The Brooklyn Nets and Sean Marks have made a minor move in order to help improve the future outlook of the team.
The Nets bring in Jared Dudley and a 2021 second-round draft pick from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Darrell Arthur. Arthur was acquired from the Denver Nuggets last week in the Kenneth Faried salary dump.
Arthur will be bought out by Phoenix. The Nets will also discuss a buyout with Dudley, but that is less guaranteed than the one between Arthur and the Suns.
The Suns will be able to shed some salary as a result of the trade, and the Nets will get a second round pick, which is essentially a lottery ticket. The pick is reportedly protected if it ends up in the first five picks of the second round, so the Nets get the pick if it falls below 35.
If Dudley is bought out by Brooklyn, then they also get some salary cap relief that they didn’t really need, but would surely welcome. Dudley has already said he’s not particularly interested in a buyout.
I have not been shy in my praise for Sean Marks. I have really liked what he has done since taking over the Nets. He’s been acquiring late first-rounders and second-round picks, which are huge, especially since Billy King traded away all of their own picks during his tenure.
The Nets have also done pretty well drafting. They don’t have any superstars, obviously, but they have been able to get several contributors for when they do have superstars. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Caris LeVert, and Jarrett Allen are all guys they managed to get late in the draft that have become solid players.
D’Angelo Russell is also on the roster, and everyone knows the sky is the limit for him if he can put it all together and prove why he was the second overall pick in the draft a couple of years ago.
Marks has the Nets in a good position, and this move is a great, albeit small, example of why I’m such a big fan of his.
Featured Image via Flickr/David Jones
