What are the Best Bargain Contracts for the Brooklyn Nets?

The Brooklyn Nets roster is currently built around 19 players, 20 pending Ziaire Williams signing his 2-year, $12 million deal. The organization is also the only team under the cap in the NBA.

The Nets' salary cap situation is primarily influenced by the number of rookie contracts on their roster. Additionally, the absence of max contract players provides the front office with flexibility for the future. And finally, a few bargain deals on Brooklyn's salary chart have left them under the cap for the time being.

But what constitutes a bargain contract? For this exercise, any player on a rookie deal will not be factored in because they have no control over their contract.

Day'Ron Sharpe

On the opening day of free agency, Sharpe agreed to a 2-year, $12 million deal. Nearly two months later, the deal has been officially finalized. Sharpe consistently records double-doubles when given adequate playing time, and he is still only 24 years old.

$6 million per year for a player that can start when needed and not see a big dropoff from Claxton from an offensive perspective is a steal. Also, the fact that it is only for two years gives the Nets flexibility with how they want to construct the roster when they are deeper into the rebuild.

Sharpe's game continues to evolve, as demonstrated last season when he averaged a career-high of 6.3 field goal attempts per game and 0.9 three-point attempts per game. If he can be a threat from all three levels, the benefits continue to pile on.

Haywood Highsmith

Brooklyn partnered with the Miami Heat in a deal for Highsmith to get the Heat under the tax line. In need of some salary fillers, his 1-year, $5 million contract will put a dent in getting to the salary floor, while also making an impact on the court once he comes back from injury.

Highsmith is 28 years old, which makes him the oldest player on the Nets' roster. While he may take minutes from younger, more promising options, he brings a veteran presence that every rebuilding team needs.

The veteran is coming off the best defensive season of his career, starting a career-high 42 games and often guarding the opponents' best ball-handler. His role as a mentor for young wings like Drake Powell and Dariq Whitehead is where his biggest impact could come in his likely one season with Brooklyn.

Cam Thomas

The end of Brooklyn's largest offseason question came when Thomas signed his qualifying offer worth $6 million on Sept. 4. This is easily the biggest bargain deal for the Nets, regardless of whether he remains on the team through or after this season.

Thomas is very capable of being a 20-point per game scorer for the near future in the NBA. It is unclear if the coaching staff plans to include him as a key piece of the offense, but if a longer extension is wanted, the relationship between both sides may need some repairing.