<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/dallas-mavericks/mavericks-rumors-dallas-overwhelming-favorite-sign-dangelo-russell');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mavericks rumors: Dallas the ‘overwhelming favorite’ to sign D’Angelo Russell');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Mavericks-overwhelming-favorite-sign-DAngelo-Russell.jpg"><figcaption>© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Mavericks rumors: Dallas the ‘overwhelming favorite’ to sign D’Angelo Russell</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-29T08:50:15-07:00">June 29th, 8:50am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-29T08:50:15-07:00">June 29th, 8:50am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/dallas-mavericks">The Dallas Mavericks</a> have reportedly honed in on their replacement point guard for the injured Kyrie Irving<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/players/b97409dd/dangelo-russell">: D’Angelo Russell.</a></p><p>According to NBA insider Marc Stein, <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/sunday-best-lots-more-of-the-latest" rel="noopener">who has long been</a> plugged in with the Mavericks, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/mavericks-rumors-kyrie-irving-make-dallas-a-leading-suitor-dangelo-russell">Russell is believed to be by other teams a top target for Dallas</a> this offseason.</p><p>“The Mavericks continue to be described by rival teams as the overwhelming favorites to sign D’Angelo Russell away from Brooklyn to be their starting point guard while Kyrie Irving continues his rehabilitation from a torn ACL,” Stein wrote for The Stein Line.</p><p>Russell, 29, spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-dangelo-russell-trade-nets-4-player-trade">then the Brooklyn Nets following a trade</a> in late December 2024. The second overall pick in the 2015 draft, Russell has proven to be a top-notch scorer and distributor at his peak, but the 2024-25 season was by far the worst of his NBA career.</p><p>Between the Lakers and Nets, Russell’s playing time not only reached a career low, but he proved to be far more ineffective than he had previously shown. Aside from his rookie season, Russell has not averaged fewer points per 36 minutes than last season. Additionally, his 3-point shooting shockingly suffered; after back-to-back seasons hovering around or above 40% on 3-pointers, Russell shot 31.4% from beyond the arc in 2024-25, which ranks as the worst mark of his career. Previously, he had shot below 34% in a season only once.</p><p>The context in which all that happened cannot be ignored, though, as Russell was the subject of numerous trade rumors a year or more before he ultimately was dealt by the Lakers. And when he arrived in Brooklyn, he joined a franchise with little incentive to try to win games. As a result, the Nets traded multiple players who could have been of help in that regard, including Dennis Schroder, as well as Dorian Finney-Smith, for whom the Lakers traded Russell.</p><p>Now, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-brian-windhorst-left-dumbfounded-over-brooklyn-draft-picks">after drafting three guards and four players total</a> in the first round of this past week’s NBA Draft, the Nets have little reason to seriously pursue the idea of retaining Russell, who just completed a two-year, $36 million contract extension that he signed with the Lakers two offseasons ago.</p><p>As for the Mavericks, they could certainly use Russell, particularly if he regains the form he had even two seasons ago. Dallas will likely be without starting guard Kyrie Irving for most of or the entire 2024-25 season after suffering a torn ACL in March.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mavericks rumors: Dallas the ‘overwhelming favorite’ to sign D’Angelo Russell

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/dallas-mavericks/mavericks-rumors-kyrie-irving-make-dallas-a-leading-suitor-dangelo-russell');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mavericks rumors: How Kyrie Irving helps make Dallas a ‘leading suitor’ for D’Angelo Russell');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_25831582.jpg"><figcaption>Mar 31, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (1) in action during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Brooklyn Nets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Mavericks rumors: How Kyrie Irving helps make Dallas a ‘leading suitor’ for D’Angelo Russell</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-25T11:49:03-07:00">June 25th, 11:49am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-25T11:52:42-07:00">June 25th, 11:52am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Dallas Mavericks point guard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/mavericks-news-kyrie-irving-contract-option-119-million-deal">Kyrie Irving made headlines on Tuesday</a>, declining his player option and signing a three-year, $119 million extension. The deal not only locks in the Mavericks’ star long-term, but it could also <a href="https://x.com/TheSteinLine/status/1937892832565445101" rel="noopener">pave the way</a> for the team to make a run at free agent point guard D’Angelo Russell, according to Marc Stein.</p><p>Irving’s new contract has a lower 2025-26 cap hit than his $43 million player option, giving Dallas access to the $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception. With their lead ball-handler sidelined indefinitely by an ACL tear, the Mavericks will search for another viable option in free agency.</p><p>Could Russell be that player?</p><h2>Mavericks targeting D’Angelo Russell after Kyrie Irving extension?</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_25817894.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The veteran floor general’s market isn’t expected to be expansive. Russell struggled after the Los Angeles Lakers traded him to the Brooklyn Nets at the deadline as part of a package for Dorian Finney-Smith. He averaged 12.9 points and 5.6 assists on 37/30/83 shooting splits over 29 appearances following the deal.</p><p>The former Nets All-Star voiced his desire to return to Brooklyn numerous times throughout the second half of the season.</p><p>“I think just what the future holds with this group [is why I want to be back],” he told ClutchPoints. “Obviously, what Jordi [Fernandez] and Sean [Marks] are creating, I’m familiar with it. Being somewhere familiar is something I’m definitely prioritizing.”</p><p>While that sentiment may be genuine, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/exclusive-dangelo-russell-puts-nba-notice-about-nets-ahead-free-agency">Brooklyn can also offer Russell more money</a> than any other team in free agency. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-free-agent-predictions-exclusive-negotiating-period-begins">Nets are the NBA’s only team with cap space</a>. However, the rebuilding squad is expected to utilize its flexibility for salary dumps while prioritizing playing time for developmental prospects next season.</p><p>Opposing teams seeking to sign Russell will be limited to the non-taxpayer mid-level ($14.1 million) or the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.7 million). His market appears likely to fall in the range of the latter. While it would represent a significant pay cut, the Mavericks should be an enticing landing spot for the 10-year veteran.</p><p>With Irving sidelined, Dallas could offer Russell a featured role alongside Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg. Should he produce at a high level, he could land a bigger deal next summer when a large portion of the league will have cap space.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mavericks rumors: How Kyrie Irving helps make Dallas a ‘leading suitor’ for D’Angelo Russell

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-nets-raptors-rj-barrett-trade-is-something-to-monitor');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nets-Raptors RJ Barrett trade is something to monitor');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/RJ-Barrett-9-brings-the-ball-up-court-against-Brooklyn-Nets-forward-Ziaire-Williams-8-during-the-fourth-quarter.jpg"><figcaption>© Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nets-Raptors RJ Barrett trade is something to monitor</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-24T11:12:32-07:00">June 24th, 11:12am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-24T11:12:32-07:00">June 24th, 11:12am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Trade talks between the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/2025-nba-draft-big-board-5-0-76ers-final-ace-bailey-vj-edgecombe-decision">Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets involving forward RJ Barrett</a> have surfaced ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, with league insiders indicating that both teams could explore a deal centered around draft positioning and talent consolidation.</p><p>According to ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel, Toronto has remained active in trade discussions involving Barrett, who is entering the second year of a four-year, $107 million contract. The 25-year-old forward is reportedly part of Toronto’s broader strategy to reshape its roster and return to playoff contention.</p><p>“Toronto is an interesting team to discuss entering the NBA Draft,” Siegel reported. “After having interest in Durant, Masai Ujiri is expected to remain aggressive in his hunt for more talent and to get the Raptors back in a playoff-contending position. As a result, the Raptors have continued to dangle RJ Barrett in trade discussions with multiple teams, sources said.”</p><p>Michael Scotto of HoopsHype also confirmed the team’s ongoing efforts to gauge interest in Barrett.</p><p>“Toronto has also continued to gauge the trade market on RJ Barrett, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto reported. “Barrett, who’s owed $57.32 million over the next two seasons, averaged a career-high 21.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.”</p><h2><b>Raptors may trade RJ Barrett, No. 9 pick as Nets explore 2025 NBA Draft options</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/RJ-Barrett-9-drives-against-Philadelphia-76ers-guard-Jared-Butler-12-during-the-fourth-quarter.jpg"><figcaption>© Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Barrett, a Toronto native and former No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, joined the Raptors midway through the 2023–24 season as part of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/toronto-raptors/raptors-news-rj-barrett-reveals-immediate-reaction-trade-knicks-toronto">deal that sent OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks</a>. In his first full season with Toronto, he averaged 21.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists on 46.8% shooting from the field and 35% from three-point range over 58 games.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nba-rumors-why-nets-2025-drafts-most-desirable-landing-spots">Nets, who currently hold four first-round picks in the upcoming draft</a> — Nos. 8, 19, 26, and 27 — along with a second-round pick, are believed to be looking to package assets to move up or acquire proven talent. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/toronto-raptors/raptors-rumors-2-draft-targets-if-toronto-trades-down">Raptors possess the No. 9 and No. 39 picks</a>.</p><p>“Is there a potential trade brewing between the Nets and Raptors that could see Barrett and the ninth pick go to Brooklyn?” Siegel wrote. “This is something many around the league are keeping an eye on, as there is no guarantee Toronto will keep the ninth pick in this year’s draft.”</p><p>Brooklyn’s interest in acquiring another lottery pick aligns with speculation that the franchise is weighing a larger roster retool. Barrett’s age and scoring ability may also make him an attractive piece for a team seeking a wing with upside and experience.</p><p>The 2025 NBA Draft is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN. With both teams holding significant draft capital and facing roster questions, league executives are closely monitoring how Toronto and Brooklyn might act in the days ahead.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nets-Raptors RJ Barrett trade is something to monitor

