Buy Or Sell? Nets Players Who Could Be Up for Trade This NBA Offseason

Brooklyn has some major decisions to make this summer. Which players should stay, and which should be shopped on the trade market?

Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) reacts during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images

Ahead of the NBA offseason, the Brooklyn Nets have a few tough decisions to make that could drastically alter their future. At the moment, they're in a hard rebuild, but circumstances from previous trades could force them to get competitive as soon as this summer.

Whichever direction the Nets go, a few players will be in trade rumors this offseason. Brooklyn will have two restricted free agents and four players with a team option, but the market could be lucrative with so much player movement on the horizon. It's not just stars that could get moved this summer, but role players as well.

The Nets have to decide whether they want to shop some of their players or keep them in the organization. Which players should be on the move, and which should remain in Brooklyn for the next year or so?

Keep: Rookies

Unless Giannis Antetokounmpo or another major name is the return package, there's no reason for the Nets to move any of these rookies after one season. The front office received a lot of criticism for their 2025 draft class, but the reality is that a few of these rookies exceeded expectations during their first year in the NBA.

Of those five first-round selections, the two players to be most excited about are Egor Dёmin and Nolan Traoré. Dёmin's season got cut short due to injury, but he put up 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists in just over 25 minutes per game as an elite three-point shooter.

Meanwhile, Traoré showcased more offense in the second half of the season, averaging 10.7 points, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals across his final 25 games. He became a major playmaker for Brooklyn down the stretch, limiting mistakes and running Jordi Fernández's system fairly well.

But that doesn't mean the other three rookies don't have potential either. Drake Powell handled some tough defensive assignments and played consistent minutes across 63 games, while Danny Wolf showed flashes of the do-it-all big man he was at Michigan. Similar to Traoré but in a smaller capacity, Ben Saraf improved across the final month or two of the season.

Trade: Nic Claxton

Claxton is coming off his best offensive season yet, as the career-Net put up 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 blocks per game on 57.1% shooting from the field.

He wasn't as much of a defensive anchor, but that was sacrificed for improved ball handling and an increased role from the perimeter. Claxton was more of a playmaker in transition and the half court, which could entice playoff and championship contenders this offseason.

The 27-year-old doesn't align with Brooklyn's timeline right now, and could bring back some serious value. If the 2027 NBA Draft is a concern, being that the Houston Rockets have swap rights over the Nets' pick, they could try to stack another first-round selection for insurance.

At the very least, Claxton could bring back something for the future, which is better than watching him waste his years on a rebuilding team.

Keep: Noah Clowney

Clowney is entering year four in the NBA, but he's still just 21 years old. The 6-foot-10 forward has been getting more opportunities in each season, and while his shooting splits haven't been up to par, his maturity has developed across his time in Brooklyn.

Just the fact that Clowney is a shooting big man with solid ball handling and defensive potential should be enough for them to keep him, barring any blockbuster moves. He will make just $5.4 million before entering restricted free agency in 2027, but an extension could secure a long-term partnership in New York City.

Trade: Terance Mann

In his first season with the Nets, Mann logged the most minutes per game since 2023-24 with the LA Clippers. The veteran guard averaged 7.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and three assists per game on 46-36-79 shooting splits.

Brooklyn should part ways with Mann for a few reasons, the first being that he still has two years left on his contract. The organization shouldn't wait for him to be on an expiring deal, which could hurt a potential return.

The 29-year-old also took minutes from some of the rookie guards, and given his age, does it really make sense to give him these opportunities when he could be way more impactful on a contending team? Mann is a good role player, but it doesn't make sense for the Nets to pay him $31 million over the next two seasons.

Test the Market: Michael Porter Jr.

If the Nets are truly committed to developing a young core, they should seriously consider selling high on Porter. The 6-foot-10 wing just had a near-All-Star season, putting up 24.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. For most of the year, his numbers came on fantastic efficiency and weren't just empty stats.

Porter is already a proven contributor to a championship organization, and so far, Brooklyn's trading Cam Johnson for him and a future first-round pick is paying dividends. But the Nets can cash in on even more if a suitor is desperate for perimeter scoring (i.e., Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors).

But if the right package isn't available this offseason, Brooklyn can't make a move just to make a move, and the organization knows that. The Nets are in a great spot financially and can delay a Porter departure until the trade deadline if he continues to put up big numbers.