Brooklyn Nets: Pre-free agency roundtable

5. Finally, general manager Sean Marks expressed his interest to go multiple routes in free agency, both with restricted and unrestricted free agents, trades, prospects overseas, etc. What do you find to be the most ideal combination of player acquisition routes, and what players do you see the Nets realistically being contenders to land?

BR:  I think we will see a mix of unrestricted and restricted free agents. As I previously mentioned, I think the Nets should, and will, heavily pursue Otto Porter Jr. I would not be surprised if Brooklyn signs Porter Jr. to a max-contract offer sheet. Other realistic targets I could see the Nets acquiring would be J.J. Redick, Danilo Gallinari, Tony Snell, Kelly Olynyk and maybe even Rudy Gay.

JO:  Unrestricted free agency is the Red Wedding (the agents are House Frey), and restricted free agency is a myth (the last player of significant note to leave via that route is, I believe, Lamar Odom). Trades, specifically salary dumps, are the best course of action at the moment. 

One team always panics when a prospective free agent is on the line, and while the Nets won’t be able to get another D’Angelo Russell, they should be able to at least eliminate their draft pick debt. Don’t forget: they have somewhere around $30 million in expiring contracts heading into 2018’s loaded free agent class. 

JS:  One key for the Nets: they should not be overly aggressive early. Not many teams have cap space. Agents will use their space as leverage, and overpaying is not the way to go. Restricted free agency can be useful if teams balk and they can sign C and maybe B class free agents.

The money dump market is the way to go. That market will depend on who NEEDS to dump players – there is no reason to dump assets unless you need the cap space, or need to evade the tax (as an ownership mandate). Milwaukee and Washington are places to explore for money dumps. San Antonio, if their grander plans work out, is another. Houston still is, too.

DB: 

• Unrestricted Free Agents: I strongly feel that this will always be important to us even if we’re not a prime destination yet. It’s not always about signing the biggest names. It’s about grooming our culture and young core for the future. This is why I’d love for us to shell out a decent-size contract for players like J.J. Redick. He’s on the top of my list because not only is he a realistic vet, but he can bring consistency on offense. It’s something positive that can be absorbed by the younglings. Most of my realistic UFA is the low-cost vets. How realistic are my picks? That depends if they care more about wins than building something priceless.  Kyle Korver is the older version of Redick and Kris Humphries would be a nice upgrade over Hamilton, who I would expect to trade. Until Jarrett Allen comes of age, a player like Hump would be nice to have.
• Restricted Free Agents: Since I didn’t talk about them before, here’s my wish list. Like last year, we shouldn’t get our hopes up.  It doesn’t mean we should ignore these targets. If anything, we get them a payday which forces their team to lock up money in the future. It’s totally a win-win. So here are my ideal picks for the Nets:
  • Otto Porter Jr.
  • Tony Snell
  • Kelly Olynyk
  • Mason Plumlee
  • Jonathon Simmons
  • JaMychal Green
  • Joe Ingles

Next: 2017 NBA free agency tracker - Grades for every deal so far

Note: Players like Olynyk are quite realistic because their team is trying to save money on big names. Even the Jazz might be put into a bind in order to keep Gordon Hayward in Utah, so Joe Ingles might be a potential steal.  The others are less likely, but I think most of them all do what we need. Space the floor, keep up the fast pace and hustle.

• Trades: Certainly it’s important, but all we can offer are small contracts and a place to drop-off large salaries.