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-rumors-potential-secret-ace-bailey-pre-draft-meeting-floated-for-brooklyn');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets rumors: Potential secret Ace Bailey pre-draft meeting floated for Brooklyn');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ace-Bailey_b69dd2.jpg"></figure><h1>Nets rumors: Potential secret Ace Bailey pre-draft meeting floated for Brooklyn</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-23T17:21:28-07:00">June 23rd, 5:21pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-23T17:21:28-07:00">June 23rd, 5:21pm</time><address><a>Dylan Fine</a>Dylan Fine focuses on the NFL and NCAA Football for ClutchPoints, in addition to working on the meme team. Dylan is a graduate of Georgetown University and has covered various topics ranging from local politics in the DMV region with DC Voter For Animals to live sporting events in the Long Island and Rochester areas with The Southampton Press and Pickin’Splinters. When he isn't working, he's usually running in preparation for the next annual Turkey Trot.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets rumors: Potential secret Ace Bailey pre-draft meeting floated for Brooklyn

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nba-rumors-why-nets-2025-drafts-most-desirable-landing-spots');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Why Nets are one of 2025 draft’s most ‘desirable’ landing spots');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2-HOSTS-2-LINES-2.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Why Nets are one of 2025 draft’s most ‘desirable’ landing spots</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-23T10:33:08-07:00">June 23rd, 10:33am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-23T10:38:51-07:00">June 23rd, 10:38am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/why-2025-2026-nba-drafts-most-important-nets-franchise-history">Brooklyn Nets are uniquely positioned in this year’s NBA draft</a>. With five selections in the top 36 (8, 19, 26, 27, 36) and in the early stages of a rebuild, the team can offer prospects immediate playing time in the league’s top market. Those factors have reportedly led <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nba-rumors-nets-among-teams-ace-bailey-views-trade-up-candidate">Ace Bailey to pinpoint the Nets</a> as one of his desired landing spots.</p><p>That sentiment <a href="https://www.nbabigboard.com/p/saturday-shake-up-ace-baileys-gamble?r=nm05o&amp;utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;showWelcomeOnShare=false" rel="noopener">isn’t exclusive</a> to the Rutgers star.</p><p>“One thing I’ve heard consistently over the last few weeks: Brooklyn is the favorite destination for a lot of prospects—and a lot of agents,” wrote NBA Draft analyst Rafael Barlowe. “The Nets, who currently hold four first round picks in the 2025 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft">NBA Draft</a>, have quietly become one of the most coveted landing spots in the league. Multiple agents, parents, and prospects have expressed that sentiment to me directly. Brooklyn checks two major boxes: it’s a large market, which has potential off-court appeal in terms of brand deals and exposure, and more importantly—it offers playing time.”</p><p>ESPN’s analysts <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45559441/2025-nba-mock-draft-latest-first-second-round-predictions-all-59-picks" rel="noopener">relayed a similar message</a> in their latest mock draft.</p><p>“While they are unlikely to roster five rookies, Brooklyn has brought in the vast majority of the draft for workouts, giving them more first-hand information on the class than any other team — the Nets are also viewed as a desirable destination by many agents, due to the minutes and opportunity they have available next season,” wrote Jeremy Woo.</p><p>After trading Mikal Bridges and reacquiring their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks from the Houston Rockets last summer, the Nets are embracing a full rebuild.</p><h2>Nets viewed by prospects as one of NBA Draft’s most desireable landing spots</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_10126739_68712c.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Some speculated that general manager Sean Marks may look to expedite that timeline with a star acquisition this summer. The Nets have had well-documented interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, the two-time MVP is reportedly content to remain with the Milwaukee Bucks into the start of next season.</p><p>With Antetokounmpo off the board, the Nets will likely be tanking again in 2025-26. Such a situation would offer their 2025 draft class an extended leash to find their footing without the pressure typically associated with playing in the league’s top market.</p><p>Brooklyn will have an opportunity to land a high-caliber prospect with the No. 8 pick. Ace Bailey, Jeremiah Fears, Noa Essengue, Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel are among the players frequently linked to the team. With picks Nos. 19, 26, 27 and 36, plus veterans such as Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton at their disposal, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/why-nets-cache-draft-picks-presents-clear-path-for-trade">the Nets could also look to trade up</a> for a second lottery selection.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Why Nets are one of 2025 draft’s most ‘desirable’ landing spots

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-thunder-nets-expected-trade-up-draft');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Thunder, Nets among teams expected to trade up in draft');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-and-Victor-Wembanyama.jpg"><figcaption>Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Thunder, Nets among teams expected to trade up in draft</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-20T10:31:02-07:00">June 20th, 10:31am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-20T11:59:24-07:00">June 20th, 11:59am</time><address><a>Benedetto Vitale</a>Benedetto Vitale is an avid sports writer who is an expert at covering the NFL, college football, NBA, and UFC. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a film degree but has since dedicated his career to sports writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-rumors-the-daryl-morey-reason-ace-bailey-is-still-in-play-with-third-pick">NBA Draft is just days away</a>, and the rumor mill is hot with speculation. The latest rumblings name-drop the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, as there is a growing belief these teams are expected to trade up.</p><p>Brooklyn, which owns picks 8, 19, 26, and 27, is seemingly the most talked-about team regarding <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/siegels-scoop-how-kevin-durant-trade-saga-impacts-draft-free-agency-rumors">potentially trading up</a> in the NBA Draft, according to insider Brett Siegel. The Thunder, along with the Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks, and New Orleans Pelicans, are also involved in the speculation.</p><p>“Along with the Nets, who own the 19th, 26th, and 27th picks, there are some teams outside the lottery that are expected to attempt to move up in the draft. The Oklahoma City Thunder (15, 24), Jazz (21), Atlanta Hawks (22), and Pelicans (23) are the four most-discussed teams next to Brooklyn as the most likely to try and trade up from their spots in the 20s, depending on which prospects fall in and out of the lottery.”</p><p>But which picks would be available to these teams? Rumors point toward the Toronto Raptors and Houston Rockets as trade-back candidates in the NBA Draft. Both teams are reportedly involved in the Kevin Durant saga. So, it’s possible that if one or neither team gets the 36-year-old forward, their picks could become available to one of the Nets, Thunder, or other teams looking to trade up.</p><p>“The back end of the Top 10 sees the Raptors with the ninth pick and the Rockets with the 10th pick. These are two teams involved in the Durant trade sweepstakes, and both organizations have been involved in trade talks outside of the star forward, sources said.”</p><p>The NBA Draft <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/2025-nba-draft-order-full-list-dates-start-times-and-how-to-watch" rel="noopener">begins on Wednesday</a>, June 25, at 8 p.m. EST. Rumors will continue swirling until then, but it appears expectations are for several teams to make some trades. This is viewed as one of the deeper classes in recent years, so the rumored trades may come to fruition on draft night.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Thunder, Nets among teams expected to trade up in draft

