The Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers have engaged in trade discussions that would see the Cavs acquire guard Marcus Thornton and the Nets take back the fully guaranteed two year contract of Jarrett Jack. This is the type of draft day trades we typically see and it’s coming at a crucial point in the Nets development as contenders in the Eastern Conference, as well as that of the Cavaliers.
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It’s critical that the Cavaliers acquire talent that can help them get out of this post-LeBron funk now and not in two years when everyone learns to play with one another. The same can be said about the Nets who went all-in on the Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce duo and came up empty.
According to Marc Stein from ESPN.com, the Nets are fearful about losing Shaun Livingston this offseason and that’s the reason why they’re so interested in acquiring Jarrett Jack from the Cavaliers.
"The Nets, sources say, are already weighing their backcourt options because they’re fearful of losing Shaun Livingston to a richer offer than Brooklyn can make in free agency after Livingston exceeded all expectations last season playing on a minimum contract.Because it is so far into the luxury tax, Brooklyn is limited to offering Livingston a three-year deal worth just over $10 million."
Losing Livingston is a real possibility and adding Jack seems like a pretty adequate way of making up for the loss. Obviously, Livingston played extremely well this season and it’s on him to repeat that wherever he lands, but the Nets want to make sure they’re covered if he leaves and that’s where this interest in Jarrett Jack is stemming from.