Nets Could Land No. 11 Pick & 2031 First in Three‑Team Trade With Lakers

The Brooklyn Nets are well familiar with the Los Angeles Lakers' goal of finding their next starting center. Before and after Los Angeles' trade for Mark Williams fell through, Brooklyn big man Nic Claxton was heavily rumored to join a long list of Lakers greats. Without any confirmation that the sides have engaged in trade talks, ESPN speculated that the historic franchise could address the position at the 2025 NBA Draft.

On Friday, ESPN released its "five trades that would shake up the first round," an article that the Nets are mentioned twice. Brooklyn Nets on SI has already covered the first proposal, a mock deal that sends Cam Johnson to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Further down the piece, framework is provided for a trade that would present the Lakers with the opportunity to draft Duke center Khaman Maluach with the Nets' eighth-overall pick.

Nets receive: No. 11 pick (via Portland), 2031 unprotected first (via Los Angeles)

Lakers receive: No. 8 pick (via Brooklyn), No. 36 pick (via Brooklyn)

Trail Blazers receive: G Dalton Knecht, 2027 top-4 protected first (via New York)

Brooklyn is forced to send out one of the 2027 protected first-rounders acquired from the New York Knicks in last summer's Mikal Bridges swap, but gains a potentially valuable Los Angeles first in 2031. The Nets also drop three slots—from eight to 11—which may not be the most realistic outcome.

There's been plenty of smoke suggesting Brooklyn is targeting a trade-up, not down. Ace Bailey has consistently been named as a target, as has his teammate at Rutgers, Dylan Harper.

Unless there are massive shakeups to the big board come draft night, it's hard to envision the Nets agreeing to move down, despite the persuasive ability of the Lakers' 2031 first. Brooklyn would essentially be betting that Los Angeles would not be able to build a solid contender around Luka Doncic over the next six years, which wouldn't be the most intelligent decision.

The Nets still have four days to decide whether a move up or down should be the path they follow, but bolstering the Lakers' chances of quickly returning as a contender likely won't be in the draft night plans.