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-espn-suggests-bucks-nets-cam-johnson-trade-to-help-giannis');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: ESPN suggests Bucks-Nets Cam Johnson trade to help Giannis');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Giannis-Antetokounmpo-34-looks-to-drive-past-Brooklyn-Nets-forward-Cameron-Johnson-2.jpg"><figcaption>© Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: ESPN suggests Bucks-Nets Cam Johnson trade to help Giannis</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-18T11:56:46-07:00">June 18th, 11:56am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-18T11:56:46-07:00">June 18th, 11:56am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/indiana-pacers/pacers-news-tyrese-haliburton-breaks-silence-on-injury-update-after-nba-finals-practice">NBA Finals approach a possible conclusion with Game 6</a> set for Thursday night, ESPN’s Zach Kram has <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45526828/nba-offseason-2025-8-giannis-bucks-trades-shake-league" rel="noopener">proposed</a> a potential trade between the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets centered around forward Cam Johnson. The deal is framed as a move to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-rumors-aggressive-giannis-antetokounmpo-plan-confirmed">bolster the Bucks’ supporting cast around franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo</a>.</p><h2><b>ESPN’s proposed trade breakdown:</b></h2><p><i><b>Milwaukee Bucks receive:</b> </i>Cam Johnson</p><p><i><b>Brooklyn Nets receive:</b></i> Kyle Kuzma, 2031 first-round pick (unprotected), 2032 first-round pick swap</p><p>The suggested trade would provide the Bucks with a sharpshooting wing in Johnson, while the Nets would take on Kuzma’s contract and add two valuable future draft assets tied to Milwaukee’s long-term outlook.</p><p>Johnson, 29, is coming off a career-best season in which he averaged 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game on 47.5% shooting from the field and 39% from beyond the arc. He played 31.6 minutes per game across 57 appearances in his seventh NBA season. Johnson is entering the third year of a four-year, $94.5 million contract and is set to earn $21 million in 2025–26 and $23 million in the final year of the deal.</p><p>Milwaukee would acquire a versatile forward with proven perimeter shooting and spacing ability — a skill set that complements Antetokounmpo’s interior-driven style. Johnson’s ability to stretch defenses could provide the Bucks with more half-court options and help open the floor for their All-NBA forward.</p><p>Kyle Kuzma, also 29, would head to Brooklyn after splitting the 2024–25 season between the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks. In 65 games, Kuzma averaged 14.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per contest while shooting 43.6% from the field and 30.7% from three-point range. He is under contract through the 2026–27 season and will earn $23 million next year before his final year at $20.9 million.</p><h2><b>Future draft assets could entice Nets as Bucks look to retool around Giannis Antetokounmpo</b></h2><p>According to Kram, the trade could appeal to the Nets despite the relatively modest return for a player considered a sought-after asset across the league.</p><p>“It’s a fairly light return for trading Johnson — an attractive trade target around the league — while taking back Kuzma’s contract,” Kram wrote. “But the Bucks’ unprotected 2031 and 2032 picks might be so enticing that Brooklyn would go for it.”</p><p>Kram further noted that Antetokounmpo will be nearing the end of his prime by the time those draft picks convey, making the assets potentially valuable in a rebuild or future trade scenario.</p><p>“The Nets could also value holding some of Milwaukee’s draft capital for a future scenario in which they try to trade for Antetokounmpo and would be able to offer the Bucks their picks back,” Kram added.</p><p>While speculative, the trade reflects a broader conversation around Milwaukee’s efforts to retool its roster around Antetokounmpo, especially following the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-doc-rivers-addresses-giannis-antetokounmpo-trade-rumors">Bucks’ first-round playoff exit</a>. With <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-damian-lillard-return-doc-rivers">Damian Lillard’s injury timeline still unclear</a> and a need for more consistent wing production, a deal for Johnson could be one path toward strengthening the roster heading into the 2025–26 season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: ESPN suggests Bucks-Nets Cam Johnson trade to help Giannis

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/rumored-dark-horse-nets-draft-target-receives-green-room-invite');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rumored dark-horse Nets draft target receives green room invite');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Nets-dark-horse-No.-8-pick-candidate-whos-rising-up-draft-boards.webp"></figure><h1>Rumored dark-horse Nets draft target receives green room invite</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-17T12:18:52-07:00">June 17th, 12:18pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-17T12:25:29-07:00">June 17th, 12:25pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets will have no shortage of directions they can take with the No. 8 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/2025-nba-draft-big-board-4-0-ace-bailey-vj-edgecombe-questions-latest-intel">Noa Essengue has been linked to the rebuilding squad</a> amid a recent surge up draft boards. The French Phenom received a green room invite to attend the draft at Barclays Center, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.</p><p>Essengue is one of 19 prospects to receive an invite, alongside Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, VJ Edgecombe, Tre Johnson, Khaman Maluach, Jeremiah Fears, Kon Knueppel, Kasparas Jakucionis, Egor Demin, Carter Bryant, Derik Queen, Asa Newell, Collin Murray-Boyles, Thomas Sorber, Liam McNeeley, Nolan Traore, and Will Riley.</p><p>The 18-year-old has impressed with his performance this season for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany’s top professional league. He has averaged 12.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists on 54.5 percent shooting in 21.4 minutes per game over his last 13 appearances.</p><h2>Noa Essengue receives NBA Draft green room invite amid ties to Nets</h2><p>Essengue is the second-youngest player in this year’s draft class, behind only Cooper Flagg. His impact at the professional level at such a young age has <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-dark-horse-no-8-pick-candidate-rising-draft-boards">piqued the interest of NBA front offices</a>. While he’s a raw prospect who will need to improve as a ball-handler and outside shooter, his blend of size, fluid mobility and athleticism is highly enticing.</p><p>Essengue’s recent <a href="https://x.com/JonChep/status/1933628565888655695" rel="noopener">pre-draft measurements</a> will help his case as a potential top-10 pick. He came in at 6-foot-10 barefoot and 204 pounds with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, according to DraftExpress’ Jon Chepkevich. The Frenchman’s 9-foot-2 standing reach is just five inches shorter than Victor Wembanyama’s.</p><p>ClutchPoints and Bleacher Report <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/2025-nba-mock-draft-3-5-grizzlies-trade-lead-more-first-round-deals">project the Nets to select Essengue at No. 8</a> in their latest mock drafts. ESPN <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/41662748/2025-nba-draft-big-board-rankings-top-100-prospects-players" rel="noopener">has him ranked</a> No. 9 on its top 100 big board and projects the Toronto Raptors to select him with the No. 9 pick.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rumored dark-horse Nets draft target receives green room invite

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-rumors-bostons-trade-outlook-positive-twist');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics rumors: Boston’s trade outlook gets ‘positive’ twist');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_22095130.jpg"><figcaption>Dec 8, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA;  Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) is helped to his feet by guard Derrick White (9)  and center Kristaps Porzingis (8) during the first half against the New York Knicks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Celtics rumors: Boston’s trade outlook gets ‘positive’ twist</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-12T12:47:11-07:00">June 12th, 12:47pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-12T12:52:23-07:00">June 12th, 12:52pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Much of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/nba-rumors-shams-promises-celtics-trades-craziest-offseason-ever">conversation surrounding the Boston Celtics</a> this offseason has centered on their need to cut salary. With a new ownership group taking over and Jayson Tatum sidelined for possibly the entire 2025-26 season, there’s little reason for them to remain in the second apron, which imposes harsh penalties.</p><p>Despite this, Boston <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/lots-more-around-the-nba-intel?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=165790174&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">isn’t operating</a> like a team that is “desperate” to shed salary, according to Jake Fischer.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics rumors: Boston’s trade outlook gets ‘positive’ twist

