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Rumors: Nets keeping an eye on Raptors' wing Gary Trent Jr.

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Nets
By Peter Sunjic | Last updated 1/22/24

As the Brooklyn Nets are slated to make urgent moves before the Feb. 8 deadline, they reportedly have their eyes set on one of the league's prominent components of trade chatter.

Per Action Network's Matt Moore, the Nets are entangled with the Los Angeles Lakers in their intent to acquire Toronto Raptors wing Gary Trent Jr.

“Gary Trent Jr. is the name most frequently discussed, with the Lakers and Nets among the teams with interest.”

Trent Jr.’s 2023-24 background with Toronto

Trent Jr., 25, is currently averaging 11.7 points for 38 games this season with the Raptors.

His season averages in points this 2023-24 took a massive and considerable drop based on what he tallied from last season, in which he averaged 17.4 points. Amid this, he remains a deadly knockdown shooter from the outside, draining a career-best 41.5 percent in his three-point clip.

With him holding an expiring $18.5M after this season, this makes him a complete trade candidate for the Raptors before the trade deadline.

Will the Nets truly go for GTJ?

As Toronto has officially pushed their reset button upon trading both Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby this January, they are truly about to ship Trent Jr. next to still capitalize on his remaining value and gather usable assets for their future plans.

In the case of the Nets, their interest in Trent Jr. is interesting as he could further enhance their inconsistent shooting and perimeter depth. But his salary would be steep to match as it may require them to offload their most coveted rotational units and trade chips.

Acquiring Trent Jr. just adds another layer to the Nets' already deep-wing slate. But as it is, the team has to weigh possibilities and other factors if they do wish to land him. Will they retain him after the season, or would they just allow him to expire to clear a huge cap space in the offseason?

This article first appeared on FanNation Inside The Nets and was syndicated with permission.

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