After an offseason full of turmoil, the Brooklyn Nets have fallen to a disappointing 1-5 record to start the season. On paper, the Nets have one of the best rosters in the league and should be considered contenders. Unfortunately for Brooklyn, this has yet to reflect itself on the court; injuries have been part of the reason for the Nets’ underwhelming start. However, missing a couple of solid rotation players doesn’t justify their atrocious start.
Although the Nets boast a pretty loaded roster, skeptics singled out their lack of size and interior defense as the weaknesses that would hold them back from being serious contenders. After six games, it seems like the skeptics were right about their concerns. According to NBA.com, Brooklyn ranks 30th in defensive rating, allowing 121.6 points per 100 possessions.
They also rank dead last in defensive rebounds, grabbing 29.5 defensive boards per game. As presently constructed, this will continue to be a problem that hinders the Nets. As of now, their frontcourt is composed of Nicholas Claxton and second-year player Day’Ron Sharpe. While both have shown promise at times, they lack the size to solve the Nets’ defensive issues.
To address their defensive problems, Brooklyn will have to look elsewhere for reinforcements, either by trade or by signing a free agent. Although there are a couple of intriguing free agents on the market who could be had for cheap, like Dwight Howard or Hassan Whiteside, If the Nets are serious about contending, it will require a trade to bring in a player of the quality needed to fix their issues.
Luckily for them, they have a couple of tradable contracts plus draft picks that they received in the James Harden trade. One other thing in their favor is that the center position is the most replaceable position in the game, and there are a couple of centers that could be had in the trade market. Here are two trades the Nets should pursue to address their defensive problems.