The Brooklyn Nets are a promising team in the Eastern Conference next season. Both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are expected to make a full recovery in order to lead Brooklyn to a possible NBA Finals appearance. Both players clearly have enough talent to make this happen; and it is up to the Brooklyn Nets GM to make moves and surround these two stars with sufficient talent.
Luckily, the Brooklyn Nets have some very valuable trade assets that can be used to acquire one other All-Star and create a dominant Big Three in the East. They can trade Carls LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince, Dzanan Musa and the future draft picks.
Here are the 7 players that the Nets can acquire to build a dominant Big Three in the East.
7. LaMarcus Aldridge
18.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.6 BPG
LaMarcus Aldridge is no longer the Portland Trail Blazers Superstar version of himself but he is still one of the best power forwards in the NBA. He can space the floor with his jump shooting and has the size to score inside. Aldridge would give the Brooklyn Nets a powerful inside-outside presence, which would diversify their offense.
Aldridge is likely to be moved as the Spurs look towards rebuilding around their young players, so Aldridge might be a valuable asset for the Brooklyn Nets. He is best suited for a third-option scoring role at this stage of his career and he will enjoy competing in the East alongside KD and Kyrie.
6. Zach LaVine
25.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG
LaVine is a super athlete who has slowly become a prolific scorer. LaVine can drop 20 points in his sleep and he must get a change of scenery in order to continue his growth as a player. LaVine would be a match made in heaven with the Nets since he would get plenty of scoring opportunities as the potential third option behind Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
LaVine might want to be the man on a team as he is now with Chicago, but he might understand that better players will help his growth and maturation as a potential offensive superstar. LaVine’s athleticism and scoring potential would form a nice Big Three in Brooklyn.
5. Ben Simmons
16.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 8.0 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG
The Sixers were swept in the first round this season, but Ben Simmons was not playing due to a leg surgery that kept him out of action. It is very unlikely that the same Sixers squad returns next season, so Simmons might be moved for the right trade package. If Philadelphia want to keep Joel Embiid and move Simmons to the Nets for their valuable trade assets, he would be the primary ball-handler for the Brooklyn Nets.
Kyrie is very capable of playing alongside another ball-handler, as we saw in Cleveland, and Simmons would also add a dominant defensive player to the front line as well. Simmons is one of the most versatile players in the NBA and an All-Star so the Nets would take him in a heartbeat.
4. Joel Embiid
23.0 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.3 BPG
Big man Joel Embiid had a disappointing season this year because he was relatively inconsistent throughout the regular season and was unable to win a single game during the first round of the playoffs. While this is not Joel Embiid’s fault since the organization surrounded him with below-par talent, the Philadelphia 76ers might want to move on from the injury-prone center.
If the Brooklyn Nets want to take a chance at Embiid and trade for him, he could gift them an NBA title. He is the best big man in the league when healthy, and he would be a legitimate second or third option alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Embiid is a bonafide All-Star who would be a beast down low and a certain ingredient for a title.
3. Donovan Mitchell
24.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Donovan Mitchell has arrived ladies and gentlemen. He is looking like a young Dwyane Wade with a silky smooth jump shot. Mitchell is a legitimate star in the league and he must be acquired if the Nets want a chance at lifting silverware next July. Mitchell is a locker room presence and an ultra competitor, so Kyrie and KD would love playing with him.
The Jazz might want to move pieces next season, and although they will want to hold onto Mitchell, the young star might want out. Donovan Mitchell has rumored beef with fellow star Rudy Gobert, and he might not like the talent around him in Utah. If Mitchell wants out, Brooklyn should throw everything on the table to get him.
2. Devin Booker
26.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Devin Booker’s offensive potential is frightening. He could become the NBAs best scorer within the next few seasons if he continues his improvement as a player because he doesn’t have a weakness at scoring the ball. He also has something that many other dominant scorers don’t have right now, which is a hunger for hitting big shots. Booker thrives in tight moments and he would only improve learning from the likes of Durant and Irving.
KD is arguably the best scorer in the NBA when healthy, so playing alongside him will boost Booker’s career greatly. He could be a spot-up shooter, a primary scorer at times, and also the man to deliver in the clutch when needed. The Nets must do everything to acquire this young man to be the favorites for the title.
1. Bradley Beal
30.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Bradley Beal, as of right now, might be the second-best scorer in the NBA behind James Harden. While his numbers might be slightly inflated by playing on a horrific team, he still put up monster numbers and is one of the most exciting players in the NBA to watch. A lineup with Durant, Irving, and Beal would literally be unstoppable on offense. Beal can score in every way imaginable, and he would get even easier looks playing alongside two superstar scorers.
For Brooklyn, this is a no-brainer. Everyone outside of Durant and Irving is expendable when it comes to snagging Beal from Washington. They will throw picks and assets for a chance to acquire the All-Star shooting guard.
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