NBA Trade Talk: Brooklyn Wings Have Value on Market
The NBA trade deadline is roughly five weeks away, which means teams around the league are increasingly in discussions around potential deals. One team that is expected to potentially shake things up is the Brooklyn Nets, who sit five games under .500 at 15-20 overall. They have lost five straight games and eight of their last 10.
The season is trending in the wrong direction and Brooklyn doesn't control its own draft assets. As such, every move is important for the future.
Could the Oklahoma City Thunder take advantage of the opportunity?
Two positional groups that the Nets have a surplus of talent at are the wing and forward spots. Most notably, Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O'Neale, who have both been reportedly available for the right price.
Finney-Smith is a 30-year-old combo forward that is averaging 9.9 points per game while shooting 40.6% from beyond the arc this season. His offensive production isn't jaw-dropping, but he's a fantastic defender which makes him the ultimate 3-and-D forward at 6-foot-7. He likely would cost at least two first-round picks, which may not be worth it for OKC, especially if this ends up being a bidding war.
A less expensive option as it relates to giving up assets is O'Neale. He's also 30 years old, producing 7.6 points while shooting 36.7% from the floor. He's not as tall as Finney-Smith, standing at just 6-foot-4 which makes him more of an undersized wing. O'Neale would be a welcomed veteran presence on this team, which would be especially helpful in the playoffs.
The Thunder are in a position in which they don't need to make a trade given how well they are playing, but if the right opportunity comes about, these are two players that would make sense.
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