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Nov 24, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) gestures during the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Nets Three Biggest Trade Chips Entering 2025-26 Season

Originally posted on Brooklyn Nets on SI | By Zach Hiney | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The Brooklyn Nets are still in the midst of a massive rebuild at the moment. The current roster is young and full of first, second and third-year players who the front office hopes can be the foundation for the next winning team in Brooklyn.

But even on a young roster, there's still some veterans sprinkled in. Every rebuilding team does this. Bring in a few veterans so they can mentor the young guys, and then ship those veterans off for draft capital or other young players at the trade deadline. It's a win-win for all parties involved and can help accelerate a rebuild.

Making the most of these trade chips can be the difference between a two-year rebuild and a five-year project. Nets general manager Sean Marks has some interesting trade chips to play with this season that could help speed up this rebuild. But who are the top three trade chips for Marks and Brooklyn this season?

Haywood Highsmith

David Richard-Imagn Images

The acquisition of the 28-year-old Highsmith was always seen as a temporary move for Brooklyn. Highsmith is your prototypical trade chip. An NBA veteran who brings playoff experience, but still has tread left on the tires. A 3-and-D wing who can be a great bench player for a contender and even start for a bit if injuries require him to.

It'll be shocking if Highsmith is on this roster in March, and there's a good chance he could be worth multiple second-round picks, or even a first-round pick down the line if Marks plays his cards right. While he's here, he'll be able to mentor and teach this young roster about life in the NBA. Highsmith is a valuable trade chip for the Nets this season.

Terance Mann

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Similar to Highsmith, Mann is another great look at a trade-chip type of player. He's also 28 years old, but brings a different skillset to the table. Mann is a pure scorer, no matter what the role is he's playing. He works best as a spark plug player off the bench who can pack a strong scoring punch. But he can also start in a pinch and do his job well.

There's a good chance that contenders will call up Marks about Mann as the trade deadline gets closer. And he should pick up the phone and see what they have to say. The Nets could walk away from the trade deadline with numerous picks from Highsmith and Mann if they want to, and that would help accelerate this rebuild.

Cam Thomas

David Richard-Imagn Images

There's no bigger trade chip on the Nets roster than the 23-year-old Thomas. He just came to an agreement with the team on a one-year, $6 million deal for this season, but will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. There's a decent chance that Thomas could leave in free agency, and the Nets wouldn't get anything for him. That's where a trade this season might make sense.

Thomas is an elite scorer, coming off a 24 points per game season in 2024-25, albeit in just 25 games. He would be one of the premier rental players on the trade market and could easily fetch Brooklyn some high-caliber assets if they chose to move on. Thomas' style of play may not match what the Nets want to do in the future, and a trade could be beneficial for both sides this season.

This article first appeared on Brooklyn Nets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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