The Brooklyn Nets are rebuilding after a disappointing 32-win season. They tried to build around Mikal Bridges, but it did not work. Brooklyn traded him to the Knicks this offseason, and their focus is on the 2025 NBA Draft. Fans have heard the Cameron Johnson rumors, but every veteran should be on the trade block.
Sean Marks knows how to build a contender. He got an overachieving roster to the playoffs two straight years before building a Big 3. The Nets were a Kevin Durant toe on the line from being in the conference finals in 2021, but can Marks do it from the ground up?
Brooklyn should be in asset accumulation mode. They got a massive haul for Bridges, but still have several veterans on their roster. Others should be moved as the Nets try to maximize their draft capital and young talent.
Nets have Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith on the trade block
Finney-Smith and Johnson are two forwards drawing plenty of interest in the trade market. The NBA’s new spending restrictions made it more difficult to make deals, but teams are still searching for upgrades. Several contenders would love to add a 3-and-D wing or a sharpshooter. Brooklyn is asking for significant draft capital, but the price likely drops closer to the deadline.
The Nets should explore every avenue, including getting involved as the third team in a blockbuster deal. San Antonio has done this in recent years, and it has helped them amass draft capital and have multiple avenues to build around Victor Wembanyama. Marks came from the Spurs and will likely follow a similar path in his rebuild.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz proposed several blockbusters that could happen before the season, and one had the Nets involved in a Karl-Anthony Towns deal. Here is a look at the specifics before diving into whether Brooklyn should make the move.