As the 2024-25 NBA season approaches, the Brooklyn Nets find themselves transforming from a mid-tier team to a rebuilding franchise. After trading star forward Mikal Bridges for draft picks, several other players on the Nets roster are generating significant trade buzz. Who could be traded by the trade deadline this season?
The Nets should wait before making a trade. The 30-year-old point guard was consistent in Brooklyn, averaging 14.6 points and 6.0 assists in 29 games last season.
Schroder was acquired when his trade value wasn’t necessarily high, but after an impressive Olympic performance with Germany and a strong finish to the 2023-24 season, teams should consider Schroder if they need a veteran point guard.
Schroder may be a veteran locker room leader, but between now and the trade deadline, Brooklyn should look to get more value out of him by sending the German to another team. The Nets could easily get solid value out of him through a young player or draft capital.
After being traded to Brooklyn at the trade deadline for the 2022-23 season, Johnson averaged 16.6 points in 25 games to finish the season. Last year, Johnson struggled to stay on the court for more than 60 games and saw a slight decline in scoring.
The 28-year-old forward remains a valuable asset for many teams in need of defensive depth. Johnson is a 3&D wing who shot 39.1 percent from three-point range last season and reached the NBA Finals, showing plenty of playoff experience. He is one of two veterans the Nets are expected to try to trade before the season begins.
Finney-Smith may be the player Brooklyn could benefit from the most. He has been one of the most versatile defenders in the league alongside Johnson. Capable of playing from center to center, the 31-year-old has shown great consistency on both ends of the floor, averaging 8.5 points and 4.7 rebounds last season.
The stats don’t tell the whole story, as Finney-Smith may seem like the least appealing player on this list. However, it’s no coincidence that since being traded by the Dallas Mavericks at the 2022-23 deadline, they’ve gone 9-18 and missed the play-in tournament. The Mavericks have been forced to shift their focus away from offense for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, and instead look to defensive players to replace Finney-Smith.
With the Nets, he showed similar prowess. Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings could use Finney-Smith’s defensive depth.
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