2 win-now trades that would bolster the Brooklyn Nets’ abysmal defense
Trade #2: The Brooklyn Nets receive Jakob Poeltl. The Spurs receive a 2023 Brooklyn 1st round pick, and a 2028 top 10 protected 1st round pick, Seth Curry.
Why the Nets do it: Losing an elite shooter of the caliber of Seth Curry would sting. However, the Nets are one of the few teams in the league that have a plethora of shooters and can afford to trade away one of the best three-point shooters in the league. While not a household name, Jakob Poeltl has been one of the best rim protectors over the past few years.
Even though his shaky free-throw shooting may make it difficult to play him in closing lineups, especially next to Ben Simmons, His elite rim protection and rebounding will compensate for his poor free-throw shooting. By adding Poeltl, the Nets would be able to address their defensive problems and could put themselves back in the mix as a potential title contender.
Why the Spurs do it: The San Antonio Spurs are in the midst of a rebuilding project, Poeltl is relatively young, and the Spurs could re-sign him if they wished to. However, it would be wise for them to trade him for future assets.
Even though Poeltl is a solid player, he doesn’t have much more upside, and he plays the most replaceable position in the game. Getting two first-round picks for him would be a haul for the Spurs.
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Getting Seth Curry as part of the deal doesn’t hurt either, although he may not be part of the Spurs’ future. They could certainly reroute him before the deadline and receive additional assets for him that are aligned with their current timeline.