Brooklyn aims to leverage a massive pick haul and Michael Porter Jr.’s expiring contract to land the All-Star wing, capitalizing on rising tensions in Boston.
The Jaylen Brown trade noise has reached maximum volume, even after the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, and the Brooklyn Nets could cash in on an opportunity they missed out on in 2023.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on Sunday morning that Brown has garnered trade interest from various NBA teams. Brooklyn is on the list, featuring six other teams.
When Kevin Durant requested a trade in 2023, the Nets almost acquired the Boston Celtics forward. However, Brooklyn pivoted and traded their 6-foot-11 superstar to the Phoenix Suns.
Three years later, the door to trading for Brown has opened once more. The team is armed with multiple assets and players to offer without sacrificing its future.
"The Nets are armed with a treasure chest of future first-round picks," Scotto wrote. "The expiring contract of last year’s All-Star candidate Michael Porter Jr., which would likely be needed to make any trade logistically, and center Day’Ron Sharpe, whom Boston had interest in last year, as HoopsHype reported."
Porter Jr.'s salary will increase to $40.8 million in three days (July 1) when the new fiscal year kicks in. A massive salary like that is useful for teams attempting to acquire a star who is earning maximum money.
Sharpe is a young, cost-controlled asset for the Nets. He's stepping into the starting center role since Nicolas Claxton was traded to the Chicago Bulls. Although Boston has expressed interest in Sharpe, now that he is a starter for Brooklyn, general manager Sean Marks may pivot and include other young talent to maintain some frontcourt depth.
Brooklyn also has an abundance of draft capital to offer. The team has multiple first-round picks, which the Celtics will surely try to acquire more than two from any trade partner.
Acquiring Brown would add a two-way shot-creating wing to the roster, raising the Nets' floor and ceiling. He is coming off a career year, where he played 66 games without his co-star, Jayson Tatum.
Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists last season. He shot 47.7% from the field, 34.7% from three and 79.5% from the free throw line.
The 6-foot-6 guard played a majority of the season as the No. 1 option, and it seems like he wants to continue playing that role. Boston put him in trade packages for Antetokounmpo before he was traded to the Miami Heat.
Since the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes ended, the relationship between Brown and the organization seems to have strained. The Nets could take advantage of the strained relationship to acquire a star to pair with Mikel Brown Jr. and Julius Randle.
Brooklyn is quietly putting together a solid offseason to field a competitive team next season, and could capitalize on a large expiring salary and its abundance of picks to add a star to its roster.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/roundtable-rtb/id6450423049) and stay even more connected!
