Brooklyn Nets: Clearing up the crowded backcourt

Jeremy Lin

Another tradable guard is veteran Jeremy Lin. Fans might remember his name from the Linsanity era, when he lit the NBA ablaze for several weeks. After that died down, he had to bounce around until finding stability with the Houston Rockets, then the Charlotte Hornets, and now the Nets.

Lin’s time as a Net has been unusual. Forced to the injured reserve through the end of each of the past two seasons, Lin’s veteran presence has only manifested off the court. That’s not why Brooklyn should think about trading him though. He’s a combo guard who can initiate or play off the ball, and he is the worst-fitting guard for the Nets’ timeline.

The important question isn’t why to trade him, but what can the team get in return? ESPN’s Zach Lowe suggested a trade with the Suns on his podcast, citing their need for a point guard just as the entire basketball world has identified.

His trade proposal was Jeremy Lin for Dragan Bender and Jared Dudley (to match salary). This would be great value for the Nets, but Phoenix is unlikely to do it. There’s no advantage to trading Bender, the No. 4 pick from just two years ago, at his currently abysmal value.

A more realistic option could be the Denver Nuggets. As a team this close to legitimate contention, Denver would welcome a veteran combo guard like Lin. He can play off ball next to Nikola Jokic, while also commanding the bench units as the lead guard.

Additionally, the Nuggets have assets to spare. They won’t be able to cash in on all of their low-profile ones, so using one or two to fill a need makes sense as a contender. To match Lin’s salary, the Nets would likely have to take back Darrell Arthur along with an asset. Considering how cheap Denver’s other prospects are, that’s not an issue.

Brooklyn gets an asset in Juan Hernangomez while also filling a stretch-big need. Denver fills a huge need as well, and sets its rotation up for a push deep into May.

In both trade scenarios, the Brooklyn Nets clear up their backcourt while helping other teams address needs. For every surplus, there is likely a shortage elsewhere.

Although losing either player would bring its own challenges, roster balance is important too. It’s also possible to go into 2018-19 with all these guards, because coach Kenny Atkinson likes to get creative with his lineups. After all, having multiple ball-handlers and playmakers is something he emphasizes.

Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far

This is by no means a demand, but merely a suggestion. It would be nice to retain every useful player possible, but that’s not realistic. The NBA is filled with, you know, good players. So if the Nets see an opportunity to clear up some playing time in the backcourt, these are certainly avenues to consider.