15 People in the Eastern Conference the Brooklyn Nets Can Possibly Sign

Nic Claxton

This year’s NBA free agency for the Brooklyn Nets is going to be a little confusing because of Nic Claxton. Nic is the starting Center for the Nets and he plays an important role with them. There are good free agents available this year including Tyrese Maxey and Pascal Siakam but the Nets only have a small chance of signing players like them. The Nets need help getting rebounds and also fastbreak defense and cuts for getting easy layups and these players have those abilities. I have created a list of people that are free agents, this may have changed. This list also goes from worst to best.

15. Lonnie Walker IV

Lonnie Walker is a 6' 4" Shooting Guard for the Brooklyn Nets. Lonnie’s career average is 9.8 points and his career high is 31 points. He was drafted pick 18 in the 2019 NBA draft out of Miami University, by the San Antonio Spurs. Walker has only been in Brooklyn for 1 season. Walker is a scorer with great pull up shooting. The Nets can use his shooting abilities for another season and also his way to move past defenders to get to the basket easily.

14. Isaac Okoro

Isaac Okoro is a 6' 5" Small Forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers. His career average is 8.5 points and his career high is 32 points. Okoro was drafted 5th in the 2020 draft out of Auburn University, by the Cavs. He was selected for the All-NBA rookie team in 2021. Okoro has been with the Cavs for 4 years now. The Nets can use his transition offense and his left corner threes. He shoots 34.7 percent from three which is good for a Small Forward.

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13. Josh Richardson

Josh Richardson is a 6' 6" Shooting Guard for the Miami Heat. He has averaged a career 11 points and his career high is 37 points. He was the 40th pick in the 2015 NBA draft out of Tennessee University, by the Miami Heat. He has been in Miami for one season after he signed with them last year. He is known for his shooting, which would be useful for the Nets.

12. Patrick Williams

Patrick Williams is a 6' 7" Power Forward for the Chicago Bulls. He has averaged a career 9.7 points and his career high is 35 points. He was the 4th pick in the 2020 NBA draft out of Florida State, by the Bulls. Patrick was picked right before Isaac Okoro and it shows that the Bulls made the right decision because he is good on both ends of the floor. He has been with the Bulls for 4 years now and he has been doing great. The Nets can use his rebounding on the offense and the defense.

11. Obi Toppin

Obi Toppin is a 6' 9" Power Forward for the Indiana Pacers. He has averaged a career 7.2 points and his career high is 42 points. He was the 8th pick in the 2020 NBA draft out of Dayton University, by the New York Knicks. He has only been with the Pacers for 1 year now after signing with them last summer. The Nets can use his fastbreak defense and offense. Also he can block small guards when their shooting and attacking to the basket.

10. Bruce Brown

Bruce Brown is a 6' 4" Shooting Guard for the Toronto Raptors. He has averaged a career 8.9 points and his career high is 31 points. He was traded to Toronto this season in the Pascal Siakam trade earlier this year. He was 42nd pick in the 2018 NBA draft out of Miami University, by the Detroit Pistons. Bruce was with the Nets before and he was loved by the Brooklyn community. He is good on offense plus he can shoot and the Nets can use him.

9. Tyus Jones

Tyus Jones is a 6' 1" Point Guard for the Washington Wizards. He has averaged a career 7.4 points and his career high is 28 points. Tyus was picked 24th in the 2015 NBA draft out of Duke University, by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jones has only been with the Wizards for 1 season after being traded to them last summer. Tyus had a breakout year this year in assists and in points averaging 12 PPG and 7.3 APG. He could be the starting Point Guard or the backup Point Guard. Even though the Wizards were 14th in the Eastern Conference last season, Tyus helped them get to 15 wins for the season.

8. Saddiq Bey

Saddiq Bey is a 6' 7" Small Forward for the Atlanta Hawks. He has averaged a career 14.1 points and his career high is 51 points which is astronomically good. He was drafted 19th in the 2019 NBA draft out of Villanova University, by the Brooklyn Nets but was traded after to the Detroit Pistons. He has been with the Atlanta Hawks for 1 1/2 seasons and has been really good with them. Saddiq would be the starting Small Forward or Power Forward because of his height. Saddiq can also be a person on fastball defense and offense and that would help the Nets for cuts and getting easy layups.

