The Brooklyn Nets are looking to be the NBA’s garbage can.
Brooklyn already made three separate trades this summer in which they have absorbed a player’s salary that a team was looking to get rid of. The Nets have acquired Michael Porter Jr., Haywood Highsmith, and Terrence Mann in these salary dump trades. According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, the Nets are actively looking for more of those opportunities.
With Money Left To Spend This Year, Nets Looking To Continue Building Towards Future As They Ponder More Trades
Despite having 17layers on standard deals, the Nets are still $14 million under the NBA’s salary cap. The Nets have this flexibility because four of the players are on nonguaranteed deals. Keon Johnson and Jalen Wilson have partial guarantees, with both of them earning more money if they remain on the roster on opening night. Drew Timme and Tyrese Martin‘s deals are fully nonguaranteed.
Brooklyn added a 2032 first-round draft pick for taking on nearly $17 million in salary in the Porter Jr. trade this upcoming season. The Nets picked up Mann and Drake Powell, the No. 22 pick in 2025, just for sending cash to Boston as part of a three-team deal. They then traded for Highsmith and received a 2032 second-round selection for essentially nothing (a conditional 2026 second-round pick that will not convey).
Remember, Cam Thomas is a restricted free agent. Thomas, who has a $6 million qualifying offer on the table, is seeking around $20 million a season. According to Ivan White of Sports Illustrated, the Nets have no interest in giving the 23-year-old anywhere close to that money.
If Thomas takes the qualifying offer, the Nets will still be at least $8 million below the cap. Now, if the Nets and Thomas work out a multi-year deal, they will have less than that in cap space — likely none. So, don’t expect the Nets to sign Thomas until the last minute.
Brooklyn can have cap space heading into the season as long as the salaries of their players total 90% of the cap space or about $140 million. If they are below the cap during the season, they can absorb the contracts of some players.
Here is a look at some players the Nets could potentially trade for, given their available cap space.
Potential Trade Targets
Anfernee Simons, Boston Celtics
Boston has made several moves this offseason in an effort to get below or at least as close to the luxury tax line as possible. The Cs are $12 million over the luxury tax line. As a result, the Celtics are reportedly looking to move Anfernee Simons and his $27.6 million expiring salary. However, it’s unclear whether the Nets would want to or could swing a trade for Simons unless it were a multi-team trade.
Sam Hauser, Boston Celtics
A more straightforward move for the Celtics would be to trade Sam Hauser. Hauser is entering the first year of a four-year contract extension, earning $10 million this year. So, the Nets could acquire Hauser before the season as a pure salary dump and probably get one of the Celtics’ first-round picks in the 2030s (2030, 2031, 2032) for their trouble. But the Celtics may not be in a hurry to move the 27-year-old forward until it gets closer to the trade deadline.
Hauser would be a pretty good fit with the Nets. The 27-year-old is a 3-and-D forward who averages two treys a game at a 42% clip.
Ochai Agbaji, Toronto Raptors
The Raptors have revamped their roster over the past few seasons and are now positioned to reap the benefits of their investment. Ochai Agbaji, coming off a career season, is projected to have a significant role in the Raptors’ second unit due to his versatility and 3-and-D potential. However, if the Raptors struggle during the season due to roster incompatibility or injuries, they may not want to pay the luxury tax. The Raptors are nearly $5 million over the salary cap, and Agbaji is making $6.3 million in the final year of his contract. The Nets would also be able to get a second-round selection as part of the deal.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Los Angeles Clippers
Bogdan Bogdanovic is an elite-ish shooter who is making $16 million this year with a team option for next season. Bogi wouldn’t be mentioned here, but the 33-year-old suffered a hamstring muscle tear while playing for Serbia in EuroBasket 2025. He has been ruled out for the rest of the national team’s tournament run.
Bogdanovic’s injury could be devastating for the Clippers, depending on its severity, as he is expected to play a significant role for the team, which is looking to make noise in the West this season. According to
If it is determined that Bogdanovic will miss significant time, the Clippers may decide to move his contract. The Clippers are $6.7 million over the tax threshold and $1.2 million under the first apron, where they are hard-capped. They will likely enter the season with 14 players on a standard contract.
The Nets probably could send Highsmith to LA for Bogdanovic and a future second-round selection or two.
Derrick Jones Jr., Los Angeles Clippers
If Bogdanovic does miss at least the start of the season, Derrick Jones Jr. becomes that much more valuable for the Clippers. Jones is coming off a career year and is a valuable role player due to his versatility and defense. But if the Clippers’ season goes sideways at the beginning, they may look to rebuild.
Jones is in the second year of a $3o million deal. He is making $10 million this season. The Nets will likely get a future second-round selection for an in-season trade for Jones if the Clippers decide to dump salary.
Grayson Allen, Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns have torn down their roster this offseason and are unlikely to be a factor in the Western Conference’s playoff race. The Suns are under the luxury tax, but could still look to move off of Grayson Allen‘s deal, which has three years and over $54 million left. Allen is 29 and an elite 3-point shooter.
Phoenix doesn’t have a lot of draft capital. However, the Suns could possibly send Allen to the Nets and their 2029 second-round selection or 2032 first-round selection for Highsmith.
Royce O’Neale, Phoenix Suns
Royce O’Neale, who previously spent one and one-half seasons with the Nets, would be easier to absorb for Brooklyn since the 32-year-old forward is making $10.1 million. O’Neale does have three years left on his deal. So, if the Nets could acquire O’Neale for their salary cap space, they would likely need at least two future second-rounders or the Suns’ 2032 first-round pick to do so.
Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings
It is hard to believe that the Sacramento Kings are interested in dumping Malik Monk. But reports have surfaced that the Kings are enthralled with the possibility of signing Russell Westbrook.
Monk is a scoring lead guard who is fantastic off the bench. He has also become a reliable secondary ball-handler and facilitator. However, he is a liability on the defensive end. The 27-year-old is making $18.7 million in 2025-26 and has $60 million and three seasons left.
Sacramento was reportedly seeking a draft pick in last June’s draft. That doesn’t fit with the Nets’ plans. Perhaps they will, and the Nets and Kings will have talks down the line, if Sacramento is intent on trading Monk.
Max Strus, Cleveland Cavaliers
While Cleveland expects to compete for a championship, the Cavaliers are facing a significant financial challenge. The Cavaliers are over the second apron this upcoming season and are projected to have just 11 players signed. As a result, the Cavaliers may decide (as unlikely as it is) that they aren’t an NBA championship team during the season and start the sell-off during the 2025-26 campaign.
Max Strus has two years and $32 million left on his deal.
Other Potential Trade Targets
Brandon Clarke, Jonathan Isaac, Goga Bitadze, and Mike Conley are other potential trade targets.
Photo Credit: © Wendell Cruz, Imagn Images
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