As the smoke clears following the crash-and-burn of this morning’s news re Cam Thomas acceptance of the $6.0 million qualifying offer, media capologists believe the Brooklyn Nets will likely facilitate one more salary dump to get to the CBA’s salary floor but go no higher, wanting to maintain their cap space advantage through the February trade deadline.
Bobby Marks was first with his customary post-transaction graphic display of where teams stand…
But it was Yossi Gozlan
of capsheets.com who provided the most detail … and the analysis of where Sean Marks & co. will go in the next few weeks before training camp begins on September 25. Specifically, Gozlan believes the Nets are likely to make one more salary dump but not a big one.
Brooklyn’s recent moves are significant because they likely signal that they don’t have another big imbalanced trade coming. As detailed last month, they already used $36 million in two separate trades to take on players with multiple years left on their contracts, along with a first-round pick in each deal. They may be looking at something smaller scale with minor draft equity…
So, in all likelihood, they will facilitate another salary dump similar to their (Haywood) Highsmith acquisition before the season begins. This would leave them with $15.5 million in cap space for mid-season trades.
That would bring them right up to the salary cap floor which is $15.46 million short of the salary cap. Gozlan also suggested who the Nets might partner with.
There are a handful of teams that are slightly over the luxury tax and could get underneath with several trades. The Suns ($274,000), Nuggets ($402,000 above), and Raptors ($3 million above) could get below it at the trade deadline by trading a player or two…
The Sixers are currently below the luxury tax but will go above it after Grimes’ situation is resolved. They could look to move both Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond to get under the tax. The Magic could also look to get below the tax, but who they move will depend on how their season goes. All these teams could make moves at the trade deadline, and the Nets will be equipped to help.
Indeed in a previous discussion of the Nets situation, Gozlan suggested a salary dump involving 32-year-old Andre Drummond who spent the final two months of the 2022-23 season with Brooklyn after being included in the Nets-Sixers trade centered on James Harden and Ben Simmons. In 24 games, the now 32-year-old Drummond averaged a double-double — 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds.
Separately, a league source agreed that Drummond would fill the bill for Brooklyn and get them to the cap floor.
Gozlan also noted that the Nets could add to their flexibility by moving some of their non-guaranteed deals into two-way slots, saving space while at the same time retaining some rights.
All these players could be brought back on a two-way contract, except Johnson. The Nets have one two-way spot left after signing E.J. Liddell. They could waive Johnson and Martin, which would resolve their crowded backcourt. They could then keep one of Wilson or Timme, and re-sign whoever they waived to their last two-way spot, assuming they clear waivers.
It should be noted that the Nets are reportedly going to sign Fanbo Zeng to either a two-way or Exhibit 10 in the next few days.
Gozlan also revealed that the two-year, $12 million contract Day’Ron Sharpe signed Wednesday is $500,000 larger than originally agreed to.
The deal was agreed upon over two months ago, but the Nets held off as they pursue opportunities to maximize their cap space first. They even rewarded him with an additional $500,000 for his patience. He will receive a flat $6.25 million cap hit for 2025-26 and 2026-27.
