NBA Trade Rumors: Brooklyn Nets Hold Significant Leverage Over Contenders

NBA trade rumors and reports are starting to heat up as the Feb. 6 deadline sits less than two months away. For the Brooklyn Nets, this is the busiest time of the year for the organization.

It's been established that the Nets will be active sellers this NBA trade season, as reports indicate that the team is willing to trade players 'right now.' Brooklyn will have plenty of teams eyeing veterans Cameron Johnson, Dennis Schroder, and Dorian Finney-Smith, but the team has also made everyone available for the right price.

It's expected that playoff teams and championship contenders will go after those players. Expect the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers to be frontrunners for the veterans. The Nets can bring back some serious capital if GM Sean Marks plays his cards right.

Playoff teams looking to get into championship contention or contending teams looking to get over the hump will pay a hefty price for Brooklyn's players. The veterans can bring back a boatload of draft capital with the way they've been playing. It's expected that the Nets will get multiple first-round picks in total.

If Brooklyn really wants to capitalize on trade value, packaging players would elevate the return from a team like Los Angeles or Golden State. The Warriors, specifically, have a great amount of talent and draft capital to give up, with first-round picks in the stash, as well as Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski up for grabs if the right offer is made.

To sum it up, Marks holds an extreme amount of leverage in trade talks. There will be teams lined up for many Nets players, and Brooklyn can take full advantage of the opportunity for its rebuild.