The second major mid-season trade of the 24-25 season took place yesterday when the Brooklyn Nets decided to move Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to the Los Angeles Lakers for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks. The Nets made the first major trade of the season as well, moving Dennis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors.Â
With the departure of Dorian and the addition of Russell, the Nets have to adjust their starting five in time for their next game against the Toronto Raptors on January 1, 2025. Let’s take a look at how the Nets can run their lineups and what their best five-man unit will be.
Starting Lineup
Starters: D’Angelo Russell, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson, Noah Clowney, Nicolas Claxton
The Nets will promptly introduce D’Angelo Russell back into the starting lineup once he’s cleared medicals and can play for the franchise. Russell made the All-Star team with the Nets in 2018 before being traded that summer in a sign-and-trade for Kevin Durant. After playing for three franchises after his last Nets stint, Russell will be motivated to make an impact as a veteran star in a contract year.
Cam Thomas surprisingly started Brooklyn’s last game off the bench, but his 24.7 points per game this season mean that was just a blip. He and Russell will form a high-scoring backcourt that plays little defense, which might allow both players to shine while the Nets can continue tanking.Â
Cam Johnson is heavily rumored to be the next Nets star on the move, with multiple teams monitoring the forward since the start of the season. He’s having a career year with the Nets and Brooklyn’s front office will be incentivized to ensure he gets big minutes to keep boosting his trade value and get a first-round pick after moving Schroder and Finney-Smith for a combined six second-round picks.
Noah Clowney recently broke into the Nets starting five as their power forward, with the 20-year-old big man showing great shooting touch. Nicolas Claxton will remain their starting center after the team extended him on a four-year, $90-million contract this summer.
These five won’t be winning a lot of games, but they will play a really fun style of basketball under head coach, Jordi Fernandez.
Reserves
Reserves: Ben Simmons, Keon Johnson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Day’Ron Sharpe, Jalen Wilson, Trendon Watford, Ziaire Williams, Maxwell Lewis, Tyrese Martin, Jaylen Martin, Dariq Whitehead
The Nets have a pretty versatile bench for a tanking team, having a few veterans but mostly young players with a lot to prove. The highlight names off the bench are Ben Simmons and Bojan Bogdanovic. Simmons is in the final year of his supermax rookie extension which he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2020 while Bogdanovic is also on an expiring contract.
The two players could be trade assets but nobody wants to take Simmons’ $40+ million contract onto their team, even if it’s an expiring deal. Bogdanovic’s $19 million contract isn’t appealing either given his low production and injury struggles at age 36. They’re solid veterans but won’t be featured players for the Nets through the end of the season as they look to promote their youth players.
Keon Johnson has been solid whenever he’s been given opportunities, rediscovering the potential that made him a first-round pick in 2021. Day’Ron Sharpe could be a double-double machine on a contender if he gets big minutes, but the Nets seem invested in developing his skill set. Jalen Wilson has also been a standout frontcourt player for the Nets this season.
Tyrese and Jalen Martin have been bright spots for the team as well, with Maxwell Lewis joining the young core as a talented forward in the Finney-Smith trade. Dariq Whitehead is a former first-round pick who has struggled with injuries but is still considered to be a potentially great swingman if he can put it together.
This is a fascinating bench unit with many unknown players who can now shine, especially if additional trades are made to move off more veterans.
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