Who Should The Nets Target in the Offseason?

The Brooklyn Nets will go into this offseason with a massive task at hand: replace the potential outgoing talent with a flurry of new faces.

As it stands, the Nets have the potential to lose several players in the offseason, including the likes of Cam Thomas, D’Angelo Russell, and De’Anthony Melton, who has yet to play a single game for Brooklyn after he tore his ACL when he was a part of the Golden State Warriors earlier on in the season.

While this task may seem somewhat daunting, this offseason has the potential to see some big-name players hit the market with Lebron James, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, the latter of the trio having previously spent time in the Barclays Center.

However, the likelihood of being able to sign such big-name players could be quite unlikely for one reason or another, but there still sits a whole pool of players who would be welcome additions to the Nets’ roster.

Fred VanVleet

If Brooklyn ends up losing both Thomas and Russell, they will be in need of a solid option in the backcourt, which could lead them to look towards Fred VanVleet, who is in the potential last year of his deal with the Houston Rockets, with the 2025-26 season falling under a team option. If the Rockets wish to trigger the clause for next season, they'll have until May 29 to make a decision.

In the instance that the Rockets don't wish to resign their veteran guard, he'd be a strong addition to Jordi Fernandez's squad, coming in off of a season that has seen him average 14 points per game on 38 percent from the field throughout the 45 games he's played in so far this season.

The Atlantic Division wouldn't be an unfamiliar place for VanVleet after his long term with the Toronto Raptors that spanned seven years, highlighted by their 2019 NBA Championship run.

Naz Reid

Naz Reid has had an interesting career up until this point, serving as a bench player for the entirety of his tenure with the Minnesota Timberwolves, which could come to an end this season, as the upcoming campaign is a player option in his contract.

He's managed to make a name for himself coming off of the bench, winning the Sixth Man of the Year award last year, in which he averaged 13 points per game and five rebounds.

This production hasn't slowed down this season, as Reid is putting up 14 points per game on 38 percent from the field, with his role on the team becoming a bit more important as Julius Randle has struggled to adapt to life in Minnesota.

If Reid doesn't trigger the 2025-26 option and become a free agent, Brooklyn would be a prime spot for him to land, being able to serve behind Nic Claxton, who is under contract through the 2027-28 season, while being able to play ahead of developing players like Day'Ron Sharpe.

Matisse Thybulle

Matisse Thybulle has had a rocky stint throughout his two years in Portland, as he is in the midst of his second season, which hasn't gone well as he continues to recover from an injury to his right knee.

Yet, when Thybulle is healthy, he is a defensive mastermind, averaging one steal per game, while coming away with one defensive board per game. While these numbers don't sound particularly impressive, Thybulle's work on the defensive end could help bolster the already stellar work of Fernandez's scheme to protect the basket.

Similarly to Reid, Thybulle's potential exit could come in the form of a non-triggered player option, which he'd have to activate before the start of the next season.

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