Getty Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics
The Brooklyn Nets have won eight of their last nine games and sit just a half-game back of having sole possession of the third seed in the Eastern Conference standings. It has been one of the more remarkable storylines in the NBA this season as they placed as low as 12th place in the conference earlier this year.
But despite the turnaround with this current team, Nets general manager Sean Marks could still look to bolster Brooklyn’s roster before the February trade deadline. According to NBA Trade Report, the Nets are among several teams who are interested in trading for Detroit Pistons point guard Saddiq Bey.
“Pistons are “fielding multiple offers” for Saddiq Bey. Lakers, Hawks, Knicks, Suns, Brooklyn, Orlando have shown interest,” the account tweeted on December 13.
The latest Nets news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Nets newsletter here!
Nets Showing Interest in John Collins
This report is consistent with another from Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Bally Sports, who says that the Nets are looking to make a move before the trade deadline. Robinson also cites that the Nets front office was “showcasing talent” when they benched several of their starters in their win over the Indiana Pacers on December 10.
“Don’t look at the Nets [and think] that because they played those eight guys that Sean Marks doesn’t have something up his sleeve,” Robinson told Sandeep Chandok on December 12. “You don’t know what’s in his deck of cards, but ultimately the Nets were showcasing talent on that squad and that’s the talk in Nets land.”
“Don’t look at the Nets that because they played those 8 guys that Sean Marks doesn’t have something up his sleeve” 👀
@ScoopB tells @sandeepchandok the Brooklyn Nets were “showcasing talent” when they sat Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons vs. the Pacers last week.
Another player who Marks could look to target is Atlanta Hawks star John Collins according to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic.
“The Hawks have had several teams in the Collins market, such as Utah, Washington, Brooklyn, and Dallas, sources said,” Charania writes.
“Atlanta has not shown interest so far in a potential framework that would contain Brooklyn’s Joe Harris, those sources said. Phoenix has a desire for Collins but does not appear inclined to take on the forward, who is in the second season of a five-year, $125 million pact.”
Kyrie, Durant Have High Praise for Jacque Vaughan
Another thing that can be attributed to the Nets’ recent success is the firing of Steve Nash and the hiring of Nets head coach Jacque Vaughan. Brooklyn has a record of 15-6 since Vaughan took over the reins in Brooklyn. Under Vaughan, the Nets have played a more inspiring brand of defense and have shown an obvious commitment to giving 100% effort night in and night out. Nets stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had high praise for Vaughan and the job he has done so far.
“Jacque has done an amazing job making adjustments throughout the game,” Durant said. “I’ve liked the brand of basketball we’ve played regardless of who is on the court.”
“You’ll see in the future, we’ll make some changes on the fly with different lineups, guys playing harder. Jacque’s made it very clear that if you’re not playing hard enough, he’s gonna let you know about it,” Irving added.
It may be a bit premature to put the Nets in the conversation for title contenders, but as they continue to improve, they could eventually be in that tier.