Brooklyn Nets' Offseason Spending Ranks 11th in the NBA

How do the franchise's financial decisions stack up?

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Despite beginning a total overhaul, the Brooklyn Nets managed to land among the league's highest spenders. ESPN recently reported the NBA's total free agent spending eclipsed $2.7 billion, $600 million more than last summer.

Brooklyn, who handed Nic Claxton $97 million of their listed $113.4 million total, found themselves as the 11th-highest spenders in the entire NBA this offseason. The remaining $16.4 million was allocated through deals with newcomer Shake Milton and returnees Trendon Watford and Keon Johnson.

To put this number in perspective, the Philadelphia 76ers, who spent a league-leading $506 million, added pieces like Paul George and Andre Drummond while extending Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. While that figure is significantly more than the Nets chose to spend, the haul Philadelphia landed was far superior to Brooklyn's re-signings.

Their situation could have been much worse. After making the decision to send Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks, there was no benefit to throwing big-time money at those who were considered the best available players. George was widely viewed as the prize of this summer's free agent class, and neither he nor anyone outside of him would have been a smart acquisition for the Nets.

Brooklyn's financial situation is actually more generous than it appears. While spending the 11th-most amid the first year of a rebuild seems jarring, general manager Sean Marks and company are porjected to have the most cap space in the league next season.

Ben Simmons' contract will finally be off the books and Dennis Schröder will hit unrestricted free agency, but an extension for Cam Thomas will have to take place. While it is unlikely the Nets will big big spenders next season, Thomas' inevitable deal will take up a large percentage of Brooklyn's cap space just as Claxton's did this summer.

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