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-bill-simmons-floats-intriguing-darius-garland-trade-nets');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Bill Simmons floats intriguing Darius Garland trade to Nets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Bill-Simmons-floats-intriguing-Darius-Garland-trade-Nets.jpg"><figcaption>© David Richard-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Bill Simmons floats intriguing Darius Garland trade to Nets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-09T12:41:33-07:00">June 9th, 12:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-09T12:41:33-07:00">June 9th, 12:41pm</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers were stunningly eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the NBA playoffs, leaving the team’s fans and analysts wondering if the 2025 offseason could be one of change. In particular, could <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-cleveland-resist-trading-darius-garland-jarrett-allen">Darius Garland be on the move?</a></p><p>Popular NBA podcaster Bill Simmons certainly thinks so. Simmons, on the latest episode of his podcast, suggested Garland <a href="https://youtu.be/56NDsvAYcjU?list=PLYHjB_Comy8RBysZtkqGfChKg1eUdYx4C&amp;t=3931" rel="noopener">could be traded by the</a> Cavaliers this offseason. To whom is unclear, but he thinks a potential deal with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets">the Brooklyn Nets</a> could make sense for both sides.</p><p>“I feel like Garland is going to be in play, and I think a lot of people in the league feel this way. And now in the last week, there’s been some media people and there’s been some buzz about it. There’s a couple pieces to this, which is Cleveland, the second apron, the tax. They have some real money stuff,” Simmons said.</p><p>“So if they trade Garland, they have to go down a little bit. I was looking at Brooklyn for him, and that’s going to be my ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if’ team. With Brooklyn, if it was Garland and Okoro, Cam Johnson coming back to the Cavs with the number-seven pick and some other asset, because I think he’s worth more than that. But there’s something there. And if you’re Brooklyn, you’re like, we finally have our guy. This is one of the best 25 guys in the league. He’s young, he’s gonna be [on] his own team, he could be our Haliburton, we’re going to build an entire roster around everything that he’s good at.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"></figure><p>The Nets, after shipping out veteran players Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith, don’t have much else other than Johnson that could entice a team trying to compete for a championship like the Cavaliers. However, Cleveland could theoretically make a trade for Johnson in order to get under the second apron, opening up other trades in the process.</p><p>A potential wrench in the plans of a Darius Garland trade may be his health; the All-Star guard struggled with a toe injury during the playoffs, and earlier today, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/darius-garland-toe-surgery-announced-amid-cavs-trade-rumors">he underwent surgery and will be rehabbing</a> for the next four to five months. The Cavaliers say Garland is expected to be ready for the start of training camp, but ESPN’s Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45480086/cavs-darius-garland-toe-surgery-4-5-months" rel="noopener"> reported that he</a> “is likely to miss time to start the regular season.”</p><p> </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Bill Simmons floats intriguing Darius Garland trade to Nets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/nba-rumors-lakers-austin-reaves-trade-strategy-2-center-targets');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Lakers’ Austin Reaves trade strategy as 2 center targets emerge');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_22914922.jpg"><figcaption>Mar 31, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) drives for a shot against Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Lakers’ Austin Reaves trade strategy as 2 center targets emerge</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-04T11:17:13-07:00">June 4th, 11:17am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-04T12:04:28-07:00">June 4th, 12:04pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Finding a starting-caliber center to pair with Luka Doncic <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/sources-lakers-extremely-active-trade-market-add-multiple-bigs">will be the Los Angeles Lakers’ top priority</a> this summer. After trading Anthony Davis, Rob Pelinka’s squad was left with a gaping hole at the position during the second half of the season. Despite this, the Lakers <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2025-05-16/so-far-for-the-lakers-its-been-status-quo-in-the-offseason" rel="noopener">aren’t expected to include</a> Austin Reaves, their top trade asset, in a deal for a big man, according to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.</p><p>“The team has shown no interest in using Reaves in a trade that nets them anything less than a top-tier big, and there really aren’t any of those available, with the two most common names linked to them in the earliest stages of the offseason — Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton and Dallas’ Daniel Gafford,” Woike said.</p><p>Reaves is coming off a breakout season during which he averaged 20.2 points and 5.8 assists on 46/38/88 shooting splits. He, Darius Garland and Jamal Murray were the NBA’s only players to average 20-plus points and five-plus assists on such splits or better.</p><p>It’s understandable why the Lakers won’t include Reaves in a deal for Claxton or Gafford, both of whom are solid players but fall well short of star status. But do they have enough to swing a deal for either big man while holding onto him?</p><h2>Can Lakers acquire Nic Claxton or Daniel Gafford with Austin Reaves off the table?</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_25817874.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The answer will ultimately depend on how the Nets and Mavericks value the Lakers’ distant draft picks.</p><p>With Reaves off the table, Los Angeles’ offer for Claxton or Gafford would likely center on their 2031 first-round pick, Dalton Knecht and expiring salary fillers such as Gabe Vincent and/or Maxi Kleber. They could also include a 2030 first-round pick swap.</p><p>That’s not a terrible package on the surface. However, the Lakers have made the playoffs in 38 of the last 49 seasons, a poor sign for teams betting against their future outlook.</p><p>Knecht showed flashes early this season. However, he was a 24-year-old rookie who ultimately couldn’t crack the Lakers’ rotation and was traded at the deadline for Mark Williams in a deal that was later rescinded.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-nic-claxton-offseason-back-injury-bothers-him-after-humbling-season">Claxton is coming off a down year</a> after signing a four-year, $97 million contract last summer. However, he was among the NBA’s top defensive centers over the prior two seasons and would provide a high-level lob threat alongside Doncic. The 26-year-old has three years left on a reasonable contract that will pay him below 14 percent of the salary cap in its final two years.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/starting-center-lakers-must-acquire-rudy-gobert-julius-randle-shaming">Gafford had another productive campaign with the Mavericks</a> in 2023-24, averaging 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 21.5 minutes per game. The 26-year-old shot 70.2 percent from the field, the NBA’s second-highest mark among players to attempt over four shots per game, behind only Jarrett Allen.</p><p>However, the Mavericks have a crowded frontcourt that already features Davis and Dereck Lively. Gafford is in the final year of his contract, potentially adding to Dallas’ urgency to find a trade partner.</p><p>The NBA trade market will gain clarity in the lead-up to the draft and free agency. Los Angeles’ pursuit of its starting center will be a main storyline to monitor.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Lakers’ Austin Reaves trade strategy as 2 center targets emerge

