NBA Trade Deadline 2016: 5 deals the Brooklyn Nets should make
By John Buhler
Believe or not, the NBA’s biggest albatross of a contract is in its final year. That’s right, Joe Johnson is playing on an expiring deal worth $24,894,863. He was a max player when he was with the Atlanta Hawks and in his first few years with the Brooklyn Nets, but he’s not that type of player anymore in 2016.
Johnson will probably walk away from the Nets after a forgettable tenure in Brooklyn this summer. It would be in the Nets’ best interest to get something instead of nothing with Johnson before this trade deadline. Trading Johnson before the 2016 NBA Trade Deadline would serve as a nice consolation prize for the Nets for putting the team in salary cap purgatory the previous three years.
One trade involving Johnson that could work is a mutually beneficial one involving the New Orleans Pelicans. To send Johnson to New Orleans, the Nets would have to take on shooting guard Tyreke Evans’ two remaining years worth $10,734,536 annually and point guard Jrue Holiday’s two-deal with the Pelicans worth $10,595,507 annually.
When healthy both Evans and Holiday can play at All-Star levels on offense, something the Nets desperately need to turn the page. Gaining both backcourt players from the Pelicans also gives the Nets two trade assets heading into next season’s NBA Trade Deadline. Keep in mind that one deal isn’t going to get the Nets out of the cellar in the Eastern Conference.
Johnson could potentially re-sign with the Pelicans for a much cheaper salary, especially if small forward Ryan Anderson isn’t in New Orleans at the deadline or into next season. Johnson could serve as the jump shooter the Pelicans would need to build a team around power forward Anthony Davis going forward. Even if Johnson isn’t an All-Star anymore, he still has great trade value as a proven NBA scorer.
Next: 3. Denver Nuggets