The Brooklyn Nets are looking to compete right away.
They know that tanking isn’t exactly in their best interest, as the Houston Rockets hold the right to swap picks with them, so there’s no true incentive to bottom out just yet.
With that in mind, they would be foolish to let go of their best players right now.
That’s why they rejected a very impressive offer for Dorian Finney-Smith last season, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, via NBACentral.
The Nets rejected an offer of two first-round picks for Dorian Finney-Smith last season, per @NYPost_Lewis pic.twitter.com/jYo4XPEGmP
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 21, 2023
Lewis cites that the Nets got an offer of two first-round picks for their defensive specialist, and while he didn’t disclose who made that bid, it’s hard to envision any other team turning down that offer.
Finney-Smith is by no means an All-Star, and it’s crazy to think that Bradley Beal couldn’t get a single first-round pick in return for his trade.
But he’s one of the best wing-stoppers in the Association, and that skill set is highly-coveted for championship teams.
The Nets will reportedly look to build their roster around Mikal Bridges, so it makes sense that they want to keep another stellar defender next to him and Nic Claxton for years to come.
They still need to add more shooting and firepower and could look to flip some of their draft picks for another scoring-minded player who fits Bridges’ timeline.
But this has already set a precedent around the league, letting it be known that they won’t just give up on their best players and that they’re not interested in tanking right now.
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