Grade the Trade: Cavaliers add 2 shooters in 3-team deal with Nets, Mavs

Does Brooklyn say yes?

The Brooklyn Nets currently have an excessive number of wing players due to the deadline deals. Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale, Joe Harris, and potentially Ben Simmons create an overcrowding of players who can fill the two through four positions in the lineup. Bridges had a breakout performance with the Nets, and Johnson is one of the youngest among the group, making them likely core pieces. Finney-Smith and O’Neale are valuable role players, but as they age, their highest value lies in helping teams aiming to contend for a championship immediately.

Competition in the NBA is fierce, and the Nets face challenges in finding a clear path to title contention this coming season.

Swapping Finney-Smith and O’Neale for Hardaway would provide the Nets with greater clarity in terms of their wing depth, and it would also enable them to move up into the top 10 to select a promising long-term asset. While there were rumors of O’Neale and Finney-Smith fetching first-round picks in potential trades, those picks would likely fall in the late 20s. The Nets’ bench would take a slight hit, but in return, they would gain salary cap relief and the opportunity to secure a significant piece for the future in the top 10.

If this trade is proposed, the Nets should accept it and focus on retooling their roster for the next two to three years.