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nba-rumors-nets-exploring-cam-johnson-trade-raptors-rockets');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nets exploring Cam Johnson trade with Raptors, Rockets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_25097545.jpg"><figcaption>Jan 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN;  Brooklyn Nets forward Cam Johnson (2) reacts after scoring a basket and earning a foul call against the Toronto Raptors in the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nets exploring Cam Johnson trade with Raptors, Rockets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-04T08:53:12-07:00">June 4th, 8:53am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-04T18:09:07-07:00">June 4th, 6:09pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets are interested in acquiring a second lottery pick in <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/2025-nba-mock-draft-2-0-could-spurs-trade-dylan-harper-nets">this month’s NBA draft</a>. Already in possession of No. 8, the team is <a href="https://twitter.com/NetsDaily/status/1930266827143196921" rel="noopener">exploring a trade</a> that would send Cam Johnson and No. 19 to the Toronto Raptors for No. 9 or the Houston Rockets for No. 10, according to NetsDaily.</p><p>The Nets would also absorb a “bad contract” into their cap space in such a deal.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hearing Nets may want to move up from #19 to the lottery, offering CamJ and #19 to Raptors or Rockets for either Raps 9th or Rockets 10th plus a bad contract. That would give Nets two picks in top 10 (presupposing neither team would need picks for Giannis trade.)</p><p>— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) <a href="https://twitter.com/NetsDaily/status/1930266827143196921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Both rumored trade partners make sense as destinations for Johnson. The Rockets need offensive help after struggling during a first-round loss to the Golden State Warriors. And the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/toronto-raptors/raptors-rumors-brian-windhorst-hints-at-possible-big-fish-trade">Raptors are reportedly eyeing a big move</a> this summer after trading for and extending Brandon Ingram.</p><p>It’s not surprising that the Nets, who own picks Nos. 8, 19, 26, 27, and 36, are interested in moving up the board. NBA circles have expected Brooklyn to consolidate their stockpile and acquire a better asset, whether in this year’s draft or the future.</p><p>However, the potential inclusion of Johnson in a trade with the Raptors or Rockets would be noteworthy for several reasons.</p><h2>Nets exploring Cam Johnson trade with Raptors, Rockets to acquire second lottery pick</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_25097544.jpg"><figcaption>Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After re-acquiring their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks from the Rockets last summer, the Nets have two paths this coming season: tank for another top draft selection or fast-track their timeline with a star acquisition, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo.</p><p>Trading a win-now player like Johnson for a second lottery pick while absorbing a bad contract would signal they’re keen on the former.</p><p>While the Nets paid a surplus to re-acquire control of their next two drafts from Houston, they’ve yet to commit to a full rebuild. Their interest in Antetokounmpo was well-documented this season. However, removing a veteran like Johnson in favor of a 19-year-old rookie would signal a turning of the page for Brooklyn.</p><p>Several teams <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-cam-johnson-gets-real-trade-rumors-after-remaining-brooklyn-through-deadline">inquired with the Nets about a trade for Johnson</a> at this year’s deadline. However, Brooklyn was reluctant to part with the sharpshooting forward. General manager <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nets-news-sean-marks-reveals-where-brooklyn-stands-trading-cam-johnson">Sean Marks held a similar stance</a> during his exit interview.</p><p>“There’s so many ways you can build this with Cam Johnson. You want high-character individuals here, and that’s exactly what he is. He’s a high-character guy who you’re gonna see consistency from every day. We’re in zero hurry to move on from players like that,” he told ClutchPoints. “We all know this is a business, and having those upfront, honest conversations with players is important, but I think the next step for Cam is to take on more of a leadership role. We just talked about that this morning with him. He carries a big voice, and he’s well-respected by his teammates. They love him, and he’s about the right stuff. If you wanna look at, what is a Net?  That’s what you want.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Asked Sean Marks about Cam Johnson’s leadership role and potential trades:</p><p>“There was no shortage of teams calling on him… But I can’t think of a pathway that Cam doesn’t fit in… He’s a high character guy who you’re gonna see consistency from every day. We’re in zero hurry to… <a href="https://t.co/CEII6F0oEE">pic.twitter.com/CEII6F0oEE</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1911838426745254013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>While Marks and the Nets are high on Johnson’s skill set and leadership, his trade value is unlikely to be higher than it is this summer.</p><p>The 28-year-old is coming off a career-best season during which he averaged 18.8 points and 3.4 assists on 48/39/89 shooting splits. He and Desmond Bane were the NBA’s only players to average at least 18 points on such efficiency.</p><p>If the Nets were to pull off a deal sending Johnson and No. 19 to the Raptors or Rockets, they would enter next season with two top-10 selections, several other young prospects, a healthy cap sheet and a stockpile of future draft picks.</p><p>Not a bad position to be in.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nets exploring Cam Johnson trade with Raptors, Rockets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-rumors-how-cam-johnson-trade-could-result-in-another-lottery-pick');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets rumors: How Cam Johnson trade could result in another lottery pick');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Cam-Johnson_aebf9e.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nets rumors: How Cam Johnson trade could result in another lottery pick</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-27T08:25:09-07:00">May 27th, 8:25am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-27T16:45:20-07:00">May 27th, 4:45pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets are <a href="https://x.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1927363905082274265" rel="noopener">reportedly exploring</a> a trade package centered around forward Cam Johnson in an effort to acquire a second lottery pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft.</p><p>According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Brooklyn may look to consolidate assets — including Johnson, multiple late first-round selections, and future draft capital — in pursuit of the No. 2 overall pick currently held by the San Antonio Spurs.</p><p>“There is a sentiment around the league the Nets could look to land a second lottery pick by consolidating and packaging some combination of Johnson, those picks at the end of the first round and/or future draft capital,” Lewis reported.</p><p>Johnson, 29, is coming off a career-best season with Brooklyn, his seventh in the NBA. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 47.5% from the field and 39% from three-point range across 58 games. His combination of size, floor spacing, and veteran experience could make him a valuable asset for a rebuilding Spurs team seeking proven contributors alongside Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox.</p><h2><b>Nets could package Cam Johnson in deal for No. 2 pick as Spurs weigh backcourt logjam</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Pacers-Johnny-Furphy.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Spurs are reportedly open to moving the second pick, with growing speculation that they are hesitant about selecting guard Dylan Harper, the projected No. 2 prospect. Adding Harper would create a crowded backcourt in San Antonio, which already features <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-stephon-castle-motivating-factor-behind-rookie-year-season">Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle</a> and other guard talent.</p><p>ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel echoed Lewis’ report, noting that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/2025-nba-mock-draft-2-0-could-spurs-trade-dylan-harper-nets">Brooklyn remains active in trade conversations</a> involving the top of the draft.</p><p>“Of the teams with possible interest in moving up from their current spot, the Brooklyn Nets continue to stand out given Sean Marks’ interest in constantly moving picks,” Siegel said.</p><p>The Nets currently hold five picks in the top 36, including <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/brooklyn-nets-best-trade-options-with-4-1st-round-picks-in-nba-draft">three late first-round selections</a> at No. 19, No. 26, and No. 27, along with the eighth overall pick. League chatter from the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago suggests Brooklyn could leverage that collection of picks — or even include the No. 8 selection itself — in a package aimed at moving up for Harper.</p><p>Brooklyn is also viewed as a team aggressively looking to retool its roster under Marks, with a clear emphasis on accumulating draft capital and maintaining trade flexibility. The potential acquisition of another lottery pick could accelerate the franchise’s rebuild, particularly in a draft class regarded for its depth in the top 10.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/ranking-best-kon-knueppel-destinations-in-2025-nba-draft">2025 NBA Draft will be held June 25–26 at Barclays Center</a> in Brooklyn. Round one will air live on Wednesday, June 25, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets rumors: How Cam Johnson trade could result in another lottery pick

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-are-nets-a-threat-to-steal-76ers-breakout-star');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Are Nets a threat to steal 76ers’ breakout star?');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Quentin-Grimes-on-April-13-2025-1.jpg"><figcaption>Kyle Ross-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Are Nets a threat to steal 76ers’ breakout star?</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-26T14:23:45-07:00">May 26th, 2:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-26T14:23:45-07:00">May 26th, 2:23pm</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/brooklyn-nets-best-trade-options-with-4-1st-round-picks-in-nba-draft">Brooklyn Nets look to make moves this offseason</a> to further strengthen their team, their financial situation gives them a ton of leverage to get younger stars or established players. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-nets-bulls-heat-early-jonathan-kuminga-suitors">Nets have been involved in many trade rumors</a>, with the latest being their connection to Philadelphia 76ers standout Quentin Grimes.</p><p>The 25-year-old has been in the league for five seasons, but took flight with Philadelphia after being dealt from the Dallas Mavericks before the trade deadline. In Kevin Pelton’s ESPN ranking of the top free agents this offseason, Grimes was ranked No. 8, listing Brooklyn <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45320766/nba-free-agent-rankings-futures-lebron-turner-more-stars" rel="noopener">as a possible fit for the team.</a></p><p>“Could Grimes be a target for the Nets? At 25, he’s young enough to be part of the next competitive Brooklyn team,” Pelton wrote. “If not the Nets, Grimes’ market would either be at the non-taxpayer midlevel or via a sign-and-trade deal. For example, depending on how quickly the Charlotte Hornets want to improve, Grimes would be a huge upgrade.”</p><p>Last season in 28 games played with the 76ers, he averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from beyond the arc.</p><h2><b>Quentin Grimes could be the next destination for Quentin Grimes </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Quentin-Grimes-on-April-13-2025.jpg"><figcaption>Kyle Ross-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>With the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/brooklyn-nets-4-best-options-at-no-8-pick-2025-nba-draft">Nets also having a top-10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft</a>, the team also looks to add to the team through free agency or trade, with Grimes being a solid option after showing what he can do with Philadelphia. As Pelton mentions, Grimes did get a major opportunity with the 76ers, dealing with major injuries to their main three stars in Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George.</p><p>“Like Giddey, Grimes jumped after the All-Star break, in this case because of a trade to a Sixers team playing without stars Paul George, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey due to injuries,” Pelton wrote.</p><p>“Philadelphia moving up to No. 3 in the draft lottery complicated the team’s ability to re-sign Grimes without pushing into the second apron,” Pelton continued. “Including options and non-guarantees, the 76ers will enter free agency around the luxury tax line before re-signing Grimes or fellow restricted free agent Guerschon Yabusele.”</p><p>Being a restricted free agent this offseason, it remains to be seen where Grimes will end up come next season, but there’s no doubt that the Houston product is ready to further improve after a breakout season. As for Brooklyn, they are looking to bounce back after another losing season where they went 26-56, which put them 12th in the Eastern Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Are Nets a threat to steal 76ers’ breakout star?

