A Guide To The Brooklyn Nets’ Free Agency
Brooklyn GM enters free agency looking to make ‘Marks’ with the roughly $30 million burning a hole in the Nets’ pockets.
As the team with the third-most cap space in the NBA, the Brooklyn Nets are entering free agency with a hell of a lot of money to spend. Couple that wih the “culture” General Manager Sean Marks emphasizes so much in Brooklyn, and you got yourself an attractive free agent destination. They may have only won 20 games last season, but don’t let that fool you into thinking the Nets won’t come away with high quality players this summer.
Heading into July, it’s evident which positions the Nets need to elevate the most. Marks previously stated the small forward position needs to be addressed, which at this stage is even more apparent, as the Nets opted not to select a wing in this year’s draft. Currently, Brooklyn’s roster is littered with guards and combo-ish, swingmen-type players who can be used at various positions, but that could change in a flash, and it’s unclear how exactly the Nets plan on incorporating D’Angelo Russell with Caris LeVert. Still, the options in free agency, as I’ll soon dive into, could remedy Marks’ wish to upgrade at the 3, if he’s successful at getting his desired targets.
On top of that, the Nets’ already-unfortunate front-court situation only became more dire after the team parted ways with franchise center and fan favorite Brook Lopez. As I previously wrote, the free agent market for centers isn’t exactly anything to moon over, but the Nets could settle for a decent role player-type big man to pair with newly-acquired 7-footer who’s more known for his eye-popping contract — Timofey Mozgov.
So, what should we expect to see from the Nets this time around in the open market?
Primary Focus: Restricted Free Agents
Targeting restricted free agents was Sean Marks’ main strategy last offseason, and he’ll without a doubt use the same tactics this summer. Last year, Marks struck out with Allen Crabbe and Tyler Johnson, but hey, in the first year of a new regime, it’s the thought (and attempt) that counts. One may argue it’s too risky for Brooklyn to wage their plans once again in restricted free agency, but based on the potential of the available options, it’d be an even greater disappointment to see Marks and company not go down that route.
Otto Porter:
Porter has been catching the eye of numerous teams, and for good reason. The small forward is coming off a breakout season with the Washington Wizards, in which he averaged 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Even more impressively, he made a huge jump with his 3-point shooting, as his percentage moved from 36.7 percent in the 2015–16 season, to an astounding 43.4 percent last year. All the facets Porter improved in are evident across his season metrics, which is a big reason as to why he’s garnering so much attention in free agency.
On paper, Porter checks off just about everything the Nets would want from a player. Young and still full of potential to grow? Check. The small forward Marks covets so much? Possibly. A sharpshooter who can provide size on the wings? Check. Fingers crossed the Wizards don’t match the Nets’ imminent max offer sheet.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope:
Caldwell-Pope is probably the lesser-desired of the two restricted free agents listed here, due to his recent two-game suspension for a DUI arrest back in March. Not exactly the kind of “high character” guy Marks looks for, but he may overlook one incident for the sole purpose of adding young talent to a rebuilding Nets team.
The 24-year-old shooting guard has emerged as one of the most important players to a Pistons team that just narrowly missed the playoffs last season. His improving game over the last two seasons, as well as his abilities as a backcourt defender, make him an excellent nominee for a max contract this offseason. Nets Head Coach Kenny Atkinson has even commended Caldwell-Pope for his competitiveness on the defensive end, and if it counts, KCP received one All-Defensive Second Team vote.
Compared to Porter, however, he’s an inconsistent shooter, as his 3-point percentage has teetered since he entered the league. That doesn’t make him a completely undesirable option in free agency though, as Caldwell-Pope is only 24 years old, and if there’s one thing Atkinson has shown last season, it’s that he can mold just about any player into a 3-point shooter. I’m personally much higher on Porter, since he has more well-developed facets to his game, but Caldwell-Pope is inevitably another player who teams, including Brooklyn, will take a close look at in free agency.
Contingency Plans: The Vets
In an ideal world, the Nets would be successful at securing their desired restricted free agent(s) — Porter, please — and won’t need to resort to any backup plan. However, it’s quite possible the Nets won’t be able to reconstruct their roster in the most clear-cut way. Washington and Detroit will be placed in difficult positions if the Nets offer Porter and/or Caldwell-Pope max deals, but both teams have expressed interest in retaining their respective players. If the Nets once again fail to land young players with untapped potential through restricted free agency, they’ll have to turn to other means of upgrading their roster — which is more than likely through adding vets.
That’s essentially how last offseason turned out for Brooklyn, after Crabbe and Johnson failed to come to fruition. The Nets signed numerous vets and took fliers on some players who might otherwise not have gotten an opportunity with an NBA team. Some panned out nicely (Joe Harris and Trevor Booker), while others were gone before season’s end (Anthony Bennett and Luis Scola).
In this year’s free agency class, the available veterans are a lot more productive than a Scola or Randy Foye-type bunch. If the Nets need other options to turn to, signing one of these guys wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. After all, even rebuilding teams need to have imposing veterans in order to be successful.
J.J. Redick:
Sometimes, I forget Redick is a starter on the Los Angeles Clippers, because of his age. Ironically, he’s the same age as Foye — who the Nets predominantly used as their starting shooting guard this past season — but of course, the difference between the two comes from productivity. I’d certainly prefer a lineup of Lin/Redick/LeVert over Lin/Foye/LeVert, and hey, that might actually happen!
