The Brooklyn Nets have been linked to trade rumors ever since this offseason began. Given the fact that Brooklyn is in a sort of crossroads right now in terms of where the organization should go. the Nets have been in mock trades for the team to get better position to win now or to rebuild.
One of the players that have been discussed as trade candidates for the Nets is versatile forward Dorian Finney-Smith. Finney-Smith, 30, came to the Nets in the Kyrie Irving trade and since the former Florida Gator arrived in Brooklyn, he has been as advertised other than his shooting.
Brooklyn has also been linked to possibly trading for Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins since the Hawks have been trying to deal Collins away for awhile now. Atlanta is trying to put more shooting around Trae Young and Dejounte Murray and Collins does not help in that department much. This mock trade proposed by Josh Buckhalter of Heavy.com could solve issues for both the Nets and the Hawks:
The Mock Trade:
Brooklyn Nets receive: John Collins
Atlanta Hawks receive: Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale, and a 2027 first-round pick (top-8 protected, via the Philadelphia 76ers)
Should the Nets do this trade?
Brooklyn does have more wings on the team than it can reasonably provide adequate playing time to. O’Neale, who was starting for the Nets during the time that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were in Brooklyn, took a role off the bench to accommodate all of the new pieces that came after the trade deadline.
Not to mention that the Nets have a general need for more guards and bigs that can contribute to the team on the court. Brooklyn shuffled through different free-agent bigs to find a suitable backup center to standout Nic Claxton. Brooklyn has yet to find that big unless it wants to let Day’Ron Sharpe play that role.
Would Collins be a sizable addition to Brooklyn’s frontcourt? Probably not. It’s possible that Collins looked the way that he did for the Hawks because of how the offensive system changed his style of play, but with Claxton manning the middle, Collins would have to be the stretch-4 that he struggled to be in Atlanta. Collins is still a talented player, but his skill set does not fit in Brooklyn.
Verdict: No, the Nets should not do this trade.
Story originally appeared on Nets Wire