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-nets-bulls-heat-early-jonathan-kuminga-suitors');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nets, Bulls, Heat named as early Jonathan Kuminga suitors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Jonathan-Kuminga-3.jpg"><figcaption>Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nets, Bulls, Heat named as early Jonathan Kuminga suitors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-18T09:24:08-07:00">May 18th, 9:24am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-18T09:24:08-07:00">May 18th, 9:24am</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is a Senior Editor and College Sports Lead at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/warriors-news-draymond-green-hits-fans-reality-check-elimination">Golden State Warriors saw their season come to an end</a> in unfortunate fashion in the playoffs, as Stephen Curry’s hamstring injury ruined any chance that they had of getting past the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round. Curry was injured in Game 1, a Warriors win, and missed the next four games, all of which were won by Minnesota despite the best efforts of Jonathan Kuminga.</p><p>Now, the Warriors will certainly be trying to figure out how to build a contender the best way possible during the final years of Curry’s career. They took a step in that direction this season when they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/espn-reporters-jimmy-butler-robin-claim-will-catch-warriors-fans-attention">traded for Jimmy Butler</a> in February this season, and now more moves could be on the horizon.</p><p>Kuminga could be the next player on the move, and the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets are all <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/how-warriors-plan-build-around-stephen-curry-jimmy-butler-siegels-scoop">teams that could be interested</a> in the G League Ignite product according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.</p><p>“The Nets, along with the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat, are three teams with preliminary interest in Kuminga ahead of free agency, sources said,” Siegel reported. “Both Kuminga and the Warriors could come to an understanding on a new, fair contract, but the idea of exploring sign-and-trade opportunities seems like the best path for both parties.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/warriors-draymond-green-makes-jonathan-kuminga-guarantee">Jonathan Kuminga had a bit of an up-and-down ride with the Warriors</a> during his time there, including getting benched and left out of Steve Kerr’s rotation near the end of the regular season this year and into the first round against the Houston Rockets. However, after Curry got injured, Kuminga was re-inserted into the lineup and played very well in the absence of the superstar.</p><p>Maybe those last four games, where Kuminga averaged <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/4433247/jonathan-kuminga" rel="noopener">just under 25 points per game</a>, were enough to raise the trade value of the 22-year old to a price that the Warriors will be willing to move him. Golden State will be searching for a profound return for Kuminga, so any of the teams on his list will have to pay up to get their hands on the youngster.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nets, Bulls, Heat named as early Jonathan Kuminga suitors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-rumors-insider-speculates-giannis-antetokounmpos-big-city-trade-wishlist');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Insider speculates on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ‘big city’ trade wishlist');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Giannis-A.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Insider speculates on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ‘big city’ trade wishlist</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-06T10:19:31-07:00">May 6th, 10:19am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-06T10:42:46-07:00">May 6th, 10:42am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With the NBA playoffs underway, the offseason rumor mill is already beginning to churn. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the Milwaukee Bucks remains the league’s top point of speculation.</p><p>Following the Bucks’ third consecutive first-round exit and Damian Lillard’s Achilles tear, an <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/how-damian-lillard-injury-sets-stage-nets-giannis-antetokounmpo-trade">Antetokounmpo trade appears more likely than ever before</a>. The Ringer’s Howard Beck <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKG_Okff2jI&amp;t=1455s" rel="noopener">said the initial rumblings</a> are that the two-time MVP would target big-market teams.</p><p>“Does Giannis ask out? If he does, does he have a list? I poked around a little bit a few days ago, and the initial thing I got from one person was just like some rumblings that it’s already just the big cities,” Beck said on The Zach Lowe Show. “One of the LA teams or one of the New York teams or maybe Miami, [which is] not a big market, but a glamour market, mid-size market. I think they threw Chicago in there. I can’t remember if Houston came up. It should.”</p><p>While the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-rumors-giannis-antetokounmpo-decision-milwaukee-future-time">rumblings about Antetokounmpo’s trade desires are mostly speculative</a> at this point, market size more often than not plays a factor in NBA stars’ wish lists.</p><h2>What big market teams could make a swing for Giannis Antetokounmpo?</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Giannis-B.jpg"><figcaption>Benny Sieu-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Of the teams in the cities Beck named, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/ranking-houston-rockets-superstar-trade-options-after-flaming-out-warriors">the Houston Rockets</a> and Brooklyn Nets can assemble the most compelling trade packages for Giannis Antetokounmpo.</p><p>The Rockets have intriguing young prospects, including Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard, and several highly-valued Phoenix Suns first-round picks. Meanwhile, the Nets have 10 tradable first-rounders and established players such as Cam Thomas, Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson.</p><p>Beyond that, the big market picture for Antetokounmpo becomes murkier.</p><p>Chicago could be a dark horse, with five tradable first-rounders and Coby White, Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis coming off impressive seasons.</p><p>The New York Knicks’ package would be built around established players, as they have only one tradable first-round pick. They could include multiple of Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. However, it would be difficult for the Bucks to continue building their roster, as they currently have only one tradable first-round pick and no cap space.</p><p>The Los Angeles Lakers have one tradable first-round pick (2031) and no high-end young players outside Austin Reaves. The Los Angeles Clippers have two tradable first-rounders and no high-level young prospects.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Miami Heat have a little more to work with regarding young players. With Bam Adebayo likely off the table, they could dangle Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jacquez Jr. in trade negotiations. However, they have just two tradable first-round picks.</p><p>The Golden State Warriors would undoubtedly be interested. However, while they have four tradable first-round picks, they fall well short in the players department outside their big three of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody and Quentin Post are the team’s best young rotation pieces. Jonathan Kuminga once had appeal but has struggled to crack the lineup late in the season.</p><p>With three years left on his contract, it’s not a foregone conclusion that Antetokounmpo gets to his preferred destination. The Bucks are a primary example, as they recently acquired Lillard, whose preferred destination was the Heat.</p><p>Several small market teams could join the conversation if the Bucks are keen on maximizing their return. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs could easily assemble intriguing packages. However, it’s difficult to envision either giving up a haul without some commitment from Antetokounmpo.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Insider speculates on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ‘big city’ trade wishlist