How Redick would fit into Head Coach Kenny Atkinson’s 3-point centric offense isn’t the concern, as he’s already an excellent sharpshooter (he shot 42.9 percent from 3 last season). The issues with Redick, as far as his fit on the Nets goes, are derived from what exact role he’d have in Brooklyn. He’s still posting respectable numbers (15 points per game last season) and shooting well enough for a 33-year-old starting at shooting guard, but if the Nets sign him, their lineups will get extremely tricky. Will it be Redick, or one of the two rising stars in Russell and LeVert, who will be relegated to the bench?
Nets Twitter has been split on this subject, particularly after The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor reported the Nets are expected “to make a hard push” at Redick. Some feel Redick would demand more money than he’s worth for a player at his age, while others would argue he can still thrive in Brooklyn and provide quintessential veteran leadership. Throw in the fact that he has a apartment in Brooklyn, and I’d say the Nets have a great shot at landing him, though I’d still like a definitive answer over what combination of lineups Atkinson will put together with Redick.
Andre Iguodala:
Sean Marks confirmed himself that he’s considering Iguodala, so the Nets’ interest in the two-time NBA champion is pretty serious. Adding a defensive stalwart and experienced, contributing wing in Iguodala certainly sounds like a Sean Marks move, but once again, as the running theme with a lot of players discussed here, at what cost?
It’s difficult to imagine why Iguodala would want to leave a high-class organization that’s coming off its second title in three years, but keep in mind: the Warriors still need to take care of duo superstars Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, on top of numerous other key pieces. The Vertical’s Shams Charania reported that how deep Golden State will plunge into the luxury tax is a concern for owner Joe Lacob — which only makes the odds of the Warriors re-signing Iguodala even slimmer. The Sixth Man of the Year finalist also reportedly plans on fielding offers from other teams once free agency starts at midnight on Saturday, and as far as culture goes, Brooklyn would at least not be hell.
Potential Big Men Candidates
Again, the market for bigs is as barren as it can get, but the Nets may want to look for a boost from Justin Hamilton and a small ball Quincy Acy/Trevor Booker, to use behind Mozgov. The following players are a couple of big men the Nets could consider as potential backups.
Kelly Olynyk:
As a 3-point shooting big man, Olynyk fits the bubble of what the Nets would look for in a modern-day NBA center. However, like Redick and Iguodala, the biggest concern that comes with Olynyk is the price tag.
Olynyk’s numbers definitely would not justify him receiving a major offer, even if it’s from a team like Brooklyn. He’s certainly no Brook Lopez as far as scoring goes — his nine points per game, on top of his declining 3-point shot, are far from acceptable. Sure, there was his performance in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Wizards — 26 points, four rebounds and four assists — but his postseason glimpses should not be all there is to validate why teams should offer him an outrageous contract. To his credit, I feel Olynyk could serve as a decent backup center, but it all falls back to the money in his case.
The Celtics recently extended a qualifying offer to Olynyk, but it’s already anticipated that he’ll turn it down, which will make him a restricted free agent. Yes, another restricted free agent on this list, but I didn’t feel he deserved to be under “Primary Focus” free agents. If you’re still questioning why, I don’t know what to tell you.
Dewayne Dedmon:
Dedmon is yet another example of a hidden gem who can turn into an adequate role player under Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich’s tutelage. And, if you like rooting for an underdog, the 27-year-old has had an incredible journey to the NBA, which entails numerous schools, cuts and D-League outings.
The main components of his game are two the Nets have been lacking in: defense and rim protection. His per-48 minutes stats might not jump out at you, but keep in mind: even as a starter, he played in reserve minutes (17.5 per game). Where his story gets interesting are his per-36 minutes stats, as they soar to 10.5 points, 13.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. Not bad for a guy who had struggled to find a consistent role in the NBA for the prior three seasons.
Thanks to his latest, remarkable stint in San Antonio, Dedmon is set to cash in this offseason. It’s insane to think he’d only make $3 million with the Spurs had he opted into his player option for the 2017–18 season, but that should at least double or triple once he fields offers from around the league. The Nets should certainly take interest in a rising player of his caliber.
Wildcards: Anyone On The Hawks
Well, maybe not just anyone on the Hawks — a Kris Humphries homecoming might not be the one fans desire the most — but the Kenny Atkinson connection is the main rationale. Disclaimer: Atkinson has not (assistant) coached all of the free agents described in the following paragraphs, but Atlanta has a boatload of players hitting the open market.
Many of the Hawks’ free agents are on the older scale, but with the cloudy future in Atlanta, it wouldn’t be the most earth-shattering scenario if the Hawks lose even more remaining pieces of their easily-forgotten 60-win team from the 2014–15 season. Paul Millsap almost has one foot out the door of Atlanta, and other players like Thabo Sefolosha (why is almost every vet discussed here age 33?) and Ersan Ilyasova could follow.
Atlanta’s younger free agents — Mike Muscala and Tim Hardaway Jr. — could also draw interest from the Nets. Muscala, though under this category of “Wildcards” instead of “Potential Big Men Candidates,” could offer the Nets more flexibility at the power forward and center slots, as he’s seen time at both positions during his four seasons with Atlanta. Hardaway Jr., meanwhile, could be another candidate for Brooklyn in restricted free agency. The Nets might be attracted to his newfound explosiveness and shooting touch from last season, and he could see himself in new waters come October.
No matter who the Nets end up going after once the clock strikes midnight on Saturday, expect them to make a splash in free agency this summer. They have the right man steering the ship, as well as all the resources necessary to continue their cycling rebuild.
