The Brooklyn Nets are the NBA’s center of attention after acquiring James Harden earlier this month. It was a blockbuster four-team move that saw Brooklyn bring aboard the former league MVP, helping them pair him alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
However, the deal did not come cheap. In addition to the treasure chest of future draft capital that the Nets coughed up, they also gutted a significant portion of their depth. They lost several key rotational players, including Caris LeVert, Taurean Prince, and Rodions Kurucs, but the one that has been the most felt early has been Jarrett Allen.
The 22-year-old Allen had been Brooklyn’s promising man in the middle, serving as their defensive anchor down low. They reluctantly shipped him off to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of the Harden deal, and his absence on the defensive end has been dearly missed.
The Brooklyn Nets should be in the market for a veteran backup center, and JaVale McGee could be atop their list of trade targets.
The acquisition of Jarrett Allen clogged Cleveland’s frontcourt that was already occupied by Andre Drummond and JaVale McGee. With the team favoring the much younger Allen moving forward, they could look to move Drummond or McGee, the latter being the more suitable target for Brooklyn this season.
Indeed, Sam Amico of FortyEightMinutes recently reported that they could look to make a trade for Cleveland’s JaVale McGee if he is made available. If the Cavaliers decide to move him, Brooklyn is likely the first in the line of potential suitors looking to bolster their frontcourt.
Aside from giving the Nets another viable option at center, there are numerous reasons why they should make a run at the veteran big man. With that being said, here are three reasons why the Brooklyn Nets should target JaVale McGee ahead of the NBA’s trade deadline.
the Brooklyn Nets should pursue a JaVale McGee trade: The DPE
Three games into the 2020-21 NBA season, the Brooklyn Nets suffered a substantial loss in starting guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who went down with an injury. Dinwiddie recently underwent surgery to repair a partially torn ACL, and the Brooklyn Nets received a Disabled Player Exception worth $5.7 million as compensation.
This means they can pursue trade targets with an equal or less salary in the final year of their deal, and that makes JaVale McGee an ideal fit. McGee is on the books for $4.2 million this season, making their reported interest in him all the more feasible. With an open roster spot on top of that, they can easily absorb McGee and his cheap salary utilizing this DPE.
He brings veteran experience at the position
The Brooklyn Nets are arguably the way too early title favorites at this point in the season, thanks to their star-studded starting lineup.
As fantastic as they might be, one of the major concerns currently surrounding the team involves their reserves. The Nets sacrificed a large portion of their rotational players in the Harden trade, and as previously mentioned, the backup center remains a glaring issue.
Brooklyn did use one of their vacant roster spots to sign free agent Norvel Pelle recently, and the 27-year-old big man will undoubtedly provide them with some size. However, he has just 25 total NBA games under his belt, and his experience level is minimal for a team that is all-in on pursuing a championship this season.
They desperately need defense
The Brooklyn Nets defense has been problematic from the jump this season, but the James Harden trade has worsened the issue. Brooklyn currently has the 25th ranked defensive rating in the league at 111.8, and if these efforts continue trending downward, it could be their undoing later in the season.
Circling back to Jarrett Allen, the team has sorely missed his defensive presence in the post. They are currently allowing 51.1 points in the paint per game, the third-most in the association. Starting center DeAndre Jordan is doing his best to hold down the fort, but he is no longer the defensive juggernaut that he once was, and that lack of support in the second unit has only elevated the issue.
Teams are feasting on the opportunity down low, and that is where a player like JaVale McGee off the bench could certainly be useful. McGee has been a solid rim protector throughout his career, averaging 1.5 blocks per game throughout his 12 years in the association. He would give the Brooklyn Nets a towering 7’0″ presence to protect the paint and alleviate some of their detrimental defensive issues that are so apparent.
Overall, the Brooklyn Nets’ potential interest in JaVale McGee makes sense for a handful of reasons. Whether it be the experience, their utilization of the DPE, or most notably, his defensive prowess, this a trade that they need to make.
