Brooklyn’s biggest priority may be extending the Big 3, but they have three times that many free agents to make decisions on this summer.
Picking the right pieces to keep — or replace — around Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving will be a major task this offseason. Teams can start negotiating with free agents at 6 p.m. on Aug. 2, and signing them on Aug. 6.
“Inevitably, there’s going to be change here,” general manager Sean Marks said.
Frankly, he doesn’t have much choice. The Nets have nine free agents, not even including other extension-eligible players that need evaluation.
Chris Chiozza, Bruce Brown, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jeff Green, Blake Griffin, Mike James, Tyler Johnson, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Reggie Perry are all free agents, with Brown and James restricted. And the finances dictate Marks is right; there will almost inevitably be some change, by the Nets’ volition or the players’.
A Nets roster loaded with stars at the top necessitated bargains at the bottom. They had 11 players that counted from just $2.5 million (Green) to essentially nothing (Chiozza and Perry) against the cap. Eight of them — including quasi-starters Griffin, Green and Brown — are set to hit free agency, along with Dinwiddie.
“I’ll be honest,” Marks said. “I’m excited about where this can go.”
Marks might not be excited calculating the cost of trying to keep Dinwiddie.
After having worked his way back from a partially torn ACL suffered in December, Dinwiddie has said he’ll decline his $12.3 million option and become an unrestricted free agent. The Nets can let him walk for nothing to a team with cap space (like the Knicks or Spurs), re-sign him or try to work a sign-and-trade to a team over the cap. All three options have pitfalls.
A sign-and-trade might could bring back a player, picks or trade exception, but might require a third team; and if $12 million in salary is brought back, Brooklyn’s projected $53.4 million tax bill would double according to ex-Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks, now with ESPN. Re-signing Dinwiddie at $15 million — below his anticipated value on the market — would see the bill vault to $120 million.
Brown could also prove difficult. Marks pilfered him from Detroit for a song (a second-round pick and the promptly cut Dzanan Musa), and Brown provided defense, toughness and career-highs in shooting (55.6 percent) and rebounding (5.4).
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The Nets have until July 31 to tender him and make him a restricted free agent. Brown made just $1.6 million, but the Nets are aware the feeling in NBA circles is he performed more like mid-level exception player, or $9 million-$10 million. While they have his Bird Rights — so they can exceed the cap to keep him — how high will they go?
Green is another Net who has earned a raise, but will he get it?
The versatile big man has signed five straight veteran minimum deals. After finishing second on the Nets in appearances and hitting a career-high 41.2 percent from deep, he deserves better than a sixth. But he turns 35 this summer and is happy in Brooklyn, which can only offer $3.1 million (or its taxpayer exception of $5.9 million).
“When the time comes we’ll have that conversation,” Green said. “Everybody knows how much I loved it here. I love the people here, the fans, amazing. The personnel on this team, coaches, trainers, everybody knows how much I love them individually and my time here.”
Griffin — the other big veteran free agent — hasn’t been as underpaid. Nor will he be. While the Nets can only offer the same deals they can Green, Griffin has $29.8 million coming to him from Detroit. Anything he gets simply offsets that.
“I’m still happy with my decision,” Griffin said of picking Brooklyn.
James, like Brown, is restricted. Brooklyn can’t contribute more than $800,000 to any buyout from CSKA Moscow, but that isn’t expected to be a major hurdle.
The Nets also have until July 31 to give Perry a qualifying offer. They can extend Landry Shamet, Nic Claxton and the Big 3; but they have plenty of free-agent calls first.