Sean Marks has spent the last several seasons stockpiling the kind of assets that can change a franchise’s direction in a hurry, and that puts the Brooklyn Nets in the conversation whenever a star becomes available.
The latest name tied to Brooklyn is Paolo Banchero. Bleacher Report identified the Nets as a potential trade destination for the 24-year-old Orlando Magic forward, a player who is now in the first year of his five-year, $239 million max rookie extension.
Brooklyn’s appeal in any major deal starts with the haul Marks has assembled. He has more than 10 tradable first-round picks and nearly 20 second-round picks, plus Michael Porter Jr., who is on a $40 million expiring contract. That combination gives the Nets a package that can attract both teams chasing draft capital and teams looking for a proven rotational piece.
The franchise was already in the mix for another major name not long ago. Brooklyn was firmly in the running for former Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown before the Philadelphia 76ers acquired him.
Banchero would bring obvious upside. He has helped Orlando reach three straight playoff appearances, though each run ended in the first round.
At 6-foot-10, he gives defenses problems with his scoring, his shot creation and his ability to bully his way into the paint. He can also manufacture offense in the mid-range, and when teams send extra attention his way, the playmaking follows.
Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane benefit from the space and pressure Banchero creates.
For Brooklyn, though, the fit is not as simple as it sounds. The Nets would be adding another young centerpiece, but one who would likely dominate the ball.
That matters because Sean Marks also drafted Mikel Brown Jr. with the sixth pick, and Brown has already flashed coming off the bench. Nolan Traoré, Egor Dëmin and Brown all need game reps to keep developing, and Banchero would take a big chunk of those touches.
That is why the report points to a different kind of target as a better match for Brooklyn’s young group. Wagner fits that mold more cleanly, with the ability to work both on and off the ball.
He can run pick-and-roll actions, knock down catch-and-shoot threes and slide alongside Brooklyn’s young ball-handlers. There is also the added wrinkle of a possible reunion with his older brother, Moritz.
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