Brooklyn Nets: 3 trades team should make before deadline
By Alec Liebsch
1. Fill the immediate need
Despite the exorbitant depth this Nets team has, a soldier at a position of need has just fallen. Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, guard Spencer Dinwiddie has a torn ligament in his thumb and might need surgery.
This creates a gaping hole on Brooklyn’s bench. Atkinson’s system is heavily reliant on its guards through attacking and picking their spots, which is part of how Dinwiddie revived his career with the Nets.
It’s not as simple as getting an attacking guard though; most players of that archetype want the ball at all times, and are usually the first options for their teams. The delicate ecosystem that Dinwiddie and DLo had was not only impressive, but rare too.
Unfortunately, this type of player (a two-way slashing guard on an expiring deal) is very hard to find. One potential solution is in the form of Caris LeVert, who is slated to come back at some point this season, while another involves giving Russell more minutes. Both of these would suppress the need for a secondary attacker.
But let’s be honest: Shabazz Napier can’t be the main facilitator off the bench. One name that comes to mind is Cory Joseph of the Indiana Pacers. They could look to ship off some pieces in reaction to losing Victor Oladipo for the season, and Joseph is also at a position of superfluity.
Losing Dudley might hurt the locker room, but he did his job in Brooklyn and now is the time to maximize all 15 roster spots. That pick from the New York Knicks will be in the 30s, but for a fanbase desperate for success, a taste of the playoffs is worth it.
That’s the encompassing theme here: maximizing each and every roster spot. Marks has done a good job so far, and now is the time to see how far he’s willing to go.