The Brooklyn Nets are the NBA’s center of attention after acquiring James Harden earlier this month. It was a blockbuster four-team move that saw Brooklyn bring aboard the former league MVP, helping them pair him alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
However, the deal did not come cheap. In addition to the treasure chest of future draft capital that the Nets coughed up, they also gutted a significant portion of their depth. They lost several key rotational players, including Caris LeVert, Taurean Prince, and Rodions Kurucs, but the one that has been the most felt early has been Jarrett Allen.
The 22-year-old Allen had been Brooklyn’s promising man in the middle, serving as their defensive anchor down low. They reluctantly shipped him off to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of the Harden deal, and his absence on the defensive end has been dearly missed.
The Brooklyn Nets should be in the market for a veteran backup center, and JaVale McGee could be atop their list of trade targets.
The acquisition of Jarrett Allen clogged Cleveland’s frontcourt that was already occupied by Andre Drummond and JaVale McGee. With the team favoring the much younger Allen moving forward, they could look to move Drummond or McGee, the latter being the more suitable target for Brooklyn this season.
Indeed, Sam Amico of FortyEightMinutes recently reported that they could look to make a trade for Cleveland’s JaVale McGee if he is made available. If the Cavaliers decide to move him, Brooklyn is likely the first in the line of potential suitors looking to bolster their frontcourt.
Aside from giving the Nets another viable option at center, there are numerous reasons why they should make a run at the veteran big man. With that being said, here are three reasons why the Brooklyn Nets should target JaVale McGee ahead of the NBA’s trade deadline.
the Brooklyn Nets should pursue a JaVale McGee trade: The DPE
Three games into the 2020-21 NBA season, the Brooklyn Nets suffered a substantial loss in starting guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who went down with an injury. Dinwiddie recently underwent surgery to repair a partially torn ACL, and the Brooklyn Nets received a Disabled Player Exception worth $5.7 million as compensation.
This means they can pursue trade targets with an equal or less salary in the final year of their deal, and that makes JaVale McGee an ideal fit. McGee is on the books for $4.2 million this season, making their reported interest in him all the more feasible. With an open roster spot on top of that, they can easily absorb McGee and his cheap salary utilizing this DPE.
He brings veteran experience at the position
The Brooklyn Nets are arguably the way too early title favorites at this point in the season, thanks to their star-studded starting lineup.
As fantastic as they might be, one of the major concerns currently surrounding the team involves their reserves. The Nets sacrificed a large portion of their rotational players in the Harden trade, and as previously mentioned, the backup center remains a glaring issue.
Brooklyn did use one of their vacant roster spots to sign free agent Norvel Pelle recently, and the 27-year-old big man will undoubtedly provide them with some size. However, he has just 25 total NBA games under his belt, and his experience level is minimal for a team that is all-in on pursuing a championship this season.
They desperately need defense
The Brooklyn Nets defense has been problematic from the jump this season, but the James Harden trade has worsened the issue. Brooklyn currently has the 25th ranked defensive rating in the league at 111.8, and if these efforts continue trending downward, it could be their undoing later in the season.
Circling back to Jarrett Allen, the team has sorely missed his defensive presence in the post. They are currently allowing 51.1 points in the paint per game, the third-most in the association. Starting center DeAndre Jordan is doing his best to hold down the fort, but he is no longer the defensive juggernaut that he once was, and that lack of support in the second unit has only elevated the issue.
Teams are feasting on the opportunity down low, and that is where a player like JaVale McGee off the bench could certainly be useful. McGee has been a solid rim protector throughout his career, averaging 1.5 blocks per game throughout his 12 years in the association. He would give the Brooklyn Nets a towering 7’0″ presence to protect the paint and alleviate some of their detrimental defensive issues that are so apparent.
Overall, the Brooklyn Nets’ potential interest in JaVale McGee makes sense for a handful of reasons. Whether it be the experience, their utilization of the DPE, or most notably, his defensive prowess, this a trade that they need to make.
