NBA Mock Trade: Brooklyn Nets Get Youth Via Indiana Pacers in Blockbuster Trade

Could the Nets get help kickstarting a rebuild from the Pacers?

Oct 29, 2022; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) controls the ball against Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) in the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Brooklyn Nets are in a very, very unique position. They've got a few directions they can go with their roster-building, and no direction is easier than the other. Whether it be pushing towards contention with their win-now roster or stripping things clean and having a reset, patience and positive moves are needed.

In the case the Nets decide to reset their roster and begin a youth movement and a rebuild, star Mikal Bridges will be the most coveted trade piece. His value has been high over the years, as the team could net as good as the No. 3 overall pick in the current draft via the Houston Rockets (though it was their own pick originally).

Trading Bridges would be more beneficial in exchange for a young talent with plenty of promise. Bleacher Report recently made one mock trade for each of the 28 teams not in the NBA Finals, which happens to include Brooklyn, who missed the playoffs all around.

In the mock trade, the Indiana Pacers land Bridges, sending TJ McConnell, Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker, two first-round picks (both protected) and two second-round picks.

Evidently, the Nets would significantly benefit from this trade. Mathurin and Walker are both young, promising players. McConnell would fill the point guard void to help the team's offense run. They restock some of the draft picks arsenal.

The Pacers, fresh of an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, could be in the market for some help after falling short of the NBA Finals. Bridges adds defense and shotmaking around Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.

Mathurin, a 21-year-old forward, averaged 16.7 points per game during his rookie season. This past season, that number was 14.5 points per game, but his season was cut short due to injury. He's got incredible potential and can score the basketball well, making him a fun young talent to give a starting job to and unlimited shots.

Walker is not quite 21-years-old, and he's got a very thin role in Indiana. Playing for the Nets would give him the opportunity to develop.

This trade would also kick off a series of moves to bring in more picks and young talents by departing from win-now talents that contenders can benefit from.

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