Brooklyn Nets-Isaac Okoro Trade Talks Never 'Got Substantial'

The franchise's potential deal for the defensive wing is unlikely to come to fruition.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The momentum behind a trade for the Cleveland Cavaliers' Isaac Okoro appears to have ended before it really picked up for the Brooklyn Nets.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports joined the Ball Don't Lie to discuss the rumor surrounding the 23-year-old.

"I know there was some reporting about there being a Nets package idea where [Okoro] would go to Brooklyn and there’ll be something with Dorian Finney-Smith going back," he said. "I don’t think those talks got really really substantial to my understanding. I just don’t think it can even happen right now after the salary stuff has all shifted out."

Now in the late stages of the 2024 offseason, the majority of teams, Brooklyn included, do not have the financial ability to sign Okoro to an offer sheet.

"I don’t think Brooklyn has the room to make that happen," Fischer continued. "And bringing back Dorian’s like $14 million would be challenging for that first apron stuff that we’re talking about with Cleveland in general."

The Nets are presently already $25 million over the 2024-25 salary cap, and finding a way to match numbers with Okoro would be an extreme challenge for general manager Sean Marks.

"I think Okoro could very easily take that one-year qualifying offer."

With that pipe dream now seemingly over, Brooklyn shifts focus to the beginning of next year. Despite countless rumors surrounding Finney-Smith's future in the organization, he has yet to be dealt. Cleveland can now be removed from the list of suitors, and that group will only continue to shrink as opening day inches closer.

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