It’s no secret that the Brooklyn Nets are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline. Before the season even started, the Brooklyn Nets got their own section in our story about the players most likely to be traded during the season.
That talk only increased as the season rolled on, something that Sam Amick reported on at The Athletic.
The trade deadline is still nearly three months away, but there’s plenty of talk about Brooklyn as the place to go for contending teams looking for upgrades when that crucial roster time finally arrives. League sources say the rebuilding Nets are expected to be open for business, even with this competitive start (5-9; 20th in net rating) in which first-year coach Jordi Fernandez has made good use of the available talent.
Players to watch on the Nets as the trade deadline approaches:
• Cam Thomas. Averaging 24.6 points per game Thomas is an old-school gunner who shoots the rock quite efficiently (.599 true shooting percentage). He did not agree to an extension with the team this summer.
• Dennis Schroder. A proven veteran point guard averaged 18.1 points and 6.1 assists a game this summer, and had some big moments in the clutch for Brooklyn.
• Cameron Johnson. A player coveted by many teams looking for depth along the front line, the 6’8″ forward is averaging 16.9 points per game while shooting 38.1% on 3-pointers.
• Dorian Finney-Smith. The veteran forward averages 10.9 points per game, shoots 39.7% from 3 and can defend.
• Nic Claxton. A good rim-protecting big man who signed a four-year, $100 million extension this offseason, there may be a number of teams looking for centers at the deadline and Claxton will draw interest.
• Bojan Bogdanovic. He has yet to set foot on an NBA court this season as he recovers from foot surgery, but once he does and shows he can still play, there are plenty of teams that could use his shooting on the wing.
Not all of them will be traded at the deadline, and GM Sean Marks can afford to hold out for the best deals. Just know that the Nets don’t plan to hang on to everyone and push to become the No. 9 seed, they will sell at the trade deadline. Just don’t expect a discount.
