NBA Trades: These 4 wannabe contenders should trade for Trae Young

Trae Young Suitor #1: Brooklyn Nets

Just a few months ago, this idea would’ve been ridiculous. The Nets were sitting pretty at third in the east, had a healthy duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and looked like they could contend for an NBA title. Now, after both stars left to head west, the Nets were able to limp into the postseason with an 11-13 record after trading both stars.

While Mikal Bridges looks like a potential late-blooming stud scorer, there shouldn’t be any untouchable players outside of him on the roster. The Nets should take some solace that Bridges has had a freakishly similar shot profile to Kevin Durant since they traded for him:

Given the Nets don’t have much draft capital after emptying their clip for James Harden, they lack the chance to grab another star through the draft. A package of Phoenix’s draft equity, Cam Johnson, and Cam Thomas, alongside whatever else the Hawks might want, could be enough if the team is set on moving on from Young.

Pairing Young with Bridges would give him the best wing scorer that he’s played with in his career and the type of perimeter stopper that Atlanta has lacked since drafting him in 2018. In a bigger market like Brooklyn, which attracts more interest than Atlanta, Trae Young could turn around the Nets sooner than many expected.