All offseason long, one member of the Brooklyn Nets current big three has been embroiled in trade rumors. First, it was Ben Simmons after the disappointment of him not appearing in a single game this season after the Nets traded for him at the deadline. Second, it was Kyrie Irving during the circus that was his contract negotiation. Then, Irving decided to stay in Brooklyn for the final year of his contract, only for his best friend on the team Kevin Durant to request to be traded from the team. Now, the talk is that Durant could hold out from training camp to force Brooklyn to lower their asking price and make a deal.
However, some still believe that because Durant has four years remaining on his contract, the Nets will still move to keep the superstar forward despite the trade request. One way they may be able to sway Durant is if they build what he feels is a more competitive team around him, and Bleacher Report shared a trade proposal that could help them do that.
Nets ‘Improve’ Their Roster in Trade with Indiana Pacers
In an August 12 article from Bleacher Report, Zach Buckley proposed a trade every NBA team could make to ‘Improve’ its starting lineup. In the article, the Nets were linked with the Indiana Pacers in a deal that did not include Simmons, Irving, or Durant. Perhaps it could be the move to keep their core big three intact for another season.
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Myles Turner and T.J. McConnell
Indiana Pacers Receive: Nic Claxton, Joe Harris, Day’Ron Sharpe, and 2027 first-round pick (top-eight protected via PHI)
Brooklyn would help Indiana finally trade Myles Turner, who has been on the trading block for some time. They would drastically improve their starting center role with a player who averaged 12.9 points and 7 rebounds per game while blocking nearly 3 shots per contest. He is a versatile center in the paint and on the perimeter and could help take the Nets to another level offensively and defensively next season. McConnell is also a veteran point guard that could be a solid floor general to get some minutes off of the bench for Brooklyn.
Now it is important to note that Joe Harris is a tough loss with his shooting and as a fan favorite. However, the team did add Seth Curry, which makes up for some of the shooting they would lose in dealing Harris. Claxton just signed a deal to stay in Brooklyn, and some would argue that he plays in a similar fashion to Turner but is younger with equal upside and may hesitate to do the deal.
How a Deal Would Make Sense
Buddy Hield has also been included in trade rumors for the Pacers, and a move that could really improve the Nets roster if they are going to lose both Claxton and Harris would be finding a way to get Hield and his shooting included in the trade discussions.
A starting lineup of Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry (or Buddy Hield), Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons, and Myles Turner is pretty lethal. The Nets would also have a solid rotation with Hield, TJ Warren, Royce O’Neale, Patty Mills, and more. It could be the trade to improve the Nets starting lineup going into an important season.
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Nets Would Keep Big Three and ‘Improve’ Their Starting Lineup in New Proposed Trade