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We are now three games into the 2022-23 NBA season, and the Brooklyn Nets have struggled to say the least. They currently sit with a 1-2 record, and one of their weak spots continues to be at center. In game one, the Nets were outrebounded 61-39 by the New Orleans Pelicans. They lost the battle of the boards again in game three, but this time by a smaller margin. Their centers had a combined +/- of -10 in the game. It’s a position they need to address if they want to compete for an NBA title this year. They remain committed to Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe, but how long until they seek veteran help?
Whether it is Dwight Howard, Hassan Whiteside, Derrick Favors, or DeMarcus Cousins, the Nets have options that they could add as free agents right away or they have potential trade targets like Nikola Vucevic, who one NBA executive linked the Nets two come this winter. However, Vucevic isn’t the only center that the executive linked to Brooklyn. They could also trade for the San Antonio Spurs’ big man on the trading block.
Jakob Poeltl to Brooklyn?
When discussing what the Nets may look to do to upgrade their roster, an Eastern Conference Executive told Heavy Sports’ NBA Insider Sean Deveney that Brooklyn could make a move to acquire the 7-foot-1 big man from San Antonio. The executive noted with Cam Thomas, Claxton, or Sharpe they have trade assets to get a deal done if they want to.
“The big question is, would they trade away any of their young guys to get in someone who can help them win now? Nic Claxton has value. Cam Thomas has value. Day’Ron Sharpe has value. You could package some of them with Seth Curry to get to where you can make a good offer, if the Bulls come out badly, for example, you could make an offer for (Nikola) Vucevic. The Spurs want two picks for Jakob Poeltl, but there is a place where you could do, maybe, Thomas or Sharpe plus Seth Curry and a future pick for Poeltl,” the executive told Heavy Sports.
Poeltl is has had an awesome start of the season, averaging a double-double with 15.5 points and 10.8 rebounds while also facilitating as a big man averaging nearly 4 assists per game for the Spurs. Poeltl also brings a quality big man that can defend the paint against some of the tough center opponents they’ll face this season.
Seth Curry Trade Possibilities
The executive mentioned Seth Curry as a possible player that could be dealt in a move to acquire a big man, and that’s not the first time that Curry has been linked to trade talk this season. Earlier this summer, an NBA executive shared with Heavy Sports that he expects either Curry or Joe Harris to be dealt before February’s trade deadline.
“One of them [Curry or Harris] will get dealt before the deadline, that would be my guess. Both are really good shooters, obviously, that is their skill. But both are bad defenders who will be targeted in the playoffs. Obviously, finding a new home for either guy has not been the priority for them this summer so, no, they have not really had talks about a deal for either guy, so far.
But I suspect they’ll want to come out and see how healthy Harris is, see if he is back to his old form, then they may start to figure out what they can get for him vs. what they can get for Curry. Harris has more value if he can show he is healthy — he is not as poor a defender as Curry. If they’re going to try to make a deep playoff run, Harris is more likely the one they’d keep,” the executive told Heavy.
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Nets Linked to $26 Million Seven-Foot Center in Potential Trade, Report