The Brooklyn Nets have rebounded from an extremely rough start to the season to reemerge as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference once again. And while they are currently trying to stay afloat with Kevin Durant on the sidelines, they figure to be a very dangerous team once the playoffs roll around again this season.
The Nets managed to improve the depth of their team last offseason, despite having to constantly deal with trade rumors regarding Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. That has put them in a good spot this season, but it's clear that they still have a couple of areas that could use some upgrades or improvements as the trade deadline approaches.
For the most part, Brooklyn has been very involved in trade rumors to this point, which is a good sign they are looking to make some upgrades. But there are also things that could end up not going their way as the deadline draws near, so let's take a look at what the Nets nightmare scenario would be at the trade deadline and see why it would be horrible if this ended up happening for them.
Nets nightmare scenario for trade deadline
The Nets have built a decent supporting cast around Durant and Irving, but it's not without its flaws to say the least. They have struggled when either one of these guys have been forced to miss time, and there are a couple of players, such as Joe Harris, who haven't really lived up to expectations so far this season.
Brooklyn's biggest need at the deadline, though, is going to be adding to the center position, where Nic Claxton is holding down the fort all on his own right now for the most part. Claxton has improved greatly this season, but if the Nets want to go on a deep playoff run this season, they will need to find someone to add to their rotation with Claxton at the center position at the deadline.
A potential trade target for them should be Jakob Poeltl. The San Antonio Spurs are obviously rebuilding, and Poeltl has quickly become one of the most sought after trade targets across the league as a result. Poeltl isn't the flashiest option you will find at center, but his numbers are solid (12.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.9 APG, 63 FG%) and his two-way capabilities are precisely what the Nets should be looking for right now.
Poeltl is a logical trade target for the Nets, but he's also a logical target for the Nets top competitor in the Boston Celtics. The C's have reportedly identified Poeltl as the final piece to their championship pursuit this season, and have been aggressive in trying to land him from the Spurs.
It's only one move, but the Celtics landing Poeltl would be an absolute nightmare scenario for the Nets. Boston has been leading the East all season long, and their roster is probably the deepest in the league. They don't really need to make any sort of massive moves at the trade deadline because they didn't lose any key pieces of their rotation from last season, and only added Malcolm Brogdon to that group over the offseason.
Everyone is chasing the Celtics right now, and any upgrades they can make at the trade deadline would be truly detrimental. They already have a strong center duo of Al Horford and Robert Williams III, so it makes sense that they would look to add another interior presence in Poeltl to solidify their frontcourt rotation. For a team without a true weakness, this is about as bad of a situation as they have.
The Nets clearly have a much greater need for Poeltl, or any center for that matter, but it shouldn't come as a surprise to see the Celtics being aggressive as the trade deadline nears. They came up just short in their effort to win it all last season, and given how good they have been so far this season, it makes sense to do whatever you can to maximize your championship window while it exists.
But it's clear that the Celtics landing Poeltl in particular would be a nightmare scenario. If Poeltl goes somewhere else, like the Toronto Raptors for example, no harm no foul, because the Raptors aren't really a threat to the Nets. But losing him to the Celtics would be huge, because chances are, the Nets are going to have to go through the Celtics at some point if they want to achieve their main goal this season. If Boston has Poeltl, things become ten times harder for Brooklyn to accomplish, making it a clear nightmare scenario for them.
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