As every Brooklyn fan knows by now, the Nets tank season has gotten a bit off track. 24 games into the 2024-25 campaign and Jordi Fernandez has Brooklyn on pace to win 34 games.
That would double the projected 17.5 Overe/Under win total most betting markets set for the Nets coming into the year. I can sit here and sing the virtues of building a strong foundation under the first-year Head Coach but the Nets need to lose!
On Monday’s episode of the podcast, Doug Norrie and I discussed Cam Johnson and the trade market Sean Marks could explore well ahead of the February 6th deadline. Even with a multi-year contract in place, there will be plenty of teams putting calls into Brooklyn in the coming weeks.
This means the Nets can remove the top point-scorer in Cam Thomas’ absence from the roster, add draft assets to the stockpile, and align Brooklyn back toward the tank. One move however is not enough, so let’s take a look at Dennis Schröder and how his play in Brooklyn could build a market around the NBA.
The Player:
First off, Dennis Schröder has been phenomenal this year for the Nets. Schröder is putting up the third-best FG% and second-best three-point percentage of his career while hitting career-bests in FT%(88.9) and AST(6.5). Since joining Brooklyn at the trade deadline last season, he has been a leader on the court and in the locker room and has championed the Jordi Fernandez “no-nonsense” approach to coaching.
The irony with Schröder(and many of the Nets veterans) is that in any other season, fans would be ecstatic to see over-achievement like this in Brooklyn. The reality is that Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and the top of the 2025 Draft class are slipping through the Net’s fingers. So, who could use a 31-year veteran Point-Guard on an expiring $13m contract?
The Teams:
Unlike with Cam Johnson, this is a trickier conversation. Dennis Schröder is starting and playing 34 minutes a night in Brooklyn. That should only add to his market value, but the reality is the NBA is split into marginalized categories when it comes to PG needs. The bad teams are not adding a veteran unless it is a salary dump where they can acquire draft picks which Sean Marks and the Nets will not do.
You then have contending rosters that could see Schröder as a means to bolster their bench, but will those teams be willing to part with multiple second-round picks add a six-month rental? Perhaps San Antonio who has Tyus Jones out with injury would look to fill the gap, but at .500 they like many teams could be waiting to see where they stand closer to February.
Orlando, who we also discussed in the Cam Johnson trades, could use a veteran PG presence. Whether they would part ways with a young developing Anthony Black or package picks with Cole Anthony - these are certainly possibilities but the reality may not be in “how” not “where.”
The Outcome:
There will be discussions about Dennis Schröder, but if a deal gets done may depend on how other teams view the Net’s strategy. If a market does not develop for Schröder, Brooklyn could very well buy out the veteran. The reality is that keeping Schröder on the roster means the Nets could back into a few more wins across the season, something they cannot risk as evident but the 10-14 record.
If that risk/reward is being evaluated, most contending teams will likely wait out the Nets front office, and jump at the opportunity to sign Dennis Schröder to a more team-friendly contract for a playoff run. No matter the outcome, for now, Schröder continues to take the court for the Brooklyn Nets, leading with experience and grit any fan should respect and appreciate.
