Breaking Down the Brooklyn Nets’ 21-Man Training Camp Roster

A look at Brooklyn’s mix of guaranteed contracts, partial guarantees, RFAs, two-way deals and an Exhibit 10 as camp approaches.

Sep 26, 2022; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks talks to the media during media day at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets have had a busy offseason. They added five incoming rookies in June's draft, agreed to new contracts with some of their most-impactful pieces on bargain deals and even managed to swing a big-time trade for a player their head coach is more than familiar with.

Still, more moves are coming.

Brooklyn can only carry 21 players into training camp. Counting Ziaire Williams and Day'Ron Sharpe—who've both agreed to new deals but haven't yet put pen to paper—as well as Cam Thomas, whom the Nets are in a negotiation standoff with, they've already hit that threshold.

Here's a breakdown of what the rest of the franchise's current roster looks like, including the three aforementioned restricted free agents, courtesy of NetsDaily on X:

- 10 fully guaranteed standard contracts
- Five partially guaranteed standard contracts
- Three unsigned restricted free agents
- Two non-guaranteed Two-Way contracts
- One reported Exhibit 10

That means one of two things: Brooklyn either won't be able to hold onto all the developmental pieces it signed to partially guaranteed, non-guaranteed or Exhibit 10 deals, or it'll be forced it cut ties with a veteran who no longer fits.

The more likely option is obviously moving on from the progression projects, but if the Nets opted for the alternative route, what may that look like?

Brooklyn has multiple players who could be prime candidates to be traded—especially to teams with a strong desire to contend this upcoming season. Guys the Nets could look into dealing include newcomer Terance Mann, 2023 first-rounder Dariq Whitehead or veteran guard Keon Johnson.

Those three are the players Brooklyn would receive the most back for without parting with a foundational piece. Mann is new to the team, Whitehead has yet to find his footing and Johnson could fall out of favor due to the Nets drafting three guards this past June.

That said, guys like Tosan Evbuomwan, Tyson Etienne or the recently signed Fanbo Zeng would be the most realistic options for Brooklyn to move off of. Zeng is the most-polarizing of the bunch, largely due to the fact that we haven't seen him in a Nets uniform, but Evbuomwan and Etienne also had their moments last season.

General manager Sean Marks has a difficult puzzle on his hands. This is a transformative offseason for Brooklyn heading into year two, and ensuring the proper personnel is in place will be a factor of utmost importance.

So, don't be surprised when the Nets end up making another move in the coming weeks.

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