As the 2019 NBA Trade Deadline nears, the Brooklyn Nets must explore who could be dealt as they aim to be buyers in the market for the first time in a few seasons.
Redemption is a long road, and nobody knows that better than the Brooklyn Nets. After three straight seasons of missing the playoffs and a combined record of 69-177, the Nets have a real shot at playing some postseason basketball this year. Their current record of 22-23 has them sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
Not only have they been pulling off impressive victories over teams like the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Toronto Raptors, but the teams behind them in the standings aren’t showing indication they’ll be leapfrogging Brooklyn anytime soon. As they look to push through the second half of the season, their trade deadline strategy will likely be different than years past.
Rather than being a seller at the deadline, looking to acquire assets, general manager Sean Marks and the Brooklyn front office is poised to be in search of talent that can make the team better this season. This nice change of pace means the Nets will be looking to send out players not key to their core, but with enough value to provide meaningful talent in return.
Obviously, players who have been providing key contributions for them, such as D’Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen or Joe Harris are practically barred from trade consideration. However, here are three players that are likely to be dealt in the Nets’ pursuit of bulking up the roster with the hopes of making a run at the playoffs.