The NBA trade season is officially underway, and in Brooklyn, the gears are already turning. With the December 15 and 16 milestones now in the rearview - the first allowing the 82 summer signees to be traded, and the second marking the final day teams could acquire a player and still flip him by the deadline - the next six weeks promise to be a frenzy of speculation, phone calls, and front office maneuvering.
The actual trade deadline hits on February 5 at 3:00 p.m. ET, but make no mistake: the groundwork is already being laid.
For the Nets, the spotlight is squarely on a few names - most notably Michael Porter Jr. and Cam Thomas. Nic Claxton’s name has surfaced in some circles too, though his situation seems more fluid. Brooklyn is clearly in evaluation mode, listening to offers and exploring the market as they navigate a rebuild with a war chest of draft capital and some intriguing trade pieces.
Let’s start with MPJ. The 27-year-old forward is having the best season of his career and is entering his prime at the exact moment Brooklyn is trying to chart a new course.
His production - 25.6 points per game on elite 50/40/81 shooting splits, plus 7.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists - isn’t just good, it’s foundational. He’s become a leader on the league’s youngest roster and has taken on a larger role than he ever had in Denver.
Head coach Jordi Fernandez, who knows Porter well from their time together with the Nuggets, recently praised his growth and emphasized that he’s still improving - on both ends of the floor.
But Porter’s contract is no small matter. He’s making $38.1 million this season, and if the Nets were to move him, they’d need to bring back significant salary to stay above the league’s salary floor.
Right now, Brooklyn sits just $200,000 above that $139.2 million threshold, and falling below it could trigger financial penalties. That makes any deal involving Porter a delicate balancing act - Brooklyn would have just one business day to get back above the floor if they dip under.
Cam Thomas, on the other hand, is in a very different situation. The 24-year-old guard has shown flashes of scoring brilliance, but his market is reportedly cold.
Injuries haven’t helped - he’s missed 70 games over the last two seasons due to recurring hamstring issues, including 17 this year. That kind of durability concern can scare off potential suitors, and with no clear return date and a diminished role waiting for him if he does come back, his future in Brooklyn looks uncertain.
Fernandez didn’t mince words earlier this week, saying that if Thomas returns, it’ll likely be in a lesser role.
Thomas also holds some leverage - he’s on a qualifying offer and turned down more lucrative short-term deals, including a one-year offer worth $9.5 million plus incentives and a two-year, $30 million deal with a team option. He has veto power over any trade, but a move would cost him his Bird Rights, limiting his earning potential on a new team. It’s a tough spot for a player who once looked like a key piece of the rebuild.
Claxton’s name has floated in trade rumors, but there’s little indication the Nets are actively shopping him. That could change - he’s 26, on a $25.4 million deal, and could be an attractive piece for a team looking for a mobile, defensive-minded big. But like Porter, moving him would require careful salary maneuvering to avoid dipping below the floor.
All of this trade chatter ties into a larger debate within the Nets’ orbit: to tank or not to tank? Brooklyn owns just one pick in the 2026 draft, but it could be a big one.
The top of that class is loaded with potential franchise-changers - Darry Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa, and Cam Boozer are already generating serious buzz, with some scouts believing all three are better than Cooper Flagg.
Even if the Nets don’t land a top-three pick, there are still high-end prospects like Caleb Wilson in the mix.
Right now, Brooklyn has the sixth-worst record in the league, which gives them a 9% shot at the No. 1 pick and a 37.5% chance at landing in the top four. But those odds are just that - odds.
There are no guarantees. Some around the league, like Zach Harper, believe the Nets’ place in the lottery standings will take care of itself, especially with teams like New Orleans and Indiana underperforming.
Still, the margin for error is slim, and the front office has to weigh whether dealing Porter or Claxton for more draft capital is worth the risk of losing two of their best players.
Owner Joe Tsai offered a bit of insight earlier this year at a tech summit in Los Angeles, hinting at the team’s strategy. “We have one pick in 2026, and we hope to get a good pick,” he said.
“So you can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season.” Translation: the rebuild is in full effect, and the Nets are playing the long game.
Fortunately for Brooklyn, they’re well-positioned to play it. They control 32 draft picks - 13 first-rounders (12 of them unprotected), two unprotected first-round swaps, and 19 second-rounders.
Ten of those firsts and all 19 seconds are tradeable. They’ve also got $15.3 million in cap space, the most in the league, and they’re nearly $49 million below the luxury tax threshold.
The Nets are $55.8 million under the first apron and $67.7 million under the second, giving them flexibility few teams can match.
They’ve got an $8.8 million mid-level exception to use if they go over the cap, two non-guaranteed contracts (Tyrese Martin and Jalen Wilson) that can be waived by January 7, and team options on Ziaire Williams and Day’Ron Sharpe. Veteran wings like Haywood Highsmith and Terance Mann are on reasonable deals, and there’s even an open two-way spot expected to be filled in the next couple of weeks.
But Porter remains the crown jewel if the Nets decide to make a splash. His combination of age, production, and upside makes him one of the more valuable trade assets in the league. And while Brooklyn’s front office isn’t tipping its hand, the league is watching closely.
The next six weeks will tell us a lot about how Sean Marks and company see the future. Are they fully committed to the tank, aiming for a shot at a generational talent in 2026? Or do they see Porter and Claxton as foundational pieces worth building around?
Whatever direction they choose, the Nets have the tools - and the flexibility - to shape their future. Now it’s just a matter of how bold they want to be.