At last year’s trade deadline, the Nets made a huge deal that rocked the NBA.
Thursday will likely be quiet.
Brooklyn traded star players Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving before last season’s deadline, so the changes made before 3 p.m. are expected to be minor rather than dramatic.
The Nets could be buyers or sellers by simply trading a role player.
Speculated to be retaining Nic Claxton, the 30-year-old Royce O’Neal, Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie have all received some level of interest, with opponents Cleveland and Milwaukee on Thursday. are also showing interest.
And don’t expect All-Stars like Dejounte Murray or D’Angelo Russell to come in.
Keep your hopes up for rotation players like Phoenix’s Nasir Little, Cleveland’s Dean Wade, and Oklahoma City’s Davis Bertans.
Bertans, who has been linked to the team in a report by The Athletic, is 6-foot-10 and has a deep hit percentage of 41.7 percent, making him the desirable mold of a bigger stretch 4 who can bring both size and floor width to the Nets. Compatible with
This roster construction is not going to be a miracle, it will be planned.
Murray is still the biggest player on the market, but Brooklyn GM Sean Marks has no interest in paying the two first-round picks the Hawks want for the All-Star. Don’t expect to see Russell again either.
The Nets made a decision that doesn’t neatly fall into the buyer or seller category, but could be both.
Dinwiddie, Finney-Smith and O’Neal are all 30 years old.
Dinwiddie is believed to be the most available, but O’Neal may be the one to return for the closest amount to the asking price.
“I’m not focused on that,” O’Neill said recently. “Come on, play basketball or play some video games to distract yourself.” [outside factors] Whatever I have to do. Don’t get caught up in distractions. ”
Still, since the Nets can’t play the Cavaliers until after the deadline, O’Neal decided to shake the hands of all of his teammates after Tuesday’s loss — in case they turned out to be former teammates.
Since last season, the Nets have been demanding at least a first-round pick or equivalent for O’Neal, whose $9.5 million contract is expiring.
According to NetsDaily, Phoenix offered two second-rounders and Little, an athletic 23-year-old winger.
According to Cleveland.com, the Cavs checked in on O’Neal and Finney-Smith last season and are still keeping an eye on both players.
Lonnie Walker IV has also received interest from the Cavaliers and Celtics.
Sources told the Post that the Nets rejected two first-round picks for Finney-Smith last year, but now they don’t even appear to have received a similar offer.
According to ESPN, the Bucks are interested but haven’t reached that price.
There’s no word on what the Nets wanted in return, but the outlet previously reported interest in Wade, a 3-and-D forward who brings much-needed size at 6-9 and with a 7-foot wingspan. It was reported.
Wade averaged 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 21.7 minutes.
He is shooting 40.1% from deep, including a solid 41.3% in 30 starts.
And, with his three-year, $18 million contract just beginning, he intended to save the Nets money this summer and use it to re-sign Claxton.
O’Neal is close friends with Cavs star Donovan Mitchell, who rejected a contract extension last offseason.
If he opts out again this summer, Cleveland could have to make a difficult decision since he can opt out after next season.
Neither Dinwiddie nor reserve Dennis Smith Jr. are part of the long-range rebuild, but moves for either point guard are risky due to the unpredictable health of Ben Simmons.
Dinwiddie has attracted interest from the Hawks and Lakers, but Russell’s recent play appears to have dampened that interest. The Athletic reported that the Magic and Raptors are the players, and Nets Daily reported that he could be acquired if Dinwiddie doesn’t move.
Within an hour, security personnel vehemently denied the latter report.
“Lol, I understand that you guys are mad at me right now. But this is not true,” Dinwiddie said on X. You won’t be annoyed if we win. Winning is fun.”
When told that he seemed to have lost his attachment to the organization, he replied: “Does that mean you’re going to sit on the bench with less than five minutes left, like you always do?”
“While I’m here, let me clarify another false narrative of this season. I’m challenging guards like Markkanen, Banchero, KD, Luka, etc. every night. Jaylen Duran/Stewart in Detroit. He also guards as the main defender. He has never quit. We all want to win in this locker room.”
