The Brooklyn Nets could use a sign-and-trade scenario with forward Cam Johnson along with attaching draft picks to him to acquire a superstar, according to a recent article by Bleacher Report. In the post, B/R lists a number of moves around the league that various teams could pull off during the free-agency period of the summer.
To start off, the article says that Brooklyn should be looking to maximize their winning ability right now as opposed to fully rebuilding since the Houston Rockets essentially has the Nets’ draft picks for the next few seasons. Since Brooklyn does not have complete control over how its drafts in the near future will transpire, it’s better for them to try to win now while possibly hurting the quality of the picks that Houston has thanks to the James Harden trade.
The Nets also have draft picks from the Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, and the Phoenix Suns because of the trades of James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant, respectively. That means that Brooklyn has some draft capital that could allow them to package with a player like Cam Johnson to get someone like Damian Lillard or Karl-Anthony Towns. Here’s what Dan Favale had to say about Brooklyn’s options this offseason:
“Attach picks to Johnson and (assuming he agrees) he can become the financial centerpiece of a bid for Damian Lillard. Maybe the Minnesota Timberwolves look to balance out the roster and recoup draft equity by making Karl-Anthony Towns available. What if the Chicago Bulls shop Zach LaVine? Or if the L.A. Clippers give up on the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George era? The list goes on, and Brooklyn has the asset ammo to pair with a Johnson sign-and-trade to enter the splashiest talks.”
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