Getty P.J. Tucker #17 of the Houston Rockets.
The Brooklyn Nets’ 121-109 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday kept them within a half game of the Philadelphia 76ers for first place in the Eastern Conference.
And with the March 25 NBA trade deadline on the horizon, another potentially important development for the Nets unfolded in another NBA arena Thursday night.
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Nets In Pursuit of P.J. Tucker
Houston’s P.J. Tucker sat out Thursday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. Tucker and the Rockets agreed he will no longer be with the team going forward as the two sides work to find a resolution, coach Stephen Silas said after the game, per ESPN.
Sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Tucker “has grown increasingly frustrated that he has yet to be traded to a contender.”
The Nets — in addition to the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat — are among the teams that have discussed possible deals with the Rockets in recent weeks, according to Wojnarowski.
Woj elaborated more on Tucker’s situation here:
So far, the Rockets’ preference for a young, productive rotation player in trade talks has been a sticking point with teams, which haven’t been willing to part with that kind of an asset for a 35-year-old on an expiring contract, sources said.
Tucker traveled with the Rockets to Sacramento and warmed up prior to the game, but he didn’t suit up to join the team on the bench. He hadn’t been listed on the injury report.
“He decided that he was just not really with it, and we decided that that’s a good idea,” Silas said, adding that Tucker would travel back to Houston instead of remaining on the Rockets’ road trip. “Let’s move on.”
How Tucker Would Fit With Nets
Tucker is a quintessential 3-and-D player, shooting 35.9% on 3-pointers for his career and providing exceptional versatility as a top-tier defender. He’s been described as the “undeniable glue” that holds the Rockets together, as well as a tough-minded defender who plays an important role in the locker room. And though the 35-year-old is among the league’s oldest players — heading into the 2020-21 season, he was the eighth-oldest player on an NBA roster — he’s also very durable. Since the 2012-13 season, the 6-foot-5 Tucker has played in the most games of any player in the NBA.
All of that works to make him a perfect fit for the Nets, who have been playing better defense of late but still stand to improve on that end of the floor.
The Nets and Rockets in January worked a massive four-team deal to land James Harden in Brooklyn, so that familiarity between front offices could help here. So, too, could Tucker’s familiarity with Harden. The two overlapped in Houston for three seasons.
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Spencer Dinwiddie a Prime Trade Chip
The Nets’ top trade chip remains Spencer Dinwiddie, who suffered a partially torn ACL in late December. The 6-foot-5 guard is progressing in his rehab — he often posts updates to his social media — and has not ruled out a return later this season.
Not only are the Nets reportedly shopping Dinwiddie, but there’s also significant interest in him. Shams Charania of The Athletic recently reported that several teams have pursued Dinwiddie in trade talks. Teams have extra incentive to trade for Dinwiddie in order to receive his Bird rights and offer him a deal up to five years in free agency, as Charania notes.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz sees Tucker as a perfect fit for Brooklyn. He elaborated in a February 12 article:
“Brooklyn needs to be targeting any and all role players on cheapish contracts who can come in and provide a pulse on the defensive end.
“Getting P.J. Tucker to reunite with Harden would be a dream target. The Nets can use Spencer Dinwiddie’s deal to match up salaries and still possess a collection of second-round picks to use as collateral.”
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