As the trade deadline approaches, it's not unusual to see Brooklyn Nets 2024 trade rumors flooding social media. The team has not performed well at all this season, posting a 16-23 record and looking tired and outmatched more often than not.
That's why they were rumored to be sellers before the deadline. The only problem is that, as often happens when trading draft picks, they can no longer control their own destiny. The James Harden trade gave the Houston Rockets the ability to trade picks with them, so they have no incentive to lose or lose games.
With that in mind, we're talking about a team that needs to improve as quickly as possible. They need to find answers and solutions and make at least a push in the Play-In tournament.
But how can they do that? How can they get around the NBA's luxury tax and move the few valuable pieces they have to improve? Let's break it down.
Brooklyn Nets 2024 trade rumors
The Brooklyn Nets don't have a lot of tradable assets right now, but they could certainly get one. It will take several steps, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to do. For starters, the first thing that should be clear is that Ben Simmons has absolutely no trade value at the moment.
There is literally no one in the league that would consider making a run for Simmons and his huge contract and all the drama that always comes with it unless he has some venture capital attached to it. So, the Nets can only pray and hope he can give it to them something one day.
This leaves us with the pieces that are actually tradable. A Royce O'Neale deal makes sense, as they are already prepared for the future with several wings on the roster. Then again, he could give contending teams another 3-and-D wing, and those wings are usually very valuable on the trade market.
However, the most valuable and realistic trade asset they could look to part ways with now is Dorian Finney-Smith. Finney-Smith is an elite wing guard and three-point shooter, not to mention a perfect shooter. His skill set could be worth at least a first-round pick and a couple of picks.
The Nets are reportedly monitoring the Atlanta Hawks' Dejounte Murray, which makes perfect sense. He could help their defense in the backcourt and create one of the best defensive combos with Claxton, Mikal Bridges and Finney Smith — or the picks they get in that trade — could help secure him.
They could also pursue cheaper options like D'Angelo Russell, who had the best years of his career in Brooklyn, and/or Rui Hachimura, who could give them some size, grit, and athleticism. Jerami Grant also makes sense, as they would take a big payday from the rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers to get a versatile big man, a two-way athlete who can create his own shot, etc.
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There's another way the Nets can improve now, but it requires giving up their future. Cam Thomas looked like a rising star and a walking bucket at the beginning of the season before cooling off, but he is still the team's leading scorer.
Giving away your best young goalscorer rarely works. But if they are desperate enough and want to go after a star like Zach LaVine and/or DeMar DeRozan, a team like the Chicago Bulls will gladly engage in trade talks with them to send them as many pieces as possible to acquire the LSU product. . It will be hard to swallow, but it may also be the only possibility left.
