Insider suggests Nets trade Dorian Finney-Smith before Cam Johnson

The Brooklyn Nets have done quite a bit in terms of changing the trajectory of its franchise by trading away Mikal Bridges and re-signing center Nic Claxton. Now that Brooklyn is headed into a full-scale rebuild, they have to figure out what to do with the veterans and one insider has a suggestion for them.

In an article by Brian Lewis of the New York Post, ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks said that he would be “more inclined to look for offers for him (Dorian Finney-Smith because he’s got the player option.” The context behind this quote is that the Nets could be looking to trade Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson, but Finney-Smith should be prioritized because he could walk after the 2024-25 season.

“The likelihood is that he becomes a free agent, then you lose him for nothing,” Marks said. Finney-Smith, 31, is under contract for the next two years ($14.9 million in 2024-25 and $15.3 million in 2025-26), but 2025-26 is a player option. For someone like Finney-Smith who is looking to compete for championships, he won’t be doing that on the Nets right now and it’s likely that he’ll be looking to join a contender as soon as possible.

As Lewis pointed out earlier in his article, the Nets have received good offers for Finney-Smith, as many as two first-round picks during this past season, but they have not pulled the trigger on trading him yet. With the recent moves that Brooklyn has made this summer, they would be smart to trade Finney-Smith for something before next season’s deadline rather than risk losing him for nothing.