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nba-rumors-warriors-monitoring-nets-jonathan-kuminga-suitor');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Warriors ‘monitoring’ Nets as Jonathan Kuminga suitor');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NBA-rumors-Warriors-monitoring-Nets-as-Jonathan-Kuminga-suitor.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Warriors ‘monitoring’ Nets as Jonathan Kuminga suitor</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-21T10:15:35-07:00">April 21st, 10:15am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-21T10:26:24-07:00">April 21st, 10:26am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Golden State Warriors <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-nbas-latest-trade-and-free-agency?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=161737080&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">will face a decision</a> on Jonathan Kuminga’s future this summer. With the former No. 7 pick set to hit restricted free agency, they “are monitoring” the Brooklyn Nets as a potential suitor, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.</p><p>Golden State won’t be the only team monitoring Brooklyn as a threat to steal a key free agent. The Nets are the NBA’s only team projected to have significant cap space this summer, with over $50 million available.</p><p>However, their level of interest in Kuminga remains to be seen.</p><h2>Warriors monitoring Nets as potential Jonathan Kuminga suitor</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jonathan-Kuminga.jpg"><figcaption>Robert Edwards-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-steve-kerr-breaks-silence-on-jonathan-kuminga-benching-before-grizzlies-showdown">Kuminga hasn’t taken the strides the Warriors had hoped for</a> after selecting him in 2021. The 22-year-old averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists on 45/31/67 shooting splits this season. He logged DNP-CDs in Golden State’s play-in win over the Memphis Grizzlies and Game 1 victory over the Houston Rockets.</p><p>Kuminga was seeking a contract over $30 million annually last fall. It’s difficult to envision him landing that kind of commitment from the Warriors this summer, given <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-jonathan-kumingas-expected-role-early-in-series-vs-rockets">Steve Kerr’s decision to bench him</a> for the beginning of the playoffs.</p><p>While the Warriors will have the right to match any offer made to Kuminga, the Nets have the cap space to make things uncomfortable for them. Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks has a history of being aggressive in restricted free agency. He signed Otto Porter Jr., Allen Crabbe and Tyler Johnson to lucrative offer sheets in 2016 and 2017, which each of their teams matched.</p><p>However, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/sean-marks-reveals-what-would-take-nets-trade-for-star">Marks had a conservative tone</a> last week regarding Brooklyn’s offseason plans.</p><p>“If you’re going after max-level talent, they have automatically and absolutely change the trajectory of your team,” the GM told ClutchPoints. “This can’t be like let’s go get this [guy] and lock ourselves into being a 6-7 seed. When we go all-in, you’re going into compete at the highest level and contend.”</p><p>After re-acquiring their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks from the Houston Rockets last summer, the Nets have the sixth-best odds in May’s draft lottery. They’ll have another chance to tank for a top pick in next year’s draft, which features highly-touted prospects such as Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cam Boozer.</p><p>Given this, Marks isn’t eager to make a big-time acquisition that would hurt Brooklyn’s draft position unless it elevated the team to contender status.</p><p>However, he could make a run at a young free agent if he feels the price and upside warrant it. Kuminga is one of several notable members of the 2021 draft class set to hit restricted free agency, alongside Josh Giddey, Santi Aldama and Quentin Grimes.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Warriors ‘monitoring’ Nets as Jonathan Kuminga suitor

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-rumors-nets-rejected-celtics-jaylen-brown-kevin-durant-trade-proposal-in-2022');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nets rejected Celtics’ Jaylen Brown-Kevin Durant trade proposal in 2022');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jaylen-Brown-Kevin-Durant.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nets rejected Celtics’ Jaylen Brown-Kevin Durant trade proposal in 2022</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-03T08:52:28-07:00">April 3rd, 8:52am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-03T09:01:52-07:00">April 3rd, 9:01am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have emerged as one of the top pairings in Boston Celtics history. However, the championship-winning duo would not have had the opportunity if not for a Brooklyn Nets decision.</p><p>After Kevin Durant requested a trade during the 2022 offseason, the Nets <a href="https://x.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1907790813548941407" rel="noopener">rejected a Celtics offer</a> of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and a first-round pick, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.</p><p>Boston was coming off a finals loss to the Golden State Warriors and seemed convinced the Brooklyn superstar could put them over the top. Meanwhile, Durant was seeking a change of scenery after James Harden forced a trade and the Celtics swept the Nets in the first round of the playoffs.</p><h2>Evaluating the Nets’ decision to pass on Jaylen Brown trade offer for Kevin Durant</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jaylen-Brown-Kevin-Durant-1.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>With the Nets holding out for a godfather offer, Durant rescinded his trade request and began the 2022-23 season in Brooklyn. The team had success early on, posting an 18-2 stretch midway through the year.</p><p>However, an MCL sprain sidelined Durant for an extended period. Kyrie Irving requested a trade at the deadline after the Nets refused to offer him a fully guaranteed max contract extension. Brooklyn dealt the All-Star guard to the Dallas Mavericks, after which Durant re-initiated his trade request.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-kevin-durant-traded-by-brooklyn-to-suns">Nets traded Durant to the Phoenix Suns</a> for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four first-round picks, one first-round pick swap and two second-round picks. After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-finalize-trade-haul-mikal-bridges-knicks-blockbuster-deal">flipping Bridges this summer</a>, Brooklyn grew its Durant return to Johnson, Ziaire Williams, nine first-round picks (one of which was used to select Noah Clowney in 2023), two first-round pick swaps and four second-round picks.</p><p>Given the historic pick volume, it’s difficult to say Brooklyn made a poor decision. Brown and White would have presented elite win-now pieces. However, the Nets were not positioned to contend after the 2022 deadline, with Ben Simmons making over $40 million annually for the following two seasons.</p><p>It’s also fair to question whether Brown would have signed an extension with Brooklyn. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/nets-news-kyrie-irving-opens-up-jaylen-brown-support-during-8-game-suspension">Celtics star notably called out Nets owner Joe Tsai</a> for comments he made after suspending Kyrie Irving for posting a link to an antisemitic film at the start of the 2022-23 season.</p><p>“[Tsai’s] response was alarming to me,” Brown said. “He didn’t say that the organization was working together to get Kyrie back on the floor. He said that [Kyrie] had more work to do. And our society has more work to do, including Joe Tsai. It’s 2022. It takes 10 minutes of time to see who these business owners and corporations are associated with, who they’re doing business with, who they’re affiliated with.”</p><p>It’s unclear whether the comment played a role in Brooklyn declining Boston’s offer, but it’s safe to say Brown and Tsai were not a match made in heaven.</p><p>The Celtics built a historically dominant team in the coming seasons, acquiring Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to pair with Tatum, Brown and White. Brown won the 2024 finals MVP, averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists during Boston’s 4-1 victory over the Mavericks.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Nets tore down their roster and committed to a rebuild last summer. Following offseason trades with the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets, Brooklyn leads the NBA with 13 tradable first-round picks and $50 million – $65 million in cap space this summer.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nets rejected Celtics’ Jaylen Brown-Kevin Durant trade proposal in 2022

