The Nets might not be contending, but they could end up shaping the trade deadline anyway.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Brooklyn is one of the most intriguing teams on the board because it is the only franchise with meaningful cap space. The Nets have roughly $15 million in room, giving them the ability to step in as a third team, absorb salary, or help high-spending contenders duck the luxury tax.
The catch is they would need to open a roster spot to make it work. They also hold an $8.8 million trade exception, though it only becomes usable after that cap space is spent.
Marks points to two Nets players who could legitimately help a playoff team: Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr.
Thomas is on pace to average at least 20 points for a third straight season and is headed for unrestricted free agency after failing to reach a long-term extension. He holds a one-year deal with veto power over any trade, and his Bird rights would not transfer to a new team. That complicates things.
Porter is a different case. He is in the middle of a career year, averaging 25.9 points, and is under contract for two more seasons at $38.3 million and $40.8 million. He could be a plug-and-play scorer for a contender, especially if Brooklyn wants to slide down the standings.
But Marks notes there is a bigger-picture dilemma. Moving Porter might help the Nets now, but it could hurt their flexibility next season, especially with Houston holding swap rights on their first-round pick. Keeping Porter could leave Brooklyn with as much as $50 million in cap space this summer.
In short, the Nets are positioned to play spoiler, facilitator, or seller. Possibly all three.
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