Report: Brooklyn Nets Were Interested in Isaac Okoro Before New Cavs Contract

The Cleveland wing signed a three-year, $38 million extension but was reportedly coveted by Brooklyn.

May 7, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro (35) grimaces after missing a shot against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter of game one of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images / Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Restricted free agent Isaac Okoro signed a three-year contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, but a report from HoopsHype's Michael Scotto claims that the Brooklyn Nets "expressed interest" in acquiring the Cavs wing through a sign-and-trade prior to that.

Okoro’s restricted free agency status had been lurking over Cleveland since the start of the summer, and the Nets had previously registered their interest in the former no. 5 pick. The Charlotte Hornets also looked at trading for Okoro, according to Scotto.

Okoro has been a steady presence for the Cavs, particularly on defense, since arriving to the NBA. After a slight slump in his third season, the former Auburn prospect averaged 9.4 points per game last season on a career-high 39.1% from deep. Okoro is Cleveland’s most dangerous perimeter defender, insulating the likes of Darius Garland or Donovan Mitchell whose talent is most often needed on the other side of the ball. 

The Cavs enjoyed an eventful summer, signing Kenny Atkinson as their new head coach and also figuring out extensions for Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. For now, the team’s core going forward appears completely set — something which cannot be said for the Nets. 

In Brooklyn, Okoro would have likely gotten the opportunity to flesh out his offensive skillset. At the same time, though, that might not have extracted the most value out of the 23-year-old swingman.

Acquiring Okoro could have also affected the Nets’ other young pieces, as Nets on SI’s Kyler Fox wrote: 

Jalen Wilson is fresh off of a summer league MVP, and the franchise just acquired Ziaire Williams. As of now, Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson are still rostered. That makes four quality wings already established in Brooklyn, creating a presently crowded small forward room.

Wilson will certainly play a factor for the Nets next season, appearing on the brink of a second-year breakout. Williams has extremely high potential and will need real minutes to develop into the "long ultra-talented wing" he was seen as prior to the 2021 NBA Draft. It is likely that either Finney-Smith or Johnson [would have been] sent to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Okoro, which will ultimately result in minutes being stripped away from one of the two promising forwards.

For at least the start of the season, it seems like the Nets' rotation at the 2 and 3-man spots — where Okoro would have theoretically slotted in — will revolve around Cam Thomas, Johnson, Finney-Smith and Bojan Bogdanovic, with Williams, Shake Milton and maybe Dariq Whitehead towards the end of the campaign competing to crack the rotation.

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