Rudy Gay (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Brooklyn Nets could look for potential trade targets moving forward, with the team likely to be active in the trade market.
The Nets could actively explore the trade market after staying flexible this offseason following the team's failed pursuit of Allen Crabbe and Tyler Johnson. According to Yahoo Sports analyst Bobby Marks, a former Nets general manager himself, Brooklyn "could serve the role of facilitator for teams that have buyers' remorse as the season moves along."
"Often teams with salary cap space who miss out on free agents will deviate from their initial plan and make rash decisions," Marks wrote.
"Brooklyn, however, showed restraint and kept flexibility after the offer sheets on Johnson and Crabbe were matched. Although the Nets had $40 million-plus in cap space, Brooklyn went the one-year route with veterans Scola, Vasquez and Foye."
With $18 million in cap space, the Nets will have plenty of room for to be the third team on potential trade deals. One potential trade scenario the Nets could explore as early as the offseason is trading for Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay.
Gay, one of the few names available in the trade market, could be a great fit for the Nets, who lack depth at the small forward position. Gay could serve as a mentor for Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and should become the team's top option at the wing spot.
Dealing for Gay could mean the Nets won't have to wait until midseason, but they may still monitor the trend of Gay's trade value by that time. Nevertheless, trading directly for Gay may not work as the Nets won't have much assets to offer the Kings. One deal that could work is a three-way deal involving the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In the trade scenario that works on ESPN's trade machine, the Kings send Gay to the Nets, while the Timberwolves receive Bojan Bogdanovic. Sacramento then receives Ricky Rubio from Minnesota, addressing the Kings' need of a playmaker.
The Nets could also serve as a third party for a potential deal for the New Orleans Pelicans acquiring Greg Monroe from the Milwaukee Bucks.
Brooklyn could absorb the contract of Tyreke Evans, giving them a talented shooting guard to pair with Jeremy Lin, while the Pelicans receive Greg Monroe from the Bucks. New Orleans, as part of clearing cap room for Monroe, would then send Quincy Pondexter to the Bucks, giving Milwaukee another key player at the wing position.
Such amount won't give the Nets any shortage of prospects, although any deal may wait until weeks or days before the trade deadline. But if the Nets get impatient in using their $18 million cap room, any of the trade scenarios mentioned above could be viable options for Brooklyn.
