The Brooklyn Nets made it abundantly clear on Tuesday night that they are about to go tanking. After trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks for five first round picks (plus some seconds) and Bojan Bogdanovic, they turned around and got control back of their own 2025 and 2026 picks from Houston by sending the Rockets some of the potentially highly valuable future Suns picks they got for Kevin Durant — Houston, per reports, wants to use those to get Durant or another star.
The lack of control over their own picks from the James Harden trade was the only thing preventing the Nets from considering bottoming out, but now that they’ve figured out how to get those picks back, it’s full steam ahead in a race to the bottom of the standings. That means a fire sale this summer, with some intriguing players still left on Brooklyn’s roster that figure to garner interest from around the league.
The question is how bare do the Nets want to leave the cupboard this year, but if the goal is to fully stock up on draft assets, at least three more trades should be on the horizon. Here, we’ll look at the teams that should be making a call about various Nets players, with an understanding that Brooklyn will be putting a premium on draft picks and young players with upside and some years left on their rookie deals.
Cam Johnson
The biggest name they have left to trade is Cam Johnson, as they can divest fully from the original KD trade and likely pick up another first round pick or two for the sharpshooting forward. His time in Brooklyn probably proved there is a ceiling on what his role should be on a good team, but there are plenty of contenders that could use a player like him in that kind of defined role that he thrived in with the Suns. Now, the Nets may not be in a rush to deal Johnson, as they could just as easily make him a focal point for the first half of the year and hope he raises his profile and value ahead of the trade deadline.
If they do make him available now, though, I’d guess there will be a lot of teams that call to inquire about him, because I think he’s intriguing for both contenders and younger teams hoping to take a leap forward next year. Remember, he’s about to enter the second year of a 4-year extension with about $68 million left on it, so he’d be a guy who can stick around for a bit.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are constantly on the hunt for shooting and Johnson would also give them some more size at the forward position. Memphis would need to pick up Luke Kennard’s team option and send out a few of their young guys to make the money work, but with a pretty full chest of picks in the future, they could create an offer that would be intriguing for Brooklyn both in picks and young players.
Oklahoma City Thunder
We know the Thunder love size and shooting, and after the way last postseason went, they might be looking to consolidate some talent and add some more trusted playoff performers. While it’s been a couple years, Johnson was a reliable knockdown shooter in the postseason while in Phoenix (41.6 percent career in the playoffs) and could give OKC the kind of wing upgrade they’re looking for. We also know the Thunder have a ton of picks at their disposal and they could overpay compared to what other teams will offer, if they wanted, and not really dent their pick stash too much, especially after getting Alex Caruso without giving up any picks.
San Antonio Spurs
We don’t know how aggressive the Spurs will be in terms of making upgrades this summer, but Johnson is the type of wing that I would think makes a ton of sense next to Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs need more floor spacing and just general competency on defense, and Johnson would provide that. The Spurs have a bunch of picks, like the Thunder, and if they think Johnson is the kind of player that fits long-term next to Wemby, it’s worth cashing in on one or two of those to get him.
Sacramento Kings
We know the Kings are on the hunt for upgrades at the 4, and they might dangle the Harrison Barnes/Kevin Huerter/pick package out there for Brooklyn to think about. Johnson would make a lot of sense for how the Kings like to play, getting up and down the floor and getting up threes. It’s more a question of whether Sacramento can offer the kind of assets the Nets are looking for.
Indiana Pacers
Johnson would be a really interesting addition, at least to me, to the Pacers frontcourt alongside Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner. More shooting and size is always on the list for a team looking to be a contender, and they’ve got some young guys and picks that they can piece together to create a somewhat intriguing package if they felt Johnson was the kind of player that unlocks the next level for them and keeps them in the conversation in the East.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons were linked to Johnson last offseason before he signed his deal to stay in Brooklyn, and even with a new GM in place, they should check in on Brooklyn’s asking price. They desperately need shooting from the wing, and while they are rumored as a likely Tobias Harris destination, Johnson would provide that archetype but more on their timeline. Detroit’s biggest issue in a pursuit of Johnson is they don’t own any extra first round picks beyond their own, meaning they’d have to really believe adding Johnson is a big step towards getting in the Play-In/Playoff mix.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz have a ton of picks and are known to be looking to move off of John Collins. If they aren’t going to tank themselves and want to take a step forward, they need more shooting outside of just Lauri Markkanen and could see Johnson as a better fit in the “big wing” role they tried Collins in. They’d have to think of Johnson as a long-term core piece, but they certainly have the draft assets to challenge any package Brooklyn gets offered.
Orlando Magic
The Magic need shooting. I’m not sure they need another 6’10 guy, but he would provide a different skillset than the other two 6’10 budding stars Orlando already has in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. The Magic have the picks and young players to get in the mix if they want to, it’s just a matter of how big they want this team to be.
