The NBA trade deadline approaches Thursday, and Nets fans didn’t get the star player they were hoping for, nor did they get any clarity from the organization about their future direction.
“Fans from seven or eight years ago probably didn’t really understand what the direction was back then,” general manager Sean Marks said. “I really believe in this group, this group of players and staff, going out there and putting a sustainable product out there.”
How can yesterday tell us about tomorrow?
Everything Brooklyn says and does, the latter always outweighing the former, does not point to complete dissolution. The Nets gradually built up their team early in Marks’ tenure, acquiring Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and eventually James Harden. Despite the ugly breakup of the Big 3, expect them to stock up on gunpowder and stay dry.
Until they need to take a shot.
And all signs point toward a 2025 reset. However, that schedule could move forward if the right opportunity presents itself.
“When we first got here, I think it was almost eight years ago, we had one idea of what the schedule was going to look like. All of a sudden, it accelerates. I Thanks to our coaches, they have developed players,” Marks said. “They speed up your schedule a little bit.
“That doesn’t mean we have to go all in when we go all in. But at the same time, we also had an opportunity to get a player of Kevin, Kai, James’ stature. We would want to do that.” , and I would do it all over again. But at the same time, now it’s about how do we develop these young players? And who fits into our schedule? If you look at the age range of the players here, you’ll see they’re 22, 25, 27, and they’ve got three or four years left.?
“It’ll be fun to see how Mikal turns out.” [Bridges] It’s fun to see what Cam looks like in his prime, what he looks like when he’s in his prime, Nick Claxton, the list is like out there. So I don’t want to say he’s on a three-year, four-year schedule. It could be faster than that. I’ve seen it move faster than that in the past. ”
It could go even faster if the right stars pick up speed.
Obviously, Damian Lillard’s aging and the limitations of this roster (only 20-31 at the moment) indicate he is not a good fit for their timeline.
Dejounte Murray appeared to be available for the Hawks at the deadline, but some personnel officials around the league are questioning whether he’s a winner, and everyone agrees he’s not a superstar. are doing.
He’s different from Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Donovan Mitchell.
League executives are closely looking for Doncic’s dissatisfaction in Dallas and monitoring Antetokounmpo’s mood in Milwaukee. But the one perceived to be most available is Mitchell, a native New Yorker who is considered open to returning to his hometown.
Mitchell predictably turned down a contract extension in Cleveland last summer. But if he refuses to sign this summer, along with the threat of rejecting his $37 million player option for the 2025-26 season, the Cavs could move him in the offseason or before next season’s trade deadline. There is a possibility that
The five-time All-Star is 27 years old, the same age as Bridges, Cam Johnson and Ben Simmons. Claxton is 24 years old, and Cam Thomas, who Marks has mentioned as a potential cornerstone player for the future, is 22.
nest egg for the future
Brooklyn has tradeable first-round picks to get a suitable running mate for Bridges, including unprotected first-round picks from the Suns (2027, 2029) and Mavericks (2029) There are 7 pieces.
“Again, we know what fits our schedule right now, what we’re looking for, and what we’re judging them on,” Marks said. he said. “And part of that is the moves we made at this deadline, the moves we plan to make in the draft and then in free agency: who fits here and who can be the net long-term. ”
These moves sought to straddle rejuvenation, competitiveness and flexibility.
They sent their three oldest players, 30-year-old Spencer Dinwiddie, Royce O’Neal and Dorian Finney-Smith, all on the trade market, moving Dinwiddie and O’Neal, who are both on expiring contracts, and retaining Finney-Smith. He was the one they wanted the most. That’s too many, according to several league officials who spoke with the Post.
Marks rejected an offer for two first-round picks for Finney-Smith at last year’s deadline, and he didn’t get the offer he wanted this time either. But they moved Dinwiddie and O’Neal in a deal that straddles the line between staying competitive and maintaining flexibility at all costs.
“Well, we spend our days constantly thinking about future flexibility. Looking at how our team is this year, are we trying to maintain some level of sustainability?” Marks said. “What will it be like in six months? What will it be like in three or four years?
“So we’re thinking far ahead here, and what fits our time schedule, what fits the group that we think will come back next offseason and come back as the Nets. I’ve been thinking about this for a year or two. So, hopefully, you can achieve some of these goals. We’re feeling pretty good about the players we’ve added and the guys we’ve brought in. But at the same time, you’re also retaining some of those draft assets and, again, you’re retaining future flexibility. ”
O’Neal went to Phoenix in a three-team deal, and Marks brought back Keita Bates-Diop, Jordan Goodwin (already on waivers) and three second-round picks. Indiana got a similar return for O’Neal as it did for dead-eye shooter Buddy Hield.
Translation: He went to the Suns for future cap savings and draft assets.
“If we get three future draft assets here, I couldn’t explain how they’re going to be used, but that’s an opportunity for me. This is an exciting piece for our group,” Marks said. he said. “In the last 24 and 72 hours here, we’ve seen a lot of these picks being thrown around and floating around. That’s something we’ll only be able to leverage more of going forward.”
Dinwiddie was traded to Toronto for former Net Thug Dennis Schroder (also waived), essentially allowing them to take a massive $20.4 million trade exception to Dinwiddie’s cap hit.
Translation: The Nets got rid of a problem, a disgruntled free agent who could walk for free, and brought back a point guard who can be a starter at best and a trade piece next year at worst.
Dinwiddie’s contract was expiring, but an extension could not be reached. Schröder is under contract for $13 million next season and could be a starter. The Nets currently have the possibility of moving the often-injured Ben Simmons if his health deteriorates again (which is always a possibility given his history) or by the summer or next year’s deadline. There is insurance for your precious pieces.
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Reset instead of rebuild
Brooklyn would also be able to save money and not only re-sign Claxton in the summer, but also avoid the luxury tax by taking advantage of the mid-level exception or bi-annual exception. This is crucial because after paying the luxury tax last season and the year before, the Nets are $13 million below taxes per spot rack. If you avoid the luxury tax next year, the repeater tax will be reset.
If Simmons’ massive $40.3 million salary is allowed to come off the books in the summer of 2025, it would not only provide enough cap space, but also allow the returner to avoid the repeater tax until at least 2028. Taxes will be reset.
Nets owner Joe Tsai has already paid an eye-watering $323 million in luxury taxes since buying the Nets, which he won one playoff series. It is thought he is willing to pay candidates again, but manager Jacques Vaughn, facing fan anxiety, must show he can make it happen. He hasn’t had an easy time.
“No, absolutely not,” Marks said. “And that’s part of coaching when you have no idea who your guys are going to be,” Marks said. “I see sweat equity every day, not just from Jack, but from his coaching staff, and that should be incredibly respected.
“He’s giving it his all. And he never knows who he’s going to get for tonight’s game, let alone we just took a couple of guys away from him (Thursday). So he knows what’s at stake. We all do that here. Our job is to go out there selling sustainable products and cheering on our fan base. , to provide something to support.”
I wish it was before 2025.