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nba-rumors-nets-plan-remains-giannis-antetokounmpo-trade-bucks');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Nets’ ‘Plan A’ remains Giannis Antetokounmpo trade with Bucks');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Nets-Plan-A-remains-Giannis-Antetokounmpo-trade-with-Bucks.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Nets’ ‘Plan A’ remains Giannis Antetokounmpo trade with Bucks</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-01T11:02:47-07:00">April 1st, 11:02am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-01T13:24:58-07:00">April 1st, 1:24pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>There is no shortage of paths available to the Brooklyn Nets as they navigate their rebuild. With 13 tradable first-round picks — including their own this year and next — and over $50 million in cap space, they can build through the draft or expedite their timeline with a star acquisition. They reportedly prefer the latter, with one player in mind: Giannis Antetokounmpo.</p><p>Multiple league personnel say a trade for the Milwaukee Bucks superstar <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/03/31/sports/how-nets-are-planning-to-use-flexibility-to-acquire-needed-stars/" rel="noopener">has been and remains Plan A</a> for the Nets, according to the New York Post’s Brian Lewis.</p><p>Antetokounmpo’s future has been a main NBA storyline amid the Bucks’ struggles since winning the 2021 championship. A 2022 second-round loss has followed first-round exits in the last two seasons. They appear destined for a similar fate this year with Damian Lillard sidelined indefinitely amid a 4-9 stretch over their last 13 games.</p><p>With an aging core surrounding Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have few avenues to improve. They have no cap space or intriguing young prospects and only one tradable first-round pick (2031). The soon-to-be 35-year-old Lillard is owed $113 million over the next two seasons, and their supporting cast — headlined by Brook Lopez, Kyle Kuzma, and Bobby Portis — is far from championship-caliber.</p><p>Antetokounmpo is still playing at an MVP level during his age-30 season, averaging 30.2 points, 11.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.2 blocks on 60.1 percent shooting. He has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x6zCD7NpeQ&amp;t=1411s&amp;pp=ygUYZ2lhbm5pcyBibGVhdiA0OCBtaW51dGVz" rel="noopener">said numerous times</a> that competing for a title is his No. 1 priority, and he will do so elsewhere if he needs to.</p><p>“I’m a Milwaukee Buck. But most importantly, I’m a winner. I want to win. And I have to do whatever it takes for me to win. And if there’s a better situation for me to win the Larry O’Brien, I have to take that better situation,” the two-time MVP said before the 2023-24 season.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"I'm a Milwaukee Buck, but most importantly I'm a winner. … If there is a better situation for me to win the Larry O'Brien I have to take that better situation."</p><p>Giannis on his future with the Bucks. <a href="https://t.co/XzucRXtmOv">pic.twitter.com/XzucRXtmOv</a></p><p>— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1702047017432678461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2023</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>With Milwaukee’s championship window appearing to be closed, the question has become: When will the two sides move on from each other? And should the Nets cash in their chips if Antetokounmpo has them on his list of preferred destinations?</p><h2>Should the Nets expedite their rebuild with Giannis Antetokounmpo trade?</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Giannis.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/grading-blockbuster-mikal-bridges-trade-involving-nets-knicks-rockets">Nets’ moves this summer</a> appeared to signal a clear direction. After trading Mikal Bridges, general manager Sean Marks paid a steep price to reacquire his 2025 and 2026 first-round picks from the Houston Rockets, allowing his team to tank for a top pick in two stacked draft classes.</p><p>Brooklyn has done a far from optimal job executing that vision this season. The team is essentially locked into the sixth-best lottery odds following <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-drew-timme-outperforms-anthony-davis-fourth-quarter-comeback-win">Monday’s win over the Dallas Mavericks</a>. However, many scouts view the top of the 2026 class featuring Darryn Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer as better than this year’s.</p><p>A Giannis Antetokounmpo trade this summer would end any chance of landing the above players and require the Nets to part with a significant chunk of their assets.</p><p>This Brooklyn regime has been down the veteran superstar path before. While the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/the-greatest-nets-era-that-never-was-a-timeline-of-kevin-durant-and-kyrie-irvings-downfall-in-brooklyn">failed Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving-James Harden big three era</a> struck fear into the team’s fanbase, its management appears undeterred. However, the situations are far from the same.</p><p>Unlike Durant and Irving, Antetokounmpo would not be coming with another star attached to him, as far as we know. The Nets’ current core consists of Cam Johnson, Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton. A trade for the Bucks star would likely require them to part with multiple of those players and a handful of first-round picks.</p><p>Brooklyn would have draft capital and cap space left over, plus Antetokounmpo and the New York market to pitch other stars on joining. Would that be enough to build a championship team within the constraints of the new CBA? How long will Antetokounmpo sustain his level of play to keep a title window open? And is that worth passing up an opportunity to draft the franchise’s first-ever homegrown superstar in 2026?</p><p>These are the questions the Nets’ ownership and front office will be mulling over this offseason. Their decision could determine the franchise’s future for the next decade.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Nets’ ‘Plan A’ remains Giannis Antetokounmpo trade with Bucks

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-rumors-nba-salary-cap-expert-cam-thomas-contract-predictions');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets rumors: NBA salary cap experts make Cam Thomas contract predictions');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NBA-salary-cap-expert-makes-105-130-million-Cam-Thomas-contract-prediction.jpg"></figure><h1>Nets rumors: NBA salary cap experts make Cam Thomas contract predictions</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-31T13:30:54-07:00">March 31st, 1:30pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-31T13:42:27-07:00">March 31st, 1:42pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets are preparing for a busy offseason following year one of their rebuild. Negotiating <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/cam-thomas-makes-free-agency-pitch-nets-best-in-league-declaration">a new contract for Cam Thomas</a> will be among their top orders of business.</p><p>Thomas remains one of the NBA’s most polarizing young players at the end of his rookie contract. The 23-year-old has flashed elite scoring potential, averaging 22.9 points on 44/36/86 shooting splits over 91 appearances the last two seasons. However, concerns about his playmaking, defense and durability have raised questions about whether he’s worth a significant long-term commitment.</p><p>NBA salary cap expert <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGShD8u6KFc" rel="noopener">Yossi Gozlan projected</a> Thomas’ next deal on the Bleav in Nets podcast.</p><p>“I mean, look, Cam Johnson got four years, $90 million. [Nic] Claxton got four years, $100 million. I would guess something slightly higher than that. Maybe four years, $105 million or like five years, $130 million,” Gozlan said. “And that might be a little on the higher end, but just based on what they gave those guys, I would guess it’s something similar in that range.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"I would guess 4-years, $105M or 5-years, $130M… If he's still progressing and making under $30M per year as the cap goes up, that's gonna be a very good deal."<a href="https://twitter.com/YossiGozlan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YossiGozlan</a> predicts Cam Thomas' next contract with the Nets <a href="https://t.co/fBZqpbOMAT">pic.twitter.com/fBZqpbOMAT</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1903140232557400200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The Nets will hold significant leverage in negotiations with Thomas. They are the NBA’s only team projected to have significant cap space this summer, with $50 million-$65 million available. Opposing teams seeking to sign Thomas to an offer sheet will be limited to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14.1 million).</p><h2>Projecting Cam Thomas’ next contract with Nets</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cam-Thomas.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Signing Cam Thomas to a long-term deal, as Gozlan proposes, would allow Brooklyn to lock him into a cost-controlled salary as the cap rises. League executives expect the salary cap to rise 10 percent for several years due to a $76 billion media rights deal. Given their rebuild timeline and league-leading cap space, the Nets could benefit by frontloading a long-term Thomas deal, as they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/why-nic-claxtons-97m-contract-details-big-win-nets">recently did with Nic Claxton</a>.</p><p>A Thomas contract following Claxton’s structure, adjusted for the rising salary cap, would be as follows:</p><ul><li>2025-26: $30.3 million (19.6 percent of cap)</li><li>2026-27: $27.9 million (16.39 percent of cap)</li><li>2027-28: $25.5 million (13.61 percent of cap)</li><li>2028-29: $23.0 million (11.19 percent of cap)</li><li><b>Total: Four years, $106.7 million</b></li></ul><p>The structure would pay Thomas between 11 and 14 percent of the salary cap in the contract’s final two years, on par with the league’s high-end role players.</p><p>“If he’s still progressing just a little bit, as long as there’s no decline, if he’s making under $30 million per year as the cap goes up, that’s going to be a very good deal,” Gozlan said of the benefits of a long-term contract.</p><p>However, a four-year deal at over $25 million AAV is on the higher end of Thomas’ projections, as Gozlan noted. Spotrac’s Keith Smith offered a far more modest prediction — three years, $45 million — in his 2025 restricted free agency preview.</p><p>“Thomas can score. He’s a better playmaker than most realize. The Nets aren’t in a position to let young talent walk out the door, but Brooklyn can’t start overpaying guys yet either,” Smith said. “Unless there’s a team that falls in love and wants to work a sign-and-trade deal for Thomas, expect Brooklyn to get him back on a solid value contract. Think what Coby White signed for, plus a bit to represent the new cap environment. From there, it’s up to Thomas to outplay the deal, much like White has.”</p><p>Thomas’ representation could push for a short-term agreement, allowing him to re-enter free agency in the near future. Such a deal would allow the Nets to maintain long-term flexibility while adding a tradable mid-sized salary to their books if they want to pivot and trade for a star. However, it’s unlikely Thomas would agree to a $15 million annual salary in such a scenario, given his feelings about his production since cracking Brooklyn’s rotation.</p><p>“When I got major minutes, I feel like I’ve been one of the best guards in the league at my position,” Thomas said after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-cam-thomas-expected-miss-remainder-season-due-to-hamstring-injury">his season-ending hamstring injury</a>. “When I do have the minutes in a featured role, the sky’s the limit for me. We’ve seen that these past two years.”</p><p>Several league sources told ClutchPoints they expect Thomas’ market to fall between $18 million and $24 million annually. The length of the former first-round pick’s deal could be a telling sign regarding Brooklyn’s rebuild plans.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

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