Getty The Nets swarm Justise Winslow on defense.
The Brooklyn Nets are expected to look very different next season as both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant aren’t expected to remain on the roster going into next season.
After Irving opted into his contract for next season, things looked good to go this summer, but Durant requested a trade out of Brooklyn shortly after. With that news, it’s now expected that both Durant and Irving will be on new teams, and that’s going to create a lot of turmoil.
Outside of those two, the Nets have already suffered some losses in free agency and former starters Andre Drummond and Bruce Brown have both departed, to the Bulls and Nuggets respectively.
While he wasn’t with the team for long, another piece from last year’s team has departed with Goran Dragic jumping ship to an Eastern Conference rival.
Dragic to Chicago
Free agent guard Goran Dragic has agreed to a deal with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Dragic has inked a deal with the Bulls. The Nets guard’s stay in Brooklyn was a short one as he only appear in 16 games in the regular season after splitting time between there and the Toronto Raptors.
The 2018 All-Star still has a little bit left in the tank and can provide good shooting off the bench, but that’s just about all that can be expected from the 36-year-old at this stage in his career.
In Chicago, Dragic will be buried deep in the depth chart as he’ll be behind Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and Coby White provided the latter isn’t traded. Dragic can be a good spot starter or somebody who can hit a clutch shot, but it’s hard to imagine the Bulls handing out tons of minutes to him if everybody else is healthy.
As for Brooklyn, replacing him won’t be all that difficult and is likely low on their list of priorities this offseason. They have to deal with trading their two superstars, and they’ll likely find a replacement for Dragic and much more in any potential deal.
What Does Brooklyn Do Next?
The Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets are actively engaged in trade discussions centered on a Russell Westbrook-Kyrie Irving package, league sources tell @YahooSports:
Moving Durant and Irving are the priorities for the Nets going forward. An Irving trade was being discussed on July 2 with the Los Angeles Lakers that would ship the superstar guard to LA and receive Russell Westbrook in return.
Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reports the Nets won’t just jump into a trade, however.
“The Nets are not expected to be rushed into a deal and will continue conversing the complex specifics with the Lakers on an Irving-Westbrook swap,” he wrote. “Brooklyn is also listening to proposals from nearly half of the league attempting to make a play on Kevin Durant, who requested a trade at the start of free agency.”
Westbrook’s season with the Lakers was disastrous, and while there’s a possibility he could shine outside of the bright lights of Los Angeles, a lineup with him and Ben Simmons in it just doesn’t seem like a great idea.
The Nets hold a lot of chips this offseason, so there’s little reason to take a trade that doesn’t help them in a big way. Durant is under contract for four more seasons that will likely take him into the twilight of his career, so the team will be looking for a big haul in return.
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Former Nets Guard Finds New Home With Eastern Rival