NBA Mock Trade: Brooklyn Nets Land No. 1 Overall Pick From Atlanta Hawks

Could the Brooklyn Nets freshen things up and start new this offseason?

Sep 26, 2022; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks talks to the media during / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

With the NBA playoffs cruising their way through the second round, teams like the Brooklyn Nets, and the rest of those watching the playoffs from home, are strategizing for the offseason.

Nets general manager Sean Marks has some tough decisions to make. Nic Claxton is an unrestricted free agent and could dictate how Brooklyn operates this offseason. Or, Marks and the Nets can take things into their own hands.

While the Nets don't control their future draft picks for the time being -- thanks to a trade to acquire James Harden in a failed experiment in 2021 -- a strategic rebuild could be more beneficial than trying to build a fringe playoff team for years to come.

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Re-signing a 25-year-old Claxton to a four-year deal sounds incredible. He'll reach his prime. But as a defensive anchor, what does that matter if the rest of the roster is ready to be competitive? Maybe letting Claxton walk and hitting the rest button would be good for Brooklyn.

In a weak 2024 NBA Draft cycle, maybe the Nets can facilitate a trade to get into the first round of the draft to select a young flier of a pick to kick off a rebuild following a 32-50 season. Bleacher Report mocked up some trades for teams to land the No. 1 overall pick from the Atlanta Hawks, which included a package from the Nets.

In this trade, the Nets send Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith, the Phoenix Suns' 2027 first-round pick and the Memphis Grizzlies' 2028 second-round pick. In return, the Nets would receive Clint Capela and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

With this, the Nets could formally kick off a rebuild by selling players of value for young players and draft assets, a proven formula for teams to successfully build a championship-contending team with a prolonged window.

For the Hawks, the value of the No. 1 pick is going to be marginal in a draft considered to be so weak. There is no consensus future superstar of a draft pick at first overall. So, should they want to please their superstar guard in Trae Young, they could make this trade to get closer to being an NBA Championship-level team.

Bridges complements Young as a heliocentric guard, providing shooting and secondary shot creation, which would open things up offensively for the Hawks. He's also an incredible and versatile defender, which would complement Dejounte Murray, should they return his services and decide not to move him.

This trade helps the Hawks get one step closer to contention while moving on from Capela, giving Onyeka Okongwu a path to a starting role.

In this mock, the Nets could then target a player like Stephon Castle, a young prospect with incredible upside, and surround him with more young talent through more trades to kick off an official rebuild and focus solely on development.

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