NBA Rumors: 5 left-field trades to blow up the NBA trade deadline

4. Nets trade Mikal Bridges to Rockets

This general framework has been floated as a possibility, only to be strongly denied. The Brooklyn Nets continue to cling tight to Mikal Bridges, but their endgame isn't clear. Brooklyn doesn't own its own draft picks, so a tank is pointless. Bridges as the No. 1 option is not optimized, however, and the Houston Rockets are the perfect trade partner.

For Houston, it's an immediate upgrade on the wing. Bridges can fit into various personnel groups. He's a versatile wing defender and a malleable offensive weapon, equally comfortable isolating for mid-range shots or bombing spot-up 3s and operating as a connector. He would move Houston closer to the play-in tournament and perhaps even a postseason spot outright.

The Nets, on the other hand, start their rebuild by getting their own picks back. That means Brooklyn can influence their own lottery odds and derive benefits from bad basketball. Brooklyn is already floating dangerously close to the lottery as is. Rather than cede that potentially valuable pick to Houston, the Nets can embrace the stink and look for a fresh building block in the NBA Draft.

Victor Oladipo and Jeff Green are essentially salary filler. Both are on expiring contracts. The Nets can hand the reigns to Ben Simmons and see what's up there. Cam Johnson and Spencer Dinwiddie can still net assets in future trades. Nic Claxton is a sturdy building block (or another valuable trade chip). There's reason to believe this move would work out for both sides.