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As the NBA trade deadline quickly approaches on March 25, the buyout market grows ever clearer.
The Nets have already cashed in here, signing Blake Griffin earlier this month after the six-time All-Star agreed to a contract buyout with the Detroit Pistons. Brooklyn has been linked to other big names in the buyout market like Andre Drummond and JJ Redick.
But one potential trade/buyout target of the Nets has flown mostly under the radar. And one NBA analyst thinks that shouldn’t be the case.
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Gorgui Dieng a Top Target?
During a back-and-forth on Wednesday between The Athletic’s Alex Schiffer and John Hollinger, the latter brought up one player who makes a lot of sense for the Nets, despite lacking the flash that Drummond and Redick possess.
“One other name below the radar who should really interest the Nets is Gorgui Dieng,” Hollinger wrote. “He is a good defender, and he can shoot. I think if he gets bought out in Memphis — which is possible given their commitment to second-round pick Xavier Tillman — he should be Brooklyn’s top target. He’ll help a lot more than “names” like Griffin, (LaMarcus) Aldridge or Drummond.”
It’s worth noting: Hollinger is the former Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Grizzlies.
Dieng, 31, has averaged 7.9 points and 4.5 rebounds with sparkling shooting efficiency — 54 percent from the field, 48 percent from 3, and 88 percent from the free-throw line — in 22 games this season. The 6-foot-10 center is on a $17.2 million expiring contract.
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What About a Trade for Dieng?
For this one, Hollinger donned his front-office hat and wasn’t afraid to pull out all the stops.
Four teams, eight players and Dieng in a Brooklyn uniform — that’s the end result of this mega-deal that Hollinger conjured in a Thursday article for The Athletic. Here’s a closer look at those involved and who gets what:
Nets receive: Dieng from Memphis
Pacers receive: Spencer Dinwiddie from Brooklyn, Mike Muscala from Oklahoma City, Svi Mykhaliuk from Oklahoma City (although technically in a separate trade since he can’t be re-aggregated, Hollinger notes)
Grizzlies receive: Doug McDermott from Indiana, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot from Brooklyn
Thunder receive: Tyler Johnson from Brooklyn, Aaron Holiday from Indiana
Whew.
Yeah, Hollinger went all mad scientist here, but Dieng’s hefty salary—and how good a fit he is for the Nets—forced him to get creative in order to make it work.
“Dieng is clearly the guy that would help them (the Nets) the most,” Hollinger wrote. “He’s the best defender of the bunch by a wide margin (in comparison to Aldridge and Drummond), can make an open 3, and has no desire to clog the offense with post ups. However, fitting his $17 million into a trade isn’t easy, and it’s an expensive luxury tax addition for the Nets.”
As for some of the nuts and bolts of the deal, Hollinger delves into more of the specifics here:
Here’s how we’ll make it easier. First, Dinwiddie’s roster spot isn’t helping Brooklyn win the title this year, and he’s gonzo once the season ends. Finding a landing spot for him is crucial. Few teams could use his playmaking more than the Pacers, who would end up with his Bird Rights in this deal and be able to re-sign him in the offseason. Indiana should be able to meet his market number without going over the tax line.
Second, we’ll include Luwawu-Cabarrot and Johnson in the trade to offload some more Brooklyn salary and create at least one roster spot for potential buyout guys. However, the other spot created in this deal will to go to Stanley or Reggie Perry; converting one of those two-ways to a roster spot will be significantly cheaper than signing another veteran, and the Nets need to cut their luxury tax bill any way possible.
Hollinger then writes Indiana’s onboarding of Dinwiddie’s money would prompt them to deal McDermott, who makes a ton of sense for the shooting-starved Grizzlies.
All in all, it’s a lot of moving parts to land the Nets just one player. But Nets GM Sean Marks has already shown a propensity to do so this season.
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