Nets demand top unprotected draft picks for Porter Jr. and Claxton, delaying any deals as contenders scramble to fork over assets before the deadline.
The 11-23 Brooklyn Nets have experienced a positive past few weeks despite being being thrust under a persistent trade rumor storm cloud.
Since the start of the new year, especially, the team's incredible mix of impressive on-court output and rumblings of several huge transactions being diagrammed have made things very interesting for Nets fans and media members, alike.
However, a recent report from ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel gave the Nets faithful and the rest of the NBA world a solid indication of what the franchise is trying to accomplish prior to the Feb. 5 trade deadline, especially with regard to both first-time All-Star hopeful Michael Porter Jr. and solid two-way center Nic Claxton.
"Since being traded to Brooklyn in the offseason, Porter has been playing the best basketball of his career, increasing his value in trade talks," Siegel wrote Wednesday afternoon.
"At the same time, the Nets are in no rush to make a decision on Porter's future and have simply been receptive to incoming calls," Siegel continued.
"Brooklyn won't begin to consider any trade packages for Porter, or Nic Claxton for that matter, without the inclusion of a true unprotected first-round pick, among other assets."
The future of the Nets, especially with an important 2026 NBA Draft on the way this offseason, should rely heavily upon their luck with selecting prospects. In essence, their prioritization of draft capital in any trade talks leading up to deadline day have made them very selective.
Despite their current status as a 'bottom-feeder' of sorts in the Eastern Conference, Brooklyn should hold a fair amount of leverage in discussions with prospective trade partners that is heavily tied to Porter Jr.'s excellence this season.
With Porter Jr. destined to make his first trip to the All-Star Game at just 27 years old and proving to be one of the best pure shot-makers in all of basketball, plenty of contenders with first-round picks to spare should be banging down the Nets' door to make offers.
Although, if the Nets see that the framework of a hypothetical deal doesn't involve said draft capital -- Deal's off.
Along with Porter Jr., the collective value of Claxton and players such as Day'Ron Sharpe, Ziaire Williams and Haywood Highsmith should give Brooklyn plenty of chances to obtain a first-rounder or two, making it all-the-more important for other franchises to come correct with their offers.
As the deadline draws near, the Nets' persistence could easily result in the successful landing of valued future assets.
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