It’s exhausting to go judgment on a Nets workforce with three key entrance courtroom gamers out because of damage, however one factor is obvious: This workforce must get larger.
It’s been the theme of the week for a Brooklyn workforce that received bullied in a loss to the conference-worst Detroit Pistons, then out-rebounded by 25 in a 43-point loss to the Boston Celtics, a loss so disgusting Jacque Vaughn mentioned the workforce determined in opposition to reviewing the sport movie.
The Nets have been so determined for dimension in opposition to Boston, Vaughn experimented by taking part in each Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe minutes collectively to fight Boston’s duo of Robert Williams and Al Horford.
“We still got outrebounded,” Vaughn mentioned in a Zoom convention name with reporters from the Nets coaching facility on Friday. “It’s a problem for us, and I don’t see it going away anytime soon.”
Which brings us to subsequent Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline, one in every of few remaining alternatives the Nets have to enhance the roster aside from signing gamers who negotiate contract buyouts with their present groups earlier than the top of the common season.
It’s fairly clear the Nets must get larger on the wings and at heart, even with Claxton’s emergence as a fringe All-Star in Brooklyn this season.
Kevin Durant has been out with an MCL sprain, Ben Simmons has missed three straight video games with left knee soreness, and T.J. Warren has missed three video games with a left shin contusion.
Those are three gamers 6-foot-8 or taller who’re every out of the rotation, forcing Vaughn to go small and begin three guards every below 6-foot-5 (Kyrie Irving, Royce O’Neale and Seth Curry) alongside the 6-foot-7 sharpshooter Joe Harris and Claxton, whose lanky, 6-foot-11 body has added muscle however nonetheless lacks the energy to deal with the NBA’s true bruisers on the 5.
Vaughn declined to remark particularly on workforce wants with lower than every week to go earlier than the Feb. 7 commerce deadline however did tackle his workforce’s lack of dimension. Calling a participant up from Brooklyn’s G-League affiliate Long Island Nets workforce can also be an choice, however unlikely a viable route so as to add a real impression participant to a workforce with championship hopes.
“As a coach, you see the trends of the league: long, athletic, multi-dimensional guys that can play on both ends of the floor,” Vaughn mentioned Friday morning. “That just makes it easier for you to get things done on both ends. We’ll exhaust all our resources, whether that’s Long Island, whether that’s hopefully our guys coming back healthy helps.”
A commerce turns into difficult, nonetheless, because of the payroll constraints brought on by participant salaries, plus an absence of draft capital to make use of in a commerce.
Durant is on the hook for $44M, Irving’s cap determine is $36.9M, and Simmons earns $35.5M for the 2022-23 NBA season. It’s unlikely any of these three gamers are moved by subsequent Thursday’s deadline. It’s additionally unlikely the Nets commerce Claxton, contemporary off a two-year, $17.25M contract extension he has totally outplayed.
Harris makes $18.6M this season and has yet one more yr left on his deal value $19.9M. O’Neale makes $9.2M this season and has one yr left on his deal value $9.5M, however solely $2.5M on that following season is assured earlier than Jan. 10, 2024. Curry is within the remaining yr of his contract and makes about $8.5M, and Patty Mills signed a two-year, $13.2M extension final summer season however has been largely exterior Vaughn’s rotation. He makes $6.5M this season.
Any deal made that improves the Nets must embrace no less than a type of perimeter gamers merely in an effort to match the incoming participant’s wage. A deal would additionally seemingly have to incorporate no less than one of many Nets’ three younger gamers (scoring guard Cam Thomas, backup massive man Day’Ron Sharpe, and athletic wing defender Kessler Edwards).
For what it’s value, Vaughn mentioned on Friday he has no contact with the second-year gamers about commerce rumors.
“I’ve probably taken that approach purposely to not address it with them. I hopefully feel if they have a problem or they’ve read something and want some clarity, they can come to me, but there’s so much out there these days that you know, I would have to address it individually on a daily basis,” he mentioned. “So I’ve kind of taken the approach of this is our group, this is who we are, and if you ever have a problem or need clarity, come to me, but not going to address it with the group.”
To purchase a ok participant on the deadline, the Nets would additionally must sweeten the pot with draft asset compensation: As a reminder, they don’t personal their 2024 or 2026 first-round picks on account of the James Harden take care of the Houston Rockets (notice: Harden is now not a Net and was moved to Philadelphia for Simmons). The Nets traded the 2023 first-round choose they received again within the Harden take care of Philadelphia to Utah for O’Neale.
That leaves a top-eight protected 2027 first-round choose from the 76ers as a part of the Simmons-Harden swap and first-round picks in 2028 and 2030 which can be eligible to be included in a deal by the deadline.
Then there’s the market: It value the Los Angeles Lakers three second -round picks and backup level guard Kendrick Nunn to pry former No. 8 total choose Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards’ roster.
Toronto’s O.G. Anunoby has headlined this season’s commerce market on a Raptors workforce seemingly headed for a fuller rebuild. Anunoby is a prototypical three-and-D wing listed at 6-foot-7, 232 kilos. He is a lockdown defender and high-level athlete who’s averaging 17 factors and two steals per sport as a profession 37% shooter from downtown.
Anunoby, 25, is within the second season of a four-year, $72M contract and makes $17.3M. If the Nets decided he’s the sort of participant that reinforces their entrance courtroom woes (Anunoby averages 5.5 rebounds per sport), a deal would seemingly value them no less than two of their three tradable draft belongings — plus matching wage and a younger participant.
The asking worth varies primarily based on the caliber of the participant in query. The Nets have additionally rumored to have curiosity in Atlanta’s high-flying ahead John Collins.
It’s tough to totally assess Brooklyn’s wants, nonetheless, as a result of Durant’s damage wrecked a chance for the workforce to scout itself absolutely wholesome.
How can the Nets know what they want after they’ve barely performed any video games at full energy? It’s as much as the entrance workplace to reply that query.
The solely certainty is that this workforce can’t go into the playoffs with out including some true dimension to a roster in determined want of some assist in that division.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com