Nothin' But Nets
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Brooklyn Nets: Possible trades to acquire a center

By Sean Costello

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 27: Timofey Mozgov
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 27: Timofey Mozgov /
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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 4: Andre Drummond of Team World practices for the 2017 Africa Game as part of the Basketball Without Borders Africa at the Ticketpro Dome on August 4, 2017 in Gauteng province of Johannesburg, South Africa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 4: Andre Drummond of Team World practices for the 2017 Africa Game as part of the Basketball Without Borders Africa at the Ticketpro Dome on August 4, 2017 in Gauteng province of Johannesburg, South Africa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

One of Detroit’s two centers

The Eastern Conference looks significantly weaker this upcoming season. Now, a number of teams are unsure of their future direction. The conference was shaken up after Paul George and Jimmy Butler moved west.

One team unsure of their standing among other teams is the Detroit Pistons. Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy has a choice to make. He could either make a serious playoff push or he can self-destruct. Either way, the roster would have to change drastically. 

The Pistons are looking like they are in jeopardy of becoming a treadmill team, like the Nets were a few sewasons ago. Detroit is not bad enough to rebuild, but not good enough to be a legit title contender. Unlike the Nets a few years however, the Pistons still own multiple draft picks over the course of the next few years. 

Detroit will have to radicalize their roster in the event of both a rebuild or a playoff push. With that said, the Nets can possibly jump in and help the Pistons by grabbing one of their two centers.

There are different reasons why Van Gundy would choose to move each man respectively.

Let’s start with Andre Drummond. Detroit owes him $23 million next season. He also still has 4 years remaining on his contract. The Pistons could, like the Nets, send their franchise center packing. It is not a salary dump as Drummond deserves that max contract. But the Pistons could look to save some money, especially on a center with a traditional skillset. The Nets might be opportunistic enough to nab him. 

Drummond is  the heart and soul of the Pistons roster, and the pistons may not look to move him. But if they do, Sean Marks should give Van Gundy a call. Also, the Pistons would only have one more center on their roster, so the Nets can possibly rid themselves of Mozgov and his contract in the process as well.

If the Pistons elect to keep Drummond and dump some of their other players in order to build around him, the Nets should look for another center. Mark could go after Boban Marjanovic. Marjanovic is the more realistic trade target for Brooklyn and can possibly be looked at as a trade piece to Van Gundy.

Marjanovic is only owed $7 million next season and has some ties to Marks. Before joining Brooklyn, Marks was in San Antonio. Marjanovic played for the Spurs briefly, and became a fan favorite in the process. The Nets would also get a player who thrived in Greg Poppovich’s system, which is always a plus.