Dorian Finney-Smith
Even before the Bridges trade, DFS was expected to get plenty of interest from contenders looking for a 3-and-D wing, and now it feels like a lock that he’ll be dealt this summer. He’s owed $14.3 million this year and has a player option for $15.3 million next year, and it’ll be interesting to see what kind of assets are available to Brooklyn in exchange for him.
Memphis Grizzlies
If they aren’t willing to part with what it’ll cost for Cam Johnson, DFS also fits the bill for the kind of wing help Memphis should be looking for. This is a much more simple execution for Memphis as they can go 1-for-1 on players with DFS and Kennard by picking up his team option, and then tack on a couple seconds (they own Brooklyn’s No. 39 pick this year).
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs would love to bring Finney-Smith back to Dallas, and as they actively shop Tim Hardaway Jr.’s expiring deal, they should at least call to see if THJ and a couple seconds (they don’t have a ton) would be enough. Their ability to get in the DFS hunt will be determined by what other teams are offering, but they know how well he’d fit what they want to do.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers don’t have any players to trade, but they have a lot of draft picks and could just trade for DFS into space if they wanted to. Adding Finney-Smith wouldn’t preclude them from landing a max guy in free agency, and would give them a 3-and-D option on the roster that they’ll undoubtedly need.
Nic Claxton
UPDATE: Claxton signed a 4-year, $100 million deal to stay in Brooklyn on Wednesday ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft.
Maybe the most fascinating part of the Nets impending fire sale is what happens to Nic Claxton now. There was long an expectation the Nets would just re-sign him and continue building with him, but now is he available for a sign-and-trade? Will he look in free agency elsewhere? Or will the Nets choose to give him a nice, long-term deal that they could trade at a later date if their rebuild isn’t pacing with Claxton’s timeline?
If the sign-and-trade route ends up opening, there are a few teams that could get involved.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder are going to be in play for all of the top free agent centers, and while Isaiah Hartenstein is expected to be near the top of their list, Claxton also is an intriguing option. While they could sign him outright, we have seen in the past that a sign-and-trade, even for a team with space, can be mutually beneficial.
Memphis Grizzlies
Guess what, it’s the Grizzlies again. Memphis really needs a center after moving on from Steven Adams and Claxton would create a formidable rim protection pairing with Jaren Jackson Jr. It’d be an ideological shift away from the bruising Adams, but Claxton’s a very good roll man to pair with Ja Morant and, while not as strong as Adams (and, honestly, few are in the NBA), he can hold up on opposing center assignments and free up Jackson to be the incredible roamer he is. This is probably where the Grizzlies should start conversations with the Nets, and work their way down the list from there.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans are in need of a center replacement as it seems likely Jonas Valanciunas isn’t in their long-term plans. Claxton would seem to be a really interesting fit with New Orleans, and the Pelicans do have some intriguing first round picks in their arsenal still from the Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis trades. Matching up the money might be the trickiest part, but if they can sort that out, New Orleans has the need and the assets to make things interesting.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls could look to use a pick to move off of Nikola Vucevic and bring in Claxton if he were available. That would fit with their apparent desire to get a bit younger while staying competitive right now. Whether they are willing to part with the draft assets needed to make this happen is another story.
Washington Wizards
If they don’t end up with Alex Sarr on Wednesday night, they will be looking for a center and Claxton, at 25, would be the best young center option. If they get Sarr, they still will be looking for a center but should probably focus on a stretch five, which Claxton is not.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks want to move off of Clint Capela and if they go the wing route in the Draft, they might still be on the hunt for their center of the future. Claxton could provide that off ramp, and the question for Atlanta would be whether Claxton is worth giving up some of the draft assets you figure to try recouping in whatever other moves you make this summer, namely if they decide to trade either Dejounte Murray or Trae Young.
Bojan Bogdanovic
He just arrived, but it’s hard to imagine Bogdanovic’s second stint in Brooklyn will be a lengthy one. He’s still an excellent shooter (39.3 percent from three last year in Detroit and New York), and while injuries are a concern, there are enough teams around the league in need of shooting to take a look. The biggest hurdle is, taking a scan around the league, his $19 million deal will be harder to move than DFS at $14.3 million, because apron teams will have a tough time matching that money 1-to-1. However, there’s at least one team that I can find that makes sense here…
Chicago Bulls
If the Bulls can’t get Claxton, but are still planning to bring back DeMar DeRozan and, despite looking to trade Zach LaVine and flipping Alex Caruso, want to stay in the Play-In and Playoff hunt, this might be the spot to offload Lonzo Ball’s $21.6 million expiring and, say, a 2028 second for some shooting help in the form of Bogdanovic.
