3 mock trades that land All-Star level players in Brooklyn
By Jed Katz
2. Trade Target: Lauri Markkanen
Nets receive: Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk, Kris Dunn, 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protected)
Jazz receive: Cam Thomas, Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O'Neale, Noah Clowney, Dariq Whitehead, 2025 first-round pick (via PHX), 2028 first-round pick (unprotected)
This would be a blockbuster trade to go down months before the deadline, but it would give the Nets serious hope as a dark-horse playoff team. Markkanen has become a consistent 23-25 points per game-scorer while adding 7-9 rebounds.
Brooklyn also gets additions to their depth in Kelly Olynyk and Kris Dunn, two veterans with playoff experience, but obviously, the real quality to eye at is Markkanen's ability to create shots. It makes sense to swap out Cam Thomas for another shot creator, this one with more consistency.
Lauri Markkanen. #KiaMIP.
— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2023
First-time All-Star with huge highlights and career highs across the board... @MarkkanenLauri earned the Kia NBA Most Improved Player! pic.twitter.com/A2NGB7OIap
The Jazz double down on their rebuild, trading a 26-year-old Markkanen for a 22-year-old Thomas to go along with draft capital young projects in Clowney and Whitehead. This would likely go along with a Jordan Clarkson trade, but regardless, it pairs Thomas with an emerging scorer in Keyonte George on the wings.
Brooklyn's starting 5 post-trade:
PG: Ben Simmons/Spencer Dinwiddie
SG: Lonnie Walker IV
SF: Mikal Bridges
PF: Lauri Markkanen
C: Nic Claxton
Projected impact: +4-6 wins