The Nets, given their assets and money to spend, can force Denver’s hand by outbidding the organization and shutting down a return to the Nuggets.<\/p>\n
If that isn’t in the cards, Brooklyn can perform a sign-and-trade to bring in a young forward who just averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.1 blocks per game on 49-41-73 shooting splits. Watson fits the Nets’ timeline and could immediately thrive with more opportunities.<\/p>\n
Bruce Brown, Denver Nuggets (UFA)<\/p>\n
The Nuggets are in a tight money situation, hoping to avoid the second apron and cut salary. Similar to Watson, that could mean they lose Brown, who returned to Denver after two seasons elsewhere.<\/p>\n
This year, he played all 82 regular-season games, averaging 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and a steal across 24.4 minutes. The 29-year-old shot 47.5% from the field and 38.5% from three-point range.<\/p>\n
Brown doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective, and could work as a multi-positional defender in Brooklyn’s system. He made a real name for himself as a part-time starter in the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving era.<\/p>\n
A return to the Nets isn’t completely out of the question due to money and Brown’s veteran leadership. He could lift Brooklyn’s floor and improve its defense, which ranked 25th in efficiency last season<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nick Richards, Chicago Bulls (UFA)<\/p>\n After trading Nic Claxton<\/a> in a deal that landed Julius Randle in Brooklyn, the Nets are weakest at the center position. Signing Moritz Wagner<\/a> improved depth, but they could still use a traditional big man with him and Day’Ron Sharpe alternating between the four and five.<\/p>\n Richards, who was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Chicago Bulls earlier in the year, could bring that mold to the table. He ended the season strong, averaging 9.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks across his last 20 games.<\/p>\n The Nets could bring him in on a cheap deal and see how he’d fare in a lineup with plenty of floor spacing.<\/p>\n
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