3 Brooklyn Nets who definitely won't be back next season

The Brooklyn Nets entered the 2023-24 campaign expecting to compete for a playoff spot. Sure, it'd be tough with only the top six seeds being guaranteed spots, but the Nets figured to at the very least have a solidified spot in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament with a chance to fight for a postseason berth.

Not only are the Nets virtually out of the Play-In race, but they're one of the worst teams in the NBA. Their 27-45 record is good for 11th in the Eastern Conference and in the bottom 10 of the entire league. Just a couple of years after being championship favorites, the Nets are back to being a laughing stock.

Rebuilding from this will be tough, as Brooklyn doesn't control their own first-round pick until the 2028 season, but something has to change. There should be no untouchables in Brooklyn, no matter how badly they want to hold onto Mikal Bridges. These three players will certainly not be back next season as the Nets presumably will have a new look.

3. Dennis Smith Jr., PG

The Nets signed Dennis Smith Jr. to be their backup point guard and he's been the least of Brooklyn's problems. Sure, he doesn't provide much offensively, but he never has at an efficient clip over the course of his seven-year NBA career. Where he shines is providing energy and defending, and he's done both of these things pretty well for the Nets.

For one year and just over $2 million, Smith has been a fine addition. However, this Nets team needs a guard who can help lead the offense and create for himself and others. Smith, while he's a strong defender, is extremely limited on the offensive side as a scorer and isn't the best playmaker either.

The Nets will be entering the 2024-25 campaign without a solution at point guard. Ben Simmons is on the team, but who knows if and when he'll play? Dennis Schroder is alright, but is best coming off of the bench. Upgrading at an extremely important position is a must for Brooklyn, whether it's in the draft, free agency, or via trade. Assuming they do upgrade, Smith isn't going to be needed.

2. Lonnie Walker IV, SG

Another player Brooklyn signed this past offseason was Lonnie Walker IV, a player who has always had tons of talent but hadn't quite put it all together at the NBA level. Walker played fairly well for the Lakers last season, but had to settle for a contract from the Nets that paid him the league minimum.

Walker bet on himself to produce and for the most part, that bet has paid off. He's had a strong year, averaging 10.0 points per game in just 17.3 minutes, shooting 39.7 percent from 3-point range. Walker has been a bright spot in what has been a dark season in Brooklyn.

Walker has proven to be a reliable bench scorer for a Nets team that has for the most part struggled to score this season, scoring 20+ points eight times and 15+ points 16 times in his 50 games played despite only averaging a shade over 17 minutes per game.

He has shown he deserves a bigger role than what Brooklyn is willing to provide him. Even with his consistent scoring punch, he's only seen his playing time dwindle. The 25-year-old has averaged just 14.9 minutes per game in the month of March, playing over 20 minutes in just two of the 11 games he's played in. In those two games, he scored 19 and 21 points respectively.

Walker should look to sign elsewhere, while the Nets presumably play some of their younger players that they (for whatever reason) refused to for much of this season.

1. Dorian Finney-Smith

Smith and Walker are both set to hit free agency at the end of the season, but Dorian Finney-Smith is under contract through next season and if he accepts his player option, he'd be under contract through the 2025-26 campaign. With that in mind, the Nets don't have to trade him, but they really should.

Finney-Smith has been a popular name in trade rumors since the Nets acquired him in the Kyrie Irving trade, and for good reason. He's a player who can really help a championship contender, and the Nets are not that. They're not even a realistic postseason contender.

The 30-year-old provides little offensively, but he can shoot when given space. He got off to a great start this season, but his shooting has faltered of late and is shooting 35.6 percent from 3-point range overall. His real value is on the defensive end, as he can guard star wings at a pretty high level.

Finney-Smith is making a very reasonable $14.9 million next season, so he'll surely be in high demand if the Nets consider dealing him this offseason. Their lofty asking price almost certainly won't be met, but they should get something of value for a player who can be a difference-maker for a team vying for a championship. The Nets are better off trading him and building for the future rather than keeping him on a bad team.