Nets rumored to be considering blockbuster commerce for celebrity regardless of tremendous group failures

The Nets have tried to construct an excellent group twice because the group moved from East Rutherford, New Jersey, to Brooklyn, New York, and each instances it didn’t go the way in which that they had hoped.

In 2013, Brooklyn mortgaged its draft capital in a commerce with the Boston Celtics to amass Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry. Two of the draft picks finally turned Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, setting Boston up for a run that would come with an NBA Finals look final season.

In 2019, the Nets signed an injured Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in one of many largest free company splashes within the sport’s historical past and later acquired James Harden in a 2021 commerce. However, that solely resulted in a single playoff collection victory and months on prime of months of controversy and turmoil within the locker room. All three gamers had been finally traded.

Trail Blazers level guard Damian Lillard watches gamers heat up earlier than the Sacramento Kings sport at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, on March 31, 2023. (Soobum Im-USA Today Sports)

But it doesn’t seem to imply the Nets aren’t performed attempting to amass a celebrity by way of a commerce quite than drafting and growing one by way of the draft.

League executives imagine the Nets may very well be eyeing a commerce for Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard, based on the New York Post. Lillard has made clear he wasn’t considering going by way of one other rebuild with the group and was in Brooklyn for Game 3 of the Nets’ collection towards the Philadelphia 76ers.

Nets common supervisor Sean Marks didn’t rule out making a transfer however the pathway is murky. The Nets are in a fork within the street with regards to the prospect of rebuilding or going for all of it once more.

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Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard reacts to a name in the course of the Utah Jazz sport at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on March 22, 2023. (Rob Gray-USA Today Sports)

“It’d be approach too quickly to name [us a contender]. We must let the mud settle a little bit bit,” Marks mentioned. “But we’ve at all times been ready. In this point in time, we’ve all seen gamers demand trades… groups change – whether or not it’s possession teams or entrance workplaces – and subsequent factor they pivot. So we simply should be prepared for no matter comes our approach, and if we are able to make a change that [means] we are able to compete, then we’ll be strategic about it.”

Brooklyn can have 11 first-round draft picks between now and 2029. 

“It’s a fantastic query and one thing we’ve considered so much and can proceed to consider as we go. That doesn’t imply we don’t look again and say, ‘What if? Had we performed this? Should we have now performed this?’” he mentioned of the potential roster rebuild.

“So it provides us a second to replicate and say, ‘Well, did we have now the suitable course of in place? Were we actually, actually prepared for that group? Was the borough of Brooklyn prepared? Was the group prepared? Was the encircling prepared while you herald Kevin, Ky and James and that group?’ But on the similar time, that period is gone and we’re onto one thing new right here.”

Brooklyn Nets ahead Mikal Bridges reacts after a defensive cease towards the 76ers in the course of the playoffs at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on April 17, 2023. (Bill Streicher-USA Today Sports)

Brooklyn has a fantastic piece to construct round in Mikal Bridges however can have different selections to make with regards to Cameron Johnson, Cam Thomas, Seth Curry and others. Not to say Ben Simmons, who is ready to make $37.8 million subsequent season and $40.3 million in 2024-25.