MrDollarBills wrote:Prokorov wrote:Some interesting roster related tid-bits from jake fisher (the insider who wrote the book on the nets) on various podcasts, including with the athletic:
1) Nets tried to get Sekou last year in the 3-team trade than landed them bruce brown and shamet. so he wasnt just filler in the DJ trade, nets had interest. so that may lead some to think his spot on this team is a bit more solid. He does say there were concerns about his true age.
2) Nets vision of a center is one who shots. says they viewed efforts to make allen/claxton a shooter "didnt work as well as they had liked". Blake seems cemented at center to start the year. LMA will have a big role. Apparently DJ leaving was a big part of millsap agreeing to sign here. He may expect some minutes as a stretch 5 as jeff green played last year alot. Nets view sharpe as having potential to shoot at the 5-spot.
3) Bembry is a 'jersey guy' who went to the same high school as kyrie. the 2 are apperantly tight and both kyrie and the team pushed to bring him in. Team felt they needed and upgrade to make james and insurance on bruce brown. the Carter/Bembry due was brought in for that purpose.
The more i read/listen and from some of the takes from fans around the league, the more I think its feasible (not likely and not something id prefer) That Claxton may be traded. And that its basically down to Claxton/Bembry/Sekou with smoke on both sides to whether they are kept or sent packing:
Sekou Marks targeted him in both the draft and trade with pistons last season. We have seen when marks wants a guy, he can be persistent (See Crabbe, Tyler Johnson...). On the flip side, it was mentioned there are concerns of his age. Sekou is supposedly in Brooklyn, working with the team.
Deandre Bembry Played with Kyrie in HS < Kyrie I guess may have influenced it (similar to Garrett Temple singning) and marks like his toughness and viewed that as a need. On the flip side, its mentioned that Carter/Bembry may have been "bruce brown insurance" and with Brown here and Bembry not 100% fully guaranteed, maybe bembry doesnt make the cut? Bembry did a media interview with the nets and was officially announced. He has been working at the teams practice facility.
Nic Claxton The Nets added depth at center with LMA. They also replaced Green with the pair of Milsap and Johnson. The Nets traded for a pick to draft Day'ron sharpe. In total, the nets added 2 centers and 2 PFs who can play center. Above it was referenced that the nets view their "center as someone who can shoot". We saw last year that Claxton role diminished with LMA here (reduced minutes when just LMA playes, and reduced to DNP with Blake/LMA/KD were all active).
On top of that Claxton is due a 4/50 extension, or becomes an RFA. We know the Nets have Tsai and deep pockets, but we also know the nets will extend the big 3 and let dinwiddie walk due to tax/payroll concerns long term. DJ was also a salary dump.
The Nets trading claxton could accomplish:
-Cost/tax savings
-Help replenish missing draft picks over the next 6 seasons
-Allow for more playing time for sharpe, who the nets see potential with as far as shooting the ball
-Remove a logjam at center that includes Blake/LMA/Sharpe as well as potentially Johnson and Milsap
-Grant the nets another TPE (assuming claxton is dealt into capspace for pick(s)
I really like Sekou, but i hope he gets the axe. because i think Bembry helps our title chances this and next year and claxton's D is legit and something we dont have much of.
I hate the idea of losing Claxton but if the Nets are hell bent on playing shooting 5s then there is no reason to keep him.
My concern is, where do we send him and for what return? Any team that can absorb his small salary, which is most likely a lottery team isn't going to give us a valuable 1st. Maybe OKC would have an interest?
I really think the obsession with stretch 5 basketball is stupid. We're going to ship out a good defensive big that can switch on everything in order to play past their prime bigs that don't add much defensively (outside of Blake, who was solid) to keep a prospect whose has shown nothing in two seasons?
To be clear, im not saying its something i want or something thats probable. just piecing together whats being said by multiple outlets and reading between the lines. it may not be probable, but its possible, and there is some logic to it.
As far as landing spot, Claxton makes 1.7M. Pretty much every NBA team can send back 1-2 minimum non guaranteed contract who the nets could just release. or just take back 1.3M in salary and cut and stretch that over several years (similar to okafor). Id think alot of teams would trade a future first for claxton. Maybe the nets even take back some bad salary if its just for 1 year to get better pick compensation. its really next years number that hurts the nets