7. Gary Trent Jr

Gary Trent Jr is a 6' 5" Shooting Guard for the Toronto Raptors. He has averaged a career 14.3 points and his career high is 44 points. He was drafted 37th in the 2018 NBA draft out of Duke University, by the Portland Trailblazers. He has been with the Raptors for 4 seasons. He can be a shooter for the Nets and get easy mid-ranges. He would be the starting Shooting Guard or Point Guard.

6. Buddy Hield

Buddy Hield is a 6' 4" Shooting Guard for the Philadelphia 76ers. He has averaged a career 15.5 points and his career high is 42 points. He was drafted 6th 2016 NBA draft out of Oklahoma University, by the New Orleans Pelicans. He has been with the Sixers for 1/2 a season after he got traded to them at the trade deadline. Hield is a shooter and he is going to be one of the best with 1,924 threes right now, which is incredibly good. Hield would be the Nets shooter and the man they would want to get the ball to.

5. Immanuel Quickley

Immanuel Quickley

Immanuel Quickley is a 6' 2" Point Guard for the Toronto Raptors. He has averaged a career 13.7 points and his career high is 40 points. He was drafted 25th in the 2020 NBA draft out of Kentucky University, by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was later traded to the New York Knicks that night. He has been with the Raptors for 1/2 a season after being traded to them at the trade deadline. Immanuel would be the starting Point Guard for the Nets and he could also attack into the paint, which he is good at doing. Also the Nets lacks shooters and they need a shooter that can hit catch and shoot threes.

4. Tobias Harris

Tobias Harris

Tobias Harris is a 6' 8" Power Forward for the Philadelphia 76ers. He has averaged a career 16.3 points and his career high is 39 points. He was drafted 19th in the 2011 NBA draft out of Tennessee University, by the Charlotte Hornets. He was then traded to the Milwaukee Bucks later that night. He has been with the 76ers for 6 seasons and has been good until this year’s playoffs after he collapsed a didn’t fulfill his expectations. Tobias is a formidable defensive rebounder at the forward position and the Nets can use that. At 6' 8", he can guard players from every position which is something most players can’t do.

3. Miles Bridges

Miles Bridges

Miles Bridges is a 6' 7" Small Forward for the Charlotte Hornets. He has averaged a career 14.8 points a game and his career high is 45 points. Miles was drafted 12th in the 2018 NBA draft out of Michigan State, by the Los Angeles Clippers. Bridges was later traded that night to the Hornets. He is a Shooter with defensive capabilities of a Center which is a good asset to have. He has been with the Hornets for 5 seasons and his time in the NBA has made him into a solid outside shooter which can has made him more valuable. Miles might leave because the Hornets organization has stayed the same for the time he has been with them.

2. Nic Claxton

Nic Claxton

Nic Claxton is a 6' 11" Center for the Brooklyn Nets. Claxton has averaged a career 10.3 points and his career high is 27 points. He was drafted 31st in the 2019 NBA draft by the Nets out of Georgia University. Claxton has been with the Nets for 5 seasons and he has change a lot from his Rookie Year to now. Nic is one of the best defenders in the league and has been deemed the best Center in the free agency market this offseason. This means teams are monitoring him and the Detroit Pistons or the OKC Thunder are going to try to match the Nets contract, if they even offer him one. Also Nic has averaged a career 1.8 blocks a game which is extraordinary. He is still working on his shooting but he has gotten better.

1. Demar DeRozan

Demar DeRozan

Demar DeRozan is 6' 6" Small Forward for the Chicago Bulls. He has averaged a career 21.2 points and his career high is 52 points. Demar was picked 9th in the 2009 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors, out of USC. DeRozan has been with the Bulls for 3 seasons and he has shown his abilities. Demar remains one of the best mid-range scorers despite him getting up there in age. DeRozan is a Athletic person and that has helped him through is career even though he has not won a championship. The Nets can use his shooting and his rebounding. He can also rip the ball from people’s hands and the Nets can use that to get up in the standings. Demar has also gotten the Clutch Player of the Year Award. The Nets forward Mikal Bridges is also a clutch player. By combing them together they can be great at the end of games.

Conclusion

Right now the Nets have a steady starting lineup, but they might move things around. Journalist Brian Lewis wrote that the Nets can trade Dennis Schroder for some draft picks so they can add to their draft capital. If they do that, they can sign someone like Tyus Jones that could be better for the Nets. Overall, I think everyone on this list would do great on the Nets if they sign with them. The Nets community would also get some great rebounders, shooters, role-players, and defenders.