NBA Trade Rumors: 7 fringe contenders that need to make a deal

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CLEVELAND, OHIO – JANUARY 20: Kyrie Irving #11 DeAndre Jordan #6 Jeff Green #8 James Harden #13 and Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets huddle on the court during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on January 20, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets are set at the top of their roster with Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. Add in Joe Harris’ elite 3-point shooting, and there’s a non-zero chance they can contend for a championship just by outscoring opponents in nightly shootouts.

But to maximize their title upside, the Nets need to improve their defense.

Since Harden made his Brooklyn debut in mid-January, the Nets rank 27th leaguewide in defensive efficiency. They’re allowing a league-high 53.3 points in the paint per game and are 27th in second-chance points allowed (15.5) during that span.

That bodes poorly for their chances of slowing down Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid or Anthony Davis in a playoff series.

The Nets can’t trade a first-round pick or pick swap thanks to the Harden deal, but they can use Spencer Dinwiddie’s $11.5 million contract for salary-matching purposes to fortify their frontcourt. Andre Drummond, Nikola Vucevic and LaMarcus Aldridge are out of their price range, but JaVale McGee ($4.2 million), Gorgui Dieng ($15.7 million), Cody Zeller ($14.0 million) or P.J. Tucker ($8.0 million) could be more realistic options.

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