or open up roster flexibility, Brooklyn has to demand a first-round pick in return. Even if it is a protected one. Their message to other teams around the league should be simple: if you want our help, it is going to cost you.
Yes, the Nets already have a war chest of draft picks which include four firsts in the upcoming draft alone, (15 firsts and 16 seconds) over the next seven years, but that is exactly why they should not stop now. When you are in the midst of rebuilding, there is no such thing as too many assets. Draft capital gives you options. For example, you can build through the draft or flip picks for ready-made talent when the time is right.
The Nets should also position themselves as the go-to team in multi-team deals
With their cap space and clean books, they can be the middleman who makes trades work. That role may not make headlines, but it brings in future picks and keeps the long-term plan moving forward.
Brooklyn already has some tough decisions to make this summer, including whether to move players like Nic Claxton or Cam Johnson, or if figuring out is Cam Thomas a true number one guy? But whether it’s taking on salary or trading away rotation pieces, every move should be made with value in mind.
The cap space won’t last. But the choices the Nets make with it can define the next few years of their organization. They do not need to make a huge splash. They just need to stay the course, hold firm, and keep their focus on the long game.