An enticing proposed trade idea has the Brooklyn Nets making yet another big splash.
Under GM Sean Marks, the Nets have not been at all shy in making blockbuster trades. This is the same man who has acquired AND traded away James Harden as well as a man who signed, only to trade, both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
Despite trading away their two franchise pillars earlier this year (Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, Durant to the Phoenix Suns), the Nets remain in playoff position and just might manage to avoid the terrifying play-in tournament.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes proposed four blockbuster trade ideas in the offseason to help struggling teams. Hughes suggested an idea in which the Nets land Zach LaVine in exchange for All-Star Ben Simmons and Cam Thomas plus a whopping four first-round picks (2023, 2025 and two 2027 firsts):
“No, Ben Simmons doesn’t figure to make Chicago a better team next year. He’s simply matching salary in a swap designed to get the Bulls the assets they’ll need to undertake a deliberate rebuild.
Because his performance and availability have cratered since leaving the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons may very well have the league’s worst contract. Combined with LaVine’s value as a high-end scorer, which the Nets need on a roster full of three-and-D wings, that’s what earns Chicago four first-rounders and Cam Thomas in the exchange…
The Bulls make the first move toward starting over (which should be followed by deals involving DeMar DeRozan and anything else not nailed down), and the Nets get the first-option offensive weapon they need alongside Mikal Bridges and a potentially elite collection of defenders. If any team can hide LaVine’s weaknesses on that end, it’s the one with Nic Claxton, Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale and Bridges.”
Simmons was acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers in last year’s trade that sent the aforementioned Harden to Philly. So far, the trade has greatly benefitted a Philadelphia team that is in the running for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Simmons didn’t play at all in 2021-22 as he took time away to deal with his mental health while awaiting a trade out of Philly. He was nearing a return to the court in the opening round of the playoffs but suffered a back injury. The Nets were swept by the Boston Celtics in the opening round of the postseason.
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The No. 1 pick of the 2016 NBA Draft simply hasn’t produced in Brooklyn the way the organization had hoped. Will that lead to another Simmons trade in the offseason? Only time will tell.
