Nets Must Demand First-Round Picks—Not Settle for Seconds in Salary Dump Deals

In Kevin Durant trade negotiations, the Brooklyn Nets hold much more power than one may think. Even two years after Durant departed Brooklyn for the Phoenix Suns, the Nets still have a say in where the future Hall of Famer lands—because they're the team making it happen.

In the role of facilitator, Brooklyn will utilize its cap space to take on salary dumps while gaining draft capital in the process. However, some mocks have only granted the Nets second-round picks in exchange for their willingness to take on bloated contracts. The prospect of adding second-rounders alone wouldn't be enough for Brooklyn to get involved, mainly because it already holds 16 second-rounders through 2031.

The Nets gained three seconds in 2024 by trading Royce O'Neal to Phoenix, six in December of the same year from the Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith deals and one last summer when they adding Ziaire Williams.

Valuation of the second round pick has risen in past years, given that the talent pool in modern draft classes go beyond the first 30 selections, but they alone still wouldn't be enough compensation for the service Brooklyn would be providing.

If multiple second-rounders are the best offer the Nets receive for offering their cap space, they'd be better suited using the money to go after restricted free agents or unrestricted free agents under the age of 25. The potential return on investment is greater, especially if a player like Jonathan Kuminga or Josh Giddey ends up being the target.

GM Sean Marks and Brooklyn's front office have done a fantastic job of reloading on future picks after the failed Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden big three, but they haven't done so by settling for seconds. Nearly one year ago, Brooklyn sent Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks for six future first-rounders, adding to an already-stacked haul courtesy of the Suns in 2023.

Brooklyn will be key in facilitating Durant's next stop, and Marks should take advantage of the situation the organization finds itself in by extracting as much as possible from either Phoenix or whatever team Durant ends up with.