Why The Brooklyn Nets Do The Deal
Some people will argue that the Brooklyn Nets ought to reject this deal. They’ll tell you that they need a better win-now player than RJ Barrett if they’re moving on from Kevin Durant.
In all likelihood, they’ll use Brooklyn’s outgoing picks to the Houston Rockets from their James Harden deal to justify their position. That’s understandable. With no control over their draft until 2028, the Nets can’t afford to bottom out, right?
Well, of the five remaining picks the Nets owe the Rockets, three are actually swaps. Suppose the Nets, after making this trade, were one of the worst teams in the NBA next season. They’d be out of the running for the first overall pick, but assuming the Rockets join them in the league’s cellar, there’s a high floor on their selection.
Imagine a scenario where the Nets’ pick lands at first overall and the Rockets’ lands fifth. Landing the fifth overall pick in a stacked draft is hardly a nightmare scenario for a rebuilding team. The Nets would be forging ahead with a young core of Barrett, Ben Simmons, and whoever they select in the draft.
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They may be forced to concede a good pick to the Rockets in 2024, but they’ll have a treasure trove of draft capital from a team leaning on an aging Kevin Durant at their disposal. This deal leaves the Nets in good shape. Are the Knicks giving them too much?
