The 2018 30-team NBA mega-trade that solves nothing and makes everyone mad
By Ian Levy
Brooklyn Nets
Sending out: Nik Stauskas (CHA)
Bringing in: Kevon Looney (GSW)
The Brooklyn Nets have shown some growth this season and with D’Angelo Russell and the emergence of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Caris Levert and Spencer Dinwiddie, you can begin to see the outlines of a strong guard and wing rotation. In the middle, Jarrett Allen has impressed and Jahlil Okafor is looking to take advantage of his second chance. But there is a void of young talent at the power forward position (although Hollis-Jefferson does play about a third of his minutes there).
Stauskas has played just 328 minutes for the Nets this season and is on an expiring deal. Flipping him for anything useful would be a coup for Brooklyn. Here they acquire Kevon Looney, a young power forward who has been wasting away on the Warriors’ bench. Looney is 6-foot-9, 220 pounds and still just 21 years old. He missed most of his rookie season with an injury and now, in his third year, he’s still yet to break 1,000 career minutes.
Small sample sizes (and Warriors effect) aside, he’s statistically impressive. Looney is a very strong finisher and has flashed a reliable mid-range game. He’s a strong rebounder, athletic and mobile and could be a consistent passer as well. For his brief career he’s averaging 10.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.7 blocks per 36 minutes. He fits with the Nets pattern of taking fliers on low cost projects and could wind up being a steal.