The Brooklyn Nets are definitely looking good after pulling off the biggest blockbuster trade of the 2020-21 campaign so far.
Their major heist in acquiring James Harden back in January has elevated the already powerhouse Nets from strong contenders to scary title favorites this season.
Even with superstar Kevin Durant sidelined by that bothersome hamstring injury, Harden and Kyrie Irving have steered the ship magnificently. Brooklyn has emerged victorious in their last six outings and is currently tied with the Philadelphia 76ers for the top seed in the Eastern Conference Standings with a 28-13 slate.
As formidable as the Nets have been so far, it’s not even their final form. It will be an even more terrifying sight for the other 29 teams once KD returns from his injury and Blake Griffin makes his Nets debut.
Plus, with the trade deadline set a week from now, the Nets can still tinker with their roster and add even more talent in their bid to win it all this season.
But let’s be realistic here. The Nets no longer have the cap room nor the assets to bring in another superstar player to add to the ridiculous haul that they already have.
Unless, of course, they could once again work out some buy-out magic and somehow sign Andre Drummond. The rest of the league might just be playing for second place if that’s the case.
Net fans, however, should not get too greedy now. There are still some serviceable role players out there that Brooklyn can snag at a cheaper price.
Let’s look at two players that the Nets should acquire before the 2021 NBA Trade Deadline.
Avery Bradley
There’s no question that the Nets possess the best offense in all of basketball right now. However, they still need that one defensive stopper to match up with the opposing team’s elite player.
Enter Miami Heat’s Avery Bradley, who will be a godsend for head coach Steve Nash. The one-time All-Defensive Team member will immediately become the Nets’ best wing stopper and take some pressure off for Irving and Harden on the other end of the floor.
Brooklyn, of course, will have to roll the dice on this one considering he hasn’t been healthy enough to become a factor for the Heat this season. The one-time NBA champion only played 10 games so far, notching 8.5 points on 47 percent shooting from the field and 42.1 from deep.
But we’ve what AB can do at his best, and he’ll definitely shore up the Nets second unit if they can somehow nab him from South Beach. The Heat, of course, might be open to parting ways with him since they haven’t really gotten much out of him this year.
The Nets can offer their biggest trade asset at the moment, injured guard Spencer Dinwiddie. Miami can afford to wait for his recovery anyway since they’re on a roll right now. The Heat will have to throw in Maurice Harkless as well just to make the salaries work.
JaVale McGee
Obviously, the Nets’ primary target from the Cavs roster is still Drummond. They will have no shortage of rivals for his services, though, so they might have to settle for McGee instead.
DeAndre Jordan has been terrific for the Nets so far and there’s no harm in bringing in another veteran slotman with a similar playstyle.
Their young center Nic Claxton has surprised a lot of pundits so far with his superb play, but it will be wise for the Nets to bring in a third-string big just in case.
Plus, McGee will likely get an endorsement from Durant, since they already won two championships together with the Warriors.
The Nets, however, might have to get creative on this one since McGee has already brushed off notions of a buy-out of his $4.2 million salary this season. Brooklyn might have to orchestrate a three-team deal to bring the athletic center to the fold.
