Report: Nets open to taking on money for draft picks in future trades

The Brooklyn Nets have some interesting decisions to make heading into the Feb. 6 trade deadline, especially as it pertains to what the future looks like for the team amidst its rebuild. Brooklyn hasn't been shy about its intention to acquire draft picks and/or young players in exchange for its league-leading salary cap space and it looks like that mission continues.

"Heading into the trade deadline overall, Brooklyn has $15.3 million in cap space and is open to taking on money this season in exchange for draft pick compensation, league sources told HoopsHype," HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported on Tuesday. Based on Scotto's reporting, it will be interesting to see what Nets general manager Sean Marks has in mind for trades prior to the deadline.

Advertisement

Heading into the 2025-26 NBA season, Brooklyn traded forward Cam Johnson, who was coming the best season of his career, to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for forward Michael Porter Jr. and Denver's 2032 first-round pick. The primary reason that the Nets were able to get Porter along with a premium draft pick is due to the fact that he is making $35.1 million more over the next two years than Johnson will.

Another example of Brooklyn using its cap space to take on a player's contract in exchange for a draft pick is when the Atlanta Hawks traded forward Terance Mann to the Nets this past offseason. Not only did Brooklyn get Mann in the deal, but they also received a first-round pick (22nd overall) that became forward Drake Powell, showing how much the Hawks needed to free up cap space for their roster.

"Should Boston decide to trade Simons and duck the tax, could there be a pathway to a deal with the Brooklyn Nets," Scotto wrote when proposing a scenario in which another team, the Boston Celtics, could trade a player, guard Anfernee Simons, in order to generate salary cap relief. However, Scotto noted earlier in his article that the Celtics have thus far been unwilling to attach a first-round pick to Simons in any potential trade.

Whether Marks and the rest of the Nets front office is interested in trading for Simons is left to be seen, but Scotto did report in November that Brooklyn and Boston discussed a trade involving Simons this past summer. Either way, it's been known for awhile now that the Nets are looking to rent their cap space in exchange for draft picks and Scotto confirms that Mark and company are still thinking the same way prior to the deadline.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Report: Nets open to taking on money for draft picks in future trades