The Nets have already officially completed one blockbuster trade this week and have agreed to another, but the belief around the NBA is that they’re not done dealing yet. Five executives tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype that they’re prepared for Brooklyn to break up a glut of wings before Thursday’s trade deadline.
After acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith from Dallas, the Nets are poised to add Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and Jae Crowder to a group of wings that already includes Royce O’Neale and shooters like Joe Harris, Seth Curry, and Patty Mills. Crowder is known to be available, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported last night, but it’s a safe bet the Nets will be getting inquiries on several other players too.
According to Scotto, several teams – including the Grizzlies – have called the Nets to ask about Bridges. In addition to talking to Brooklyn about Bridges, Memphis has spoken to the Raptors about OG Anunoby and has expressed a willingness to give up multiple first-round picks for either player, Scotto reports. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) has heard the Nets would be able to secure up to three first-rounders for Bridges if they’re willing to flip him.
While the terms of the Durant and Irving deals suggest the Nets are comfortable stockpiling draft picks, the team will likely be on the lookout for promising young players on rookie contracts too — league sources tell Scotto that Brooklyn tried to get Josh Green and Jaden Hardy from Dallas as part of the Irving trade.
Here’s more from Scotto:
- The Trail Blazers are among the teams with interest in Raptors forward OG Anunoby, and Blazers guards Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons both have fans in Toronto, Scotto says. However, Portland would be reluctant to part with Sharpe in particular, since the team believes the rookie has All-Star upside, per Scotto.
- The Pelicans, another one of the teams talking to the Raptors about Anunoby, have dangled draft pick compensation as the centerpiece of potential offers for the Toronto forward. Scotto confirms that New Orleans is willing to move Naji Marshall, Jaxson Hayes, and/or Devonte’ Graham, and adds Kira Lewis to the list of Pelicans players who are available in trade discussions.
- Scotto has the details on the draft picks the Raptors are sending the Spurs in the Jakob Poeltl trade, reporting that the 2024 first-round pick will be top-six protected through 2026, while the two second-rounders headed to San Antonio are Toronto’s 2023 and 2025 picks.
I could see them moving a couple of guys, just to add a couple of assets, but they have such good depth now too, and I’m not sure it makes sense to move Bridges, who is on a team friendly deal
I dont know the roster count, but if they need 2 spots, I would think Patty Mills and Yuta would probably be the guys that would make the most sense. You could also do 1 of Sumner or Duke, or I guess if they move Crowder again, that changes it, but I dont get why this whole Crowder situation happened with Phoenix, or why it wouldnt make sense to have all of those guys
Dinwiddie, Harris, Bridges, Crowder, Simmons
Cam Johnson, O’neal, Claxton, Cam Thomas/Seth Curry, DFS
That’s a really good team…could use a backup big for matchups
Still dont get why Torpnto would move Anunoby, unless it’s for something really significant. I personally wouldn’t have wanted to n.v include Jim in a KD deal, so it would have to be really significant
The roster count is currently at 15 + two two-ways. Maybe Luke could answer this, but I thought I saw that players who were just traded cannot be a part of aggregate deals involving active players immediately thereafter per the CBA. So, Crowder or Bridges would have to be in straight-up deals, though picks could be included.
The Durant trade technically isn’t official yet — it’s possible they’re waiting to see if they’ll flip any of the players involved and will need to turn it into a three-team trade.
But yeah, for guys like Dinwiddie and Finney-Smith, who were just traded, their salaries can’t be aggregated again in a second deal this week. That doesn’t mean they can’t be traded with other players, but it means you couldn’t combine Dinwiddie’s $19.5MM salary with another salary to acquire a player earning, say, $30MM.
Someone needs the clue me in on Jaxson Hayes. When I look at him or watch him play he seems like such an athletic fast quick big man with a lot of skill. He can shoot a little drive a little block shots runs the floor etc.
I don’t see why he’s not playing more or more effective or always talked about as being available. What is it with him that’s missing?
He’s a funky young piece but i do also think he can turn into a Nic Claxton type of player … He still have to grow mentally first but i wished Portland would have take his last season rookie contract in the CJ trade instead of Satoransky+Louzada+ Nikei Alexander Walker…
NYK ……. got better and deeper. Our PG is happy, I’m happy. YeeeesssssEESSsss
link to twitter.com
I like
Bridges is a nice 2way player. Future all star. But I would held out for for Ayton ….
Let’s see what they get for Crowder ??
I feel like they’re better off not getting Ayton, actually. Claxton looks like a beast right now, so having Ayton would be overkill unless they tried to trade him to a third team. Bridges fits with him and Cam Thomas a lot better, if they plan on doing a retool rather than a full tear-down rebuild.
They couldn’t get Ayton because both he and Simmons are on rookie max extensions.
Ayton is not. His consent would be required though due to the match.
I’m sure PHX would’ve much rather given up Aytom than Bridges
Mikal, Dorian, Ben are definitely keepers. I’d keep/trade 1 of JHarris/Seth. Maybe try to move Royce & Seth to Cleveland for Caris since reunions seem to be a theme of this deadline… Ben/Dinwiddie/Mikal/Crowder/ClaxOn w/ Cam T, Patty, JHarris, Caris, Cam J, Dodo, DSharpe is a pretty strong squad that could potentially do damage in the playoffs
The Portland Trail Blazers have maximized Jusuf Nurkic and Anfernee Simons. They just don’t bring the defense you need to put around Damian Lillard.
I would try to trade Jusuf Nurkic for a Center that will block shots and protect the rim at a high rate. Then getting what you can get for Anfernee Simons.
If your plan is to put a winning team around Damian Lillard you have to trade Anfernee Simons because the backcourt is way too small
Raptors would love Simons & Sharpe for OG! Who wouldn’t?