Nets veterans respond to trade speculation as deadline approaches
12/12/2024 04:44 PM
The NBA trade deadline is less than two months away, and several Brooklyn Nets veterans are at the center of growing speculation. With the team exceeding expectations during a presumed tanking season, general manager Sean Marks is reportedly “open for business.”
The Nets are blocking out the noise as rumors surface with trade season approaching.
“You have to realize that some of it is out of your control. It doesn’t really make any sense to worry about it or overthink it or anything like that,” said Shake Milton. “You have to think about what you can do to make sure your situation is good. You continue to put in the work, be the best version of yourself. Every day, show up, and just be grateful. When you think about it, we get to play basketball. It’s not like we have a real job or anything like that. We’re not outside doing construction. We get to play ball. Being grateful for that makes it easier.”
Few teams have seen more roster turnover than the Nets over the last half-decade.
Nets players facing trade speculation with deadline approaching
Four players remain from Brooklyn’s 2022-23 opening-day roster: Nic Claxton, Ben Simmons, Cam Thomas, and Day’Ron Sharpe. Claxton is the team’s longest-tenured player and has become familiar with the NBA’s business side.
“It’s just the nature of the business,” he said of trade speculation. “It’s a part of the league. Happens every year, all around the league. Of course, I’ve seen it a lot, but you just gotta keep the main thing, the main thing. We all have a job to do here as long as everybody’s here. We all just got to lock in and take it, game by game, practice by practice.”
With the Nets positioned as sellers, several top contributors – including Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schroder – could be on the move. All three players have been integral to Brooklyn’s success, posting three of the team’s top four net ratings.
While several Nets face uncertain futures, head coach Jordi Fernandez said the team remains focused on the task at hand.
"We love our group. I love my group,” Fernandez said. “So I keep working with them every day going into the game like they are our group and they will be our group. Whatever happens that I cannot control, I cannot be talking about it or worrying about it because that's not my job."
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