This year's contract class for the Brooklyn Nets finds six players entering restricted or unrestricted free agency, with one on a player option. With that many players potentially gone, GM Sean Marks and the rest of the front office need to make decisions who stays and who gets offered another contract, with the possibility of the player turning it down.
Who gets offered another contract, and who is getting let go?
If Bates-Diop decides to opt into his 2024-25 contract, the Nets should almost immediately look to deal his $2.6 million elsewhere.
Bates-Diop is 28 years old and doesn't bring in much production, averaging 3.7 points and 2.1 rebounds this past season. He's not a young talent that this team can develop, but he also isn't a reliable role player that teams need. Dumping him for draft capital should be the move, or for cash considerations that Brooklyn can use on other players.
Claxton continued to show he is one of the best interior defenders in the league, averaging 11.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks. He's 25, so his prime hasn't necessarily hit yet, and there are plenty of teams that will offer him big money to fix paint problems, like the Warriors, Kings, and Rockets.
When the 6-foot-11 center is on the floor, he provides a defensive rating of 111.0, compared to the Nets' overall defensive rating of 115.4.
Teams like the Warriors were heavily eyeing Clax at the trade deadline, so it's crucial that Marks and his staff don't lose his services for nothing. Sine they didn't deal him then, they shouldn't let him walk now.
There isn't much to say about Gilyard, as he appeared in just four games this season. At 5-foot-8 and 25 years old, Gilyard doesn't have anything that would convince Brooklyn to keep him on two-way deal, meaning he'll likely find himself strictly in the G League next season.
Johnson, another player on a two-way deal, is in a similar spot as Gilyard. He's 22, which means that he can still be developed, but he hasn't been able to recreate the scoring production he had in his rookie season with the Trail Blazers.
Aside from slashing ability, Johnson doesn't provide much else, and if the Nets want to save money they should let him find a new home.
Smith Jr.'s stats don't exactly pop out when analyzing his production on the surface, but his impact on the defensive end and as a hustle player should be considered. He had a defensive rating of 113.7, which was above the league average of 116.1.
Smith Jr. made about $2.5 million this past season, and judging by his stats and impact as a veteran, should be worth about $3 to $5 million per year, which is more than safe with the Nets' budget. He can continue to be the defensive hustle player he is.
Watford saw a huge increase in minutes, averaging 20.5 in his last 15 games of the season, compared to receiving 13.6 the entire year. He has a slow release but can knock down shots from multiple spots. The LSU forward did shoot an impressive 52.7% from the field, and just under 40% from deep, so there is an argument to keep the 23-year-old.
However, Watford's $2 million per season will likely upgrade if these shooting splits warrant interest from other young teams. It's not worth it to try to keep him around if the Nets want to focus on bringing in an All-Star via trade. Watford takes up another roster spot.
Walker received little playing time compared to his past seasons, getting just 17.4 minutes per game. In those minutes, he put up 9.7 points and shot 38.4% from deep, showing he can still be a spark plug off of the bench.
In the first 20 games of the 2023-24 season, Walker averaged13.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. He made roughly $2.3 million this past season, but teams would likely be willing to give him upwards of $5 million per year, considering he's 25.
Walker is starting to enter veteran status, but with more playing time and an increased role, he can give a team 12 to 14 points per game on solid shooting splits, and he showed that in his time in San Antonio. He's certainly worth the money.
It's important to note that the Nets have a projected cap figure of $132 million in 2024-25, with little room to work with this summer. Being strict with their budget is crucial if they want to have enough money to upgrade their roster.
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