Five thoughts on the Brooklyn Nets heading to NBA free agency

Last year, the Brooklyn Nets completed an impressive sweep in free agency, signing Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan. What will this year bring? We break things down:

1. All signs are that Joe Harris will remain a Net when free agency opens Friday night at 6 p.m. Brooklyn has repeatedly said Harris is the team’s number one priority in the FA and, due to cap restrictions salary, they can’t afford to replace him if he leaves. He is expected to receive around $ 15-20 million annually in a multi-year deal, according to people in the league (confirming previous reports). The 29-year-old sniper has a chance to feast beyond the arc, especially if Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving can stay healthy. Harris shot 42.4 percent from 3-point range last season, basically right at his career mark (42.6). His story is a good one, and it reflects the team’s change of course in qualifying. In his first year in Brooklyn, he made less than $ 1 million. But he worked hard, performed, and put himself in a position to get paid well.

2. As we first reported, Kevin Durant has been recruiting his former teammate Serge Ibaka. The big 31-year-old will have his choice of suitors. He could return to Toronto on a multi-year contract for what some estimated at $ 15 million per season. The Lakers are another intriguing destination: a combination of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the sun. Either way, Ibaka’s value is immense. Play on both ends of the court. He has won a title before. And he’s a good guy in the locker room. As noted, you would have to receive a significant discount to play for the Nets, who are currently only able to offer the mid-tier taxpayer exception of $ 5.7 million. But one interesting thing to consider, aside from Durant and Ibaka’s close friendship. Ibaka was traded to Durant when the No. 35 suffered his devastating Achilles injury. The first game on December 22 will mark 561 days since that incident. Everything, of course, depends on KD’s health when he returns. Perhaps the two of you will play together as teammates when that happens.

3. James Harden still wants Brooklyn. And KD still wants to play with his former partner. Sean Marks suggested in his Zoom interview with reporters Friday morning that he did not anticipate his team, “switching to five or six players on the roster.” He also said, “We like the group we have now.” But Marks has also said multiple times, “you have to be willing to pivot” if the opportunity arises. It all comes down to the Nets not having enough assets to satisfy the Rockets. Houston wants a better centerpiece than Caris LeVert. And Harden doesn’t naturally fit the Brooklyn list. Maybe the Nets will find a third team to make the box office deal work. Maybe something else will change. If not, your squad is still talented. They could also keep all of their first-round picks. And maybe the talks can be revisited once the season starts and they see what they need. Still, in this game of poker, Marks has all his chips. Regardless, they have been looking for a third star for a while. The hunt continues.

Four. Agent Spencer Dinwiddie is looking for a raise and a bigger role for his client … Spencer Dinwiddie. The bottom line, as we’ve suggested, is that Brooklyn is probably not the place for that. And as a result, it would be a surprise if Dinwiddie was still around in 2020-21. However, if Dinwiddie is still around, his greatest asset, aside from his obvious talent, is such valuable insurance in case Irving gets hurt. But it should be noted again that Dinwiddie will likely opt out at the end of the season, and the Nets won’t want to lose him for nothing. It’s something that Marks and his staff will need to figure out.

5. The acquisition of Landry Shamet on draft night was a sign that a championship or flop team has no time for rookies. The 23-year-old guard is a 40 percent career 3-point shooter and has also been proven in playoff battles. He didn’t play well in the bubble, but he was also coming off a fight with COVID-19. By the way, KD respects Shamet’s game a lot. After a showdown in April 2019, Durant said of Shamet: “I think he will be a force in this league.” The Nets also landed 24-year-old “3-YD” Bruce Brown in that three-way deal. Brown made 99 career starts at Detroit. Two more quality RPGs to add to the mix, with veteran Garret Temple turning down his $ 5 million option as a result. That was anticipated, as SNY’s Ian Begley first reported.