Nothin' But Nets
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Brooklyn Nets: Grading the offseason

By Phil Watson

BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 5: The Brooklyn Nets logo before the game against the Miami Heat during a preseason game on October 5, 2017 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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)
BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 5: The Brooklyn Nets logo before the game against the Miami Heat during a preseason game on October 5, 2017 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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) /
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Brooklyn Nets
SACRAMENTO, CA – MARCH 1: Timofey Mozgov #20 of the Brooklyn Nets gets introduced into the starting lineup against the Sacramento Kings on March 1, 2018 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

July 6: Trade with Charlotte Hornets

The trade between the Charlotte Hornets and Brooklyn Nets hit news cycles the day before the NBA Draft in June, but couldn’t become official until after the start of the new league year on July 1.

The upshot of the deal was giving up the second-round picks in 2018 and 2021 to clear the remaining $16 million of Timofey Mozgov‘s disastrous contract off the 2019-20 salary cap sheet.

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That was the price to clear that space, along with eventually eating almost $19 million in Howard’s salary for this season when he was bought out and waived the day after the trade became official on July 6.

The buyout of Howard, which was anticipated long before the ink dried on the deal, effectively closed the door on any big splashes in free agent this season before the market opened.

But it also triggered the “ZOMG Nets have $70 million in cap space for 2019” dreams, even if they aren’t entirely accurate. Yes, Brooklyn can create between $50 million and $70 million in space for next summer, but they still have to account for their own free agents (and there are a ton of them).

As of now, eight players can become free agents in 2019 — DeMarre Carroll, Kenneth Faried, Jared Dudley, Ed Davis and Spencer Dinwiddie can hit unrestricted free agency, while D’Angelo Russell, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Theo Pinson would be restricted free agents entering next summer.

Plus there is the $18.5 million player option for Allen Crabbe and team options on Caris LeVert (fourth year) and Jarrett Allen (third year) that will have to be declared by the end of October.

But removing Mozgov’s ungodly contract — a byproduct of the spending spree that came with the spike in the salary cap in 2016 — was a huge step toward setting the table for what comes next summer.

Two second-round picks and dining on Howard’s salary for this season were a fair price to pay.

Grade: A-