Mike Muscala – Oklahoma City Thunder
Claxton being out has left the Nets frontcourt thin and while LaMarcus Aldridge has stepped up in a big way, there are definitely questions and concerns surrounding the veteran big man’s long-term durability.
When Nic Claxton returns, he will obviously take stress and pressure off of Aldridge, but adding another big man is something we could see Brooklyn show interest in. There are not many affordable big men available on the trade market right now, but Thunder center Mike Muscala is definitely a player that matches the Nets’ style of play.
Being able to run pick-and-roll sets and step out on the perimeter to knock down shots, Muscala is a stretch big man that would be favorable for guys like Durant and Harden to play off of. For his career, Mike Muscala has averaged just 6.1 points per game, but he has shot 37.2% from deep, making him one of the more consistent big man shooting threats in the league.
Making $3.5M this season and then having a $3.5M team option for next season, Mike Muscala seems like the perfect fit for the Brooklyn Nets if they were to pursue a big man ahead of the trade deadline.
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The Thunder should be more than willing to trade Mike Muscala as well, especially if they can get a draft pick and/or a young player from the Nets for him. Brooklyn does not have many young talents, but they do have a lot of talent in the G-League that they could look to trade the rights of at some point.
It is definitely possible to believe the Nets could get their hands on Mike Muscala and they should be willing to make a trade for him since he would make their offensive attack even better, especially from the perimeter with Joe Harris out.
Verdict: Pursue
