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How the Brooklyn Nets' new acquisitions fit with the roster
The Brooklyn Nets made some solid moves at the deadline, trading Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O’Neale. Dinwiddie got traded to the Toronto Raptors for Dennis Schroder and Thaddeus Young.
On the other end, O’Neale got sent to Phoenix in a three-team deal with Keita Bates-Diop, Jordan Goodwin, three second-round picks, and the draft rights to Vanja Marinkovic. Most Nets fans expected the trade before the deadline since both players were on expiring contracts.
Let’s look at the fit of these two packages to the team and how the pieces will affect Coach Jacque Vaughn’s system.
Schroder steps in as a primary playmaker
Now that Dinwiddie got traded, Schroder steps into the starting point guard role. This move will benefit the Nets’ offense because Dennis is more of a floor general than a score-first guard like Spencer.
Schroder being on the roster also helps maximize the scorers like Cameron Thomas and Mikal Bridges. The German guard averages 6.1 assists per game with the Ratpors despite playing with a ball-dominant player like Scottie Barnes.
Cam and Mikal would play more off the ball, which makes them more efficient. They get open looks as they can run through screens, and Schroder will be ready to throw the decisive pass.
Bates-Diop is a valuable energy player
Bates-Diop has been an underrated role player for most of his career, but he always shows flashes of intense energy. It is vital for Brooklyn because Coach Vaughn wants to play at a better pace.
With KBD’s length, Brooklyn will have a more versatile lineup with more runners in transition and better rebounding rather than relying on Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe to start the fast break.
Young provides valuable leadership
Most of the Brooklyn roster consists of young players, and having someone like Thad Young is vital for player development. Thaddeus is one of the most experienced players in the league at 35 years old, and his leadership will be valuable for Brooklyn while he still plays his scrappy style.
Young loves hustling for the ball to help the team, and since he will be a leader, that playstyle will be infectious for the rest of the team. The squad has plenty of malleable players like Jalen Wilson, Trendon Watford, and Noah Clowney, who will benefit from playing under Thad’s leadership.
This trade deadline did not have the best moves, but these incremental moves can lead to great results. General manager Sean Marks wants to keep building around Mikal, Cam, and Nic, which can lead to great results, but the moves also lead to better flexibility.
