Everyone has to manage their money. NBA teams are no exception. Lately, the Brooklyn Nets have been having some financial troubles. This team is deeply invested in their core, and based on last year’s results, they probably won’t be worth the investment.
That’s not a knock on the players – for the most. Cameron Johnson earned every bit of the massive contract he received this summer. By contrast, Ben Simmons…well, let’s just say he can’t complain.
Meanwhile, the Nets will soon have to extend Nic Claxton. He won’t come cheap. Claxton was a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in 2022-23. Could they send him to the Dallas Mavericks to avoid paying him?
The Trade Proposal
Brooklyn Nets Receive: C JaVale McGee, G/F Josh Green, 2026 First-Round Pick (DAL), 2028 First-Round Pick (Swap – DAL)
Dallas Mavericks Receive: C Nicolas Claxton
On the other hand, NBA teams need to manage their resources as well. We’re talking about players and draft capital. If a team has elite players, they don’t need a deep collection of first-round picks. Otherwise, the more draft capital a team has,.the better.
The Mavericks don’t have a lot of draft capital left. That’s fine. They’ve got Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Landing top players is the end game, and Dallas has already one.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Nicolas Claxton, Dallas Mavericks & Brooklyn Nets Updates
In fact, they sent a future first to the Nets in exchange for Irving. Meanwhile, the Nets have one of the best collections of draft capital in the NBA. Should they make it even better?
Why The Brooklyn Nets Do The Deal
There’s not much mystery here. We’ve already explained our rationale. Should the Nets really trade Claxton? Some will argue against that decision. Instead, they’d have Brooklyn move off of Simmons’ contract.
Fair. Only, the Nets would actually have to surrender draft capital to move off of Simmons. In that event, they’d be far short of title contention, and shorter on assets than they were before.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Nicolas Claxton, Dallas Mavericks & Brooklyn Nets Updates
Still, this core is about to get prohibitively expensive. With that in mind, taking a flier on Green makes sense. So does landing a first-round pick and a swap. Should the Mavericks give up so much for Claxton?
Why The Dallas Mavericks Do The Deal
Meanwhile, the Mavericks don’t need to manage their assets. They need to spend them. This team is firmly in win-now mode. The Mavericks need to be in competition for an NBA championship next season: full stop.
That may start with acquiring a defensive anchor. A big man who fulfills that role while serving as a quality pick-and-roll finisher alongside Doncic would be especially useful. That sounds like Claxton to a tee.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Nicolas Claxton, Dallas Mavericks & Brooklyn Nets Updates
In fact, he’s arguably the most versatile defensive big in the NBA. Claxton has the foot speed to guard the perimeter, and the length to protect the rim. If the Mavericks made this deal, they could be very difficult to beat next season. Even if their cap sheet starts to look messy soon.
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