Brooklyn Nets: 3 trades team should make before deadline

With the Brooklyn Nets entrenched in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, it’s important to look at what types of moves they can make for the home stretch.

It’s official: The Brooklyn Nets are a good basketball team. They’re deep, fun and they buy into the organization’s vision.

D’Angelo Russell‘s ascent has been the biggest factor though. He’s starting to live up to the hype he was tabbed with as the No. 2 overall pick in 2015, taking the rest of the team with him.

It was discussed ad nauseam that a rising tide would lift all boats when it came to these Nets; now everyone knows this to be true. DLo’s All-Star-caliber play over the last two months has been exactly what Brooklyn needed to stay afloat.

The Nets have done more than stay afloat; they’ve thrived. Over their last 23 games, they are 18-5. Opponents have to take them seriously now, if for some reason they weren’t already.

At 26-23, Brooklyn is in control of the 6-seed in the East. On a macro scale, this means they are the best of the conference’s non-elites. Already, after failing to break 30 dubs last season, these Nets are well on their way to a playoff spot.

Now the question arises of how to stay there. Young teams are naturally streaky, and they are often in need of veteran help. The front office built that safety valve over the summer, acquiring seasoned vets like Shabazz Napier, Ed Davis and Jared Dudley.

The great depth this team has is a huge strength, and definitely an asset that head coach Kenny Atkinson played a part in, but a playoff rotation doesn’t need all these guys. Deploying two good backups and four mediocre ones can be less advantageous than playing four solid ones, especially when Atkinson spreads the wealth so much.

If general manager Sean Marks wants to make a move, it would involve one of those superfluous reserves. Below are three different types of trades the Nets can make, all with varying purposes.