Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks revealed an honest goal for the organization entering year one of a rebuild.

“We're looking at it as, ‘Who are the next Nets?' Who do we look at and say, ‘Ok, this person can be part of this rebuild, and this person is on the team for the next two, three years,'” the GM said. “Development is going to be, if not the 1A [priority], certainly 1B, in terms of some of the young guys we have and the young guys we'll be bringing in.”

Youth, development and upside will be buzzwords for the Nets, who have the NBA's lowest win/loss projection this season at 19.5 games. But what about the players who don't fit those descriptors? After all, the team has several veterans, such as Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Dennis Schroder and Bojan Bogdanović, who could be of value to contenders.

All four players are still on the roster at the start of training camp. However, it would be shocking if one or more were not traded before this year's deadline. Trade negotiations typically heat up after Jan. 15, when teams can trade free agents they signed during the prior offseason.

How are Nets veterans dealing with trade speculation?

Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks addresses the media prior to the game against the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center.
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Of the group, Johnson should have the most trade value. While he has struggled to stay healthy with Brooklyn, the 6-foot-8 forward has shot 41 percent from three on 6.0 attempts per game over his last three seasons. With his name frequently involved in trade rumors, Johnson and Marks have had an open line of communication.

“The conversations have been just letting him know that I understand the business,” Johnson said at Nets Media Day. “I just said there’s never a hard feeling about anything that happens. I like Sean a lot, and I appreciate Sean a lot. That won’t change if I was traded two months ago, that won’t change if I’m traded two months from now, that won’t change if I remain a Net for the rest of my career.”

“So I let him know that. And then after that, it’s just, ‘Let me know what’s going on.' I’d like to be in the loop of what can happen, of what he’s thinking, of what the team’s thinking,” Johnson continued. “He was very good to have that conversation with. And he gave me a lot of good feedback as well.”

Johnson played in 58 games last season while battling a slew of injuries. A hot start to the season could ease the minds of front offices across the league and grow his value. The veteran sharpshooter is under contract for two years, $45 million after this season, a deal that could look favorable with the salary cap expected to rise due to a $76 billion media rights deal.

Several teams have been linked to Johnson, including the Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Finney-Smith is another three-and-D wing who would offer a seamless fit on several contenders. While he is not the same caliber shooter as Johnson, the 31-year-old has risen to the occasion in the playoffs, shooting 41.7 percent from deep on 5.5 attempts per game over 35 career appearances. His hard-nosed defense should pique the interest of several contenders.

Finney-Smith is under contract for $14.9 million before a $15.4 million player option next season, allowing teams to match his contract far easier than Johnson's. While the veteran wing said he is focused on competing with Brooklyn, he is grateful for Marks' open-door policy amid trade speculation.

“I spoke to Sean, spoke to the coaches. They've been really open, and I appreciate that,” Finney-Smith said. “A lot of times in this league, coaches won't say anything to you, and they'll just try to sweep it under the rug like your name ain't all over the internet. We got families, so we don't want to hear that. But that's what comes with the business.

“But I appreciate them just letting me know that they hear it and it's a lot going on. Coach said that just means that a lot of teams want you. It could be the other way around, where you're trying to find a spot. So there are always a lot of positives in everything.”

The Nets open training camp on Tuesday and will kick off the preseason on Oct. 8 against the Los Angeles Clippers. While their names should continue to be a fixture in trade rumors during the first half of this season, Marks feels Brooklyn's veterans still have an important role on the new-look roster.

“I think it's really important for everybody to not necessarily read into what everyone else's opinions may be,” he said. “If you look at every rebuild and every team around the league, it's paramount and important to have veterans on your roster and guys that are going to buy in, help lead, and help be a voice for our coaching staff. They have to be sending the right message to the young guys.

“I get that their timelines may not look quite the same as what the organization's looks like, and that's why I think it's very important to have transparent conversations with them. We've had those conversations. I think they know what's expected of them. We know what's expected of us and vice versa. So, for us it's just to keep the door open. If they need to come in and have a conversation with [head coach] Jordi [Fernandez] or myself, the door is always open and we'll be clear and honest with them. We expect the same thing on their front.”