Nets GM Marks Remaining Flexible With Trade Assets
· Yahoo Sports
The Brooklyn Nets’ greatest strength this season isn’t veterans or youth; it’s the 13 first-round picks.
General manager Sean Marks has accumulated hefty draft capital over the years by trading Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges.
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Marks has put Brooklyn in a position to operate with a “buyer’s mentality” and make a blockbuster trade for a superstar. He tried to do this offseason, entering the Jaylen Brown sweepstakes, but the Boston Celtics dealt him to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Nets’ general manager is staying flexible with his assets. He's listening around the league for an opportunity that’s worth pushing his chips in.
“It’s also a combination of what becomes available,” Marks told reporters at media day. “Can't predict when players from other teams become available or what free agency looks like down the road.”
Teams have made unpredictable trades recently. The Dallas Mavericks traded superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis last February; many thought Dončić would be a lifelong Maverick, much like franchise legend Dirk Nowitzki.
Brooklyn could also have over $60 million in cap space next offseason, and have no guaranteed money past the 2027-28 season. A clean slate like that sets the table for another active offseason.
The development of the Nets’ young core also determines how fast or slow this rebuild is. Marks drafted Mikel Brown Jr., Joshua Jefferson and Tyler Bilodeau, adding them alongside the second-year Flatbush Five.
Egor Dëmin has shown the most improvement over the summer. He earned All-Summer League Second Team honors, showing improved downhill scoring, and has built a strong case for on-ball reps next season.
The rest — Nolan Traoré, Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf and Drake Powell — are competing for backup spots at their respective positions in training camp. If one of them makes a jump, then Brooklyn has a solid young core worth investing in.
Every year, the blueprint for building a championship team changes, but one rising trend is having valuable young players.
The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are the most recent examples. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are part of the Thunder's big three; Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle are the Spurs' big three.
Brooklyn has the makings of a strong foundation, and it relies on how fast the young players develop. Patience is a virtue, but things can always change on the fly.
Marks can then capitalize on the growth of his young core by making a blockbuster trade when that idea is realized and a player he can use most of his assets to acquire becomes available.