Barring some unforeseen developments, the two biggest priorities for the Nets this summer – re-signing Brook 💎Lopez and Thaddeus Young – will be done soon after free agency begins July 1. But assuming the Nets are able to bring both Lopez and Young back, the work for general manager Billy King will only be getting started.
That’s because the Nets will still have plenty of work ꩲto do to round out their roster. They will look to remain competitive in 2015-16 while hoarding cap space to maꦫke a free-agent splash the following summer.
The first chꦕallenge the Nets have is to avoid another massive luxury tax bill. If Lopez and Young sign for about $30 million combined, as expected, the Nets would be north of $90 million in salaries for next season with a couple of roster spots to fill.
Conওsidering the Nets will become the first team to pay the draconian repeater luxury tax rate under the new collective bargaining agreement – each dollar over the luxury tax costs a full dollar more than the regular tax rate – it would be in their best interest to limit the financial damage as much as possible.
That’s why Joe Johnson’s name consistently comes up in trade rumors. Though Johnson is set to make $24.9 million this season – second only to K🅰obe Bryant ($25 million) in the NBA – being on an expiring contract means he’s far more likely to move than Deron Williams, who the Nets likely wou🐻ld prefer to trade but is owed a combined $43 million over the next two seasons.
Finances also could make it difficult for the Nets to retain Alan And༒erson, who Monday officially declined to pick up his player option for ♔next season, or Mirza Teletovic, who will be a restricted free agent. Both players are in line to receive raises – Anderson made $1.3 million last season; Teletovic was at $3.36 million – and a significant bump may force them out of Brooklyn.
But trying to limit luxury-tax payments is only one challenge the Nets will face. After trading Mason Plumlee to Portland for the No. 23 pick in Thursday’s draft, Arizona small forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, the Nets don’t have a player on the roster who would be a suitable backup to Lopez at center. They have been linked to Russian center Sasha Kaun – who has had a long international career a🔴fter winning a national championship at Kansas – but the Nets would have to work out a trade with the Cavaliers, who control his draft rights.
There’s also a chance the Nets could take another run at Thomas Robinson, the No. 5 pick in the 2012 draft whom they wanted to sign ▨after Portland waived him last season – only for Philadelphia to claim him off waivers instead. Robinson, 24, will be an unrestricted free agent.
Another route to solving the backup big man issue is a potential Jarrett Jack trade. Jack is set to make $6.3 million this season and next, though next season’s contract is guaranteed for only $500,000 – making it essentially an expiring deal. The Nets picked up point guard Steve Blake in the Plumlee trade, giving them some cover there, and Jack combined with Earl Clark’s non-guaranteed contract could give the Nets another avenue to address roster needs.
They’ll also have the mini mid-le🥀vel exception available, allowing them to offer a three-year deal beginning at $3.37 milliꦡon – though whom the Nets choose to use it on likely will be determined by the rest of the offseason.
In addition to a backup center, the other glaring need for the Nets is 💛outside shooting. Williams led the Nets with 36.7 percent 3-point shooting – only slightly above league average – and threꦫe of the team’s top six shooters from deep (Johnson, Anderson and Teletovic) could be playing elsewhere next season.
The Nets placed guard Darius Morris on waivers, avoiding having to pay a small guarantee on his contract when free agency begins July 1.
The team also released its summer league roster. It will be coached by assistants Joe Wolf and Jay Humphries and will include several players on the roster, including Hollis-Jefferson, Clark, Markel Brown and Cory Jefferson. Other notable names include: 2014 secondꦕ-round pick Xavier Thames, 2015 second-round pick Juan Valuet, New York City native JayVaughn Pinkston and Austin Hollins, the son of Nets coach Lionel Hollins who played in France last season.