The One Draft Mistake the Brooklyn Nets Cannot Afford

It's no secret that the Houston Rockets are shopping their third-overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft.

It's also no secret that Houston's interest in Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges is high, dating as far back as this year's trade deadline.

Per Shams Charania, just 111 days ago, the Rockets offered a package including Jalen Green and multiple first-round picks in exchange for Bridges, and Brooklyn still turned it down.

The Brooklyn Nets reportedly turned down a trade offer from the Houston Rockets that included Jalen Green and multiple first-round picks for Mikal Bridges, per @ShamsCharania

(h/t @BradeauxNBA ) pic.twitter.com/tRoPivSpd9
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 25, 2024

With many scouts and analysts regarding the 2024 NBA Draft class as one of the worst in history, the Nets cannot afford to orchestrate an even swap. Bridges straight up for the third overall selection does not match the value the Rockets offered nearly four months ago.

Now looking back, declining that offer now appears to have been a huge mistake. The Nets would've easily won that trade, receiving their own first rounders back they shipped to Houston in 2021's James Harden trade while obtaining a quickly-developing Green as the cherry on top.

With the franchise "at crossroads" in the words of owner Joe Tsai, Brooklyn cannot afford to have another blunder like they did at the deadline. If they decide dealing Bridges is in the best interest of the organization's future, gaining a top-3 selection in a weak class is not the answer.

The Rockets already offered a kings ransom in return for Bridges once. General manager Sean Marks now has to trick Houston into doing it again. The right to draft one of either Alexandre Sarr, Zaccharie Risacher or Donovan Clingan, while a intriguing start to a full-on rebuild, should only be the beginning. Brooklyn must atleast attempt to get Green and one of their picks back on top of the third pick in this year's draft. This is a crucial decision for Marks and Tsai, and another slip in negotiations could set the franchise further back than they already appear to be.

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