Last year when the Brooklyn Nets were healthy, they were a force to be reckoned with. Already having the dynamic duo of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant at the beginning of the 2020 season made them contenders in the eyes of many. But when they made the trade for nine-time NBA All-Star James Harden in January, it automatically made them the title favorites.
The trio of Harden, Irving, and Durant was one of the most unstoppable offensive juggernauts that the league has seen. But the Nets had an undeniable weakness on the defensive side of the ball. And their inability to get consistent stops on defense ultimately led to their demise in the playoffs.
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Bleacher Report Suggests Nets Make Trade for Luguentz Dort
Nets general manager Sean Marks has done his job in getting the Nets help on defense with the signings of players such as Paul Millsap and Patty Mills. But the NBA is an ever-changing league, and you never want to miss the opportunity to improve. In his latest report, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz suggests Brooklyn pull off a trade for Oklahoma City Thunder wing defender, Luguentz Dort.
“Finding a great wing defender at a reasonable price point won’t be easy. Even the Nets care (at least a little bit) about luxury-tax bills, which is why they packaged four-second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons to get off of DeAndre Jordan’s contract. This is why Dort would be the perfect trade target,” Swartz writes.
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Nets Would Have to Trade Rookie Standout to Get Dort
Dort may seem like a bargain deal, as he is only scheduled to make $3.7 million over the next two seasons. But making a run at him this season could prove to be costly for Brooklyn in the long run. To acquire Dort, Swartz suggests the Nets part ways with Nic Claxton and their first-round draft pick Cameron Thomas. Thomas was just named this year’s NBA Summer League co-MVP, averaging 27.0 points per game.
“The 22-year-old is making just $1.8 million this season and $1.9 the year after, an ideal amount for a Nets team that’s projected to spend a whopping $288.2 million on player salaries and luxury tax,” Swartz continued.
“While it may cost the Nets rookie, Cameron Thomas and Nicolas Claxton, getting Dort as an elite wing defender on that contract would be worth it.”
Bruce Brown Ready to Adjust to New Look Nets
Nets’ wing Bruce Brown was one of the very few reliable defenders on Brooklyn’s roster last season. Brown will be returning to Brooklyn in 2020 to a brand new environment now that key players such as Jeff Green and Landry Shamet are no longer with the team.
Things have changed dramatically from the last time the Nets took the floor for Game 7 against the Bucks. However, that doesn’t bother Brown as the Nets forward says he is prepared for the adjustment.
“Adjusting roles will be easy for me because I wasn’t a 4 my whole life. It’s all about adjusting to each team and what they need. That’s what I’m best at,” Brown told Anthony Puccio of “The Association” per NetsDaily.
“I think that’s what the team needed at the time, and it was working. It was throwing other teams off and putting them at disadvantage. And most importantly, I can finish at the rim.”
The Nets will enter training camp on September 28 with a fresh start, looking to put that Game 7 loss behind them.
For the most part Brooklyn has their roster set as 19 of their 20 slots are filled for training camp. However, if we have learned anything about the Nets’ front office it is that they will never miss out on an opportunity to improve the roster. Stay tuned!
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