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Nets: Making the case for Brooklyn to trade for Victor Oladipo

By Colin Braun

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 23: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers puts up a layup defended by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson #24 of the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 23, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 23: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers puts up a layup defended by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson #24 of the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 23, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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With recent reports saying Victor Oladipo wants out of Indiana, is he the missing piece for a Nets title?

With the NBA Finals kicking off this week, basketball’s second season, the offseason, feels as if it’s just around the corner.

And for the Brooklyn Nets, the 2020 offseason feels like it may be the most important in franchise history.

With new head coach Steve Nash, and two bright and shiny superstars leading the way, Brooklyn should absolutely be one of the title favorites heading into next season. But the offseason is all about improvement, and Sean Marks may feel he needs to add one more complementary piece to put the Nets over the top. That piece may be named Victor Oladipo.

On Monday morning, Jared Weiss of The Athletic reported that Pacers star Victor Oladipo is looking to move on from Indiana this offseason. This follows a season where the former two-time All Star found himself only playing in 19 games as he returned from a serious quad injury suffered back in January of 2019. He finally returned to the court on Jan. 29, 2020, putting his recovery time at 371 days. In the games he played, he averaged 14.5 points a game on career low percentages from both the field and the 3-point line. Oladipo did step up his game in the Pacers’ short-lived playoff series against the Miami Heat, where he averaged nearly 18 points on fairly efficient shooting numbers.

With Oladipo looking to head elsewhere, here’s the case for why the Nets should trade for him and hope he returns to his All-Star form.

1. He’s still one of only a handful of two-way stars. 

In a league where having capable defenders is crucial, it’s even better when that guy is a 20-point-per-game scorer. When thinking about guys who can score and defend at an elite level, names like Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, and Giannis Antetokounmpo all come to mind. But I’d consider Oladipo in that discussion, at least before his quad injury.

Since coming to Indiana in the original Paul George trade, Victor Oladipo has been asked, night after night, to defend the other team’s best offensive player while at the same time carrying the Pacers offensively. Defensively, he’s quick enough to guard point guards and strong enough to guard shooting guards or even forwards. Offensively, he’s an absolutely elite finisher around the rim and can pull off some highlight-level dunks. But Oladipo’s also a good enough shooter to keep defenders honest when guarding him at the perimeter.

Since adding Oladipo, the Pacers have consistently been a top-10 defense and this can easily translate over to Brooklyn, should they trade for him. He’d alleviate some pressure off Kyrie Irving’s shoulders when it comes to defending guards, and provide some much-needed perimeter defense to a Nets team that was top-10 in paint defense, but struggled when it came to the 3-point line. Offensively for the Nets, Oladipo would obviously be another fantastic scorer to play alongside Irving and Durant. Not only would he give you nearly 20 points a game, but he’d also give Steve Nash another primary ball handler to use if Irving has to miss time or Brooklyn wants to run a bigger lineup.

2. He’s capable of being both the star or being in a supporting role.

Before becoming the Pacers’ All-Star, Victor Oladipo was known as a complementary piece, both for the Orlando Magic and later the Oklahoma City Thunder. Specifically in Oklahoma City, Oladipo was the second option behind Russell Westbrook. The former Indiana Hoosier was never the offensive focal point for Oklahoma City, as this was the season Westbrook won MVP averaging a triple-double. Oladipo still effectively scored off the ball on then-career-high shooting percentages.

If the Nets decide to pull the trigger on a Victor Oladipo trade, he’d fall back into this role of a complementary player. Because of his time in Orlando and Oklahoma City, Oladipo is comfortable with not having to be top dog, though if called upon he can easily turn into a walking bucket. Even more recently with the Pacers, he was more a secondary piece, as he was eased back into things while TJ Warren caught fire.

With Durant and Irving already set to shoulder the scoring load, Oladipo would slide into a supportive role he’s already familiar with.

3. He’s only 28 years old.

The big reason why teams may want to avoid Victor Oladipo is because of the most recent quad injury that cost him over a calendar year of his career. Many GMs and coaches may fear Oladipo will never be the same All-Star player he was only a couple seasons ago. It’s always a risk trading for a player coming off an injury, but Oladipo may be an exception.

For starters, the Pacers star is still only 28 years old, and he suffered the injury back when he was 26. Oladipo is still in the prime of his career, at least age-wise. Other players like Tony Parker or Charles Barkley suffered similar quad injuries, but they were at the end of their careers, with Parker being 35 and Barkley at 36, respectively. Oladipo has youth on his side, and hasn’t nearly suffered the same amount of wear and tear as others who’ve lost their careers due to ruptured quads. So while there’s a chance Oladipo can’t get back to his pre-injury form, this also creates a scenario where the Nets may be able to get him for less than other players on the market like Jrue Holiday or Zach LaVine. The upside for a Victor Oladipo trade outweighs the potential risk.

4. His contract may be just right for a deal.

One reason why some people were surprised Oladipo is wanting to move on this offseason rather than next is because he only has one year left on his contract. The former No. 2 overall pick is set to make $21 million next season, a relatively small salary for a 28-year-old All-Star. So while the Nets may not have long-term security if they bring in Oladipo, they may not want it.

If Oladipo turns out to be a washed-up, former shell of himself (which I don’t think he’ll be), the Nets wouldn’t be locked into a long-term marriage, something the Boston Celtics know all about with Gordon Hayward. And if Oladipo ends up returning to his elite form, the Nets can always try to re-sign him. It could be a can’t-lose situation from Brooklyn’s perspective.

Ultimately, though, a trade for Oladipo would mean one thing: the Brooklyn Nets are all-in for a championship next season. With no more than a one-year loan guaranteed with Oladipo, Sean Marks would be pushing all his chips in for a title run in 2020-21.