Brooklyn’s net seemed poised to trade for superstars like Giannis Antetocomo, but recent trade rumors suggest they might take a different approach.
Brooklynnet, who enjoys playing in the largest media market in the entire NBA, has a significant share of the “super team.” Their core of Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant didn’t live up to expectations, and there was no roster of Kevin Garnett, Brooke Lopez, Paul Pierce and Deron Williams.
To return to relevance, at least, NET has long been designated as a potential suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo. They worked under the assumption that the lottery would not be friendly and the net would pick eighth overall, but NET would work under the assumption that the NET would land a better pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
As a result of lottery slides, the net is expected to pivot.
Brooklyn has four first-round picks in 2025, picking the eighth, 19, 26 and 27 thanks to some familiar deals to demolish the final Big 3.
There is certainly talent on the board in the second half of the first round, but the net is expected to package later picks and try to add additional lottery tickets.
“There’s a feeling around the league that the net can land a second lottery pick by combining and packaging some combinations that are at the end of Johnson’s combination, first round and/or future draft capital,” he wrote. New York Post Brian Lewis.
If the net trades Cameron Johnson, one of their best works of Antetokounmpo’s trade potential will no longer work.
That will build around existing young productions like Nick Claxton and Cam Thomas, strengthening the core with two marquee talent in the 2025 draft.
If the Net wants to draft Johnson and Late Pics, true reconstruction teams like the Utah Jazz and the Washington Wizard don’t make much sense as trading partners.
These teams want to add potential younger talents than established shooting threats.
The Philadelphia 76ers make good sense as they are the perfect landing for spot-up shooters like Johnson, but the third overall pick could be too expensive for the net to add. For reasons, four teams stand out as the best trading partners.
It makes most sense when the net tries to trade up to the lottery, the San Antonio Spurs (14th overall), the Houston Rockets (10th overall), the New Orleans Pelicans (7th overall), and the Atlanta Hawks (13th overall).
All of these teams have either a franchise centerpiece or a proven playoff roster. Johnson wants titles more than unproven rookies.
The net can’t steal the second overall pick from the Spurs, but the 14th pick owed to them from the Hawks is unfolding.
Such a move will keep the net close to the bottom of next season’s standings, but it will allow them to ultimately build organically in search of long-term success.
