The Brooklyn Nets are trading Dzanan Musa and a 2021 second-round pick to the Detroit Pistons for Bruce Brown, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The pick is via the Toronto Raptors.
This certainly isn't the Woj Bomb Nets fans were hoping to see amid all the James Harden rumors, but this is still a solid move for a Nets team trying to surround its star players with solid role guys. Brown averaged 8.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 28.2 minutes per game for the Pistons last season. He started 43 out of 58 games for Detroit and is a stellar perimeter defender. He also improved his efficiency in a big way from his rookie season, shooting 44.3% overall and a respectable 34.4% on 3-pointers after struggling with his shooting in his first year.
The Pistons selected Brown with the 42nd pick in the 2018 NBA Draft out of Miami. He had a non-guaranteed contract worth $1.7 million for the upcoming season, but the Nets will be guaranteeing his contract in order to make this trade work. The 6-foot-4 guard will then be a restricted free agent in 2021.
As for Musa, he was the 29th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Unfortunately, he hasn't found his footing in the NBA. The 6-foot-9 forward played just nine games in his rookie season and 40 games in Year 2 for Brooklyn. The 21-year-old averaged only 4.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 12.2 minutes per game. He shot just 37.2% from the field and 24.4% on 3-pointers.
The fresh start in Detroit could be good for Musa. He's owed just over $2 million for this upcoming season and has a $3.6 million team option for 2021-22.
This is the first trade for new Pistons general manager Troy Weaver.
Trades can become official at noon ET on Monday.