After Irving suddenly took a turn for the worse and decided to exercise his player option, the Nets can be said to still be a playoff-level team. However, ESPN famous reporter Wojnarski said in the interview program "Get Up" It was revealed that although Irving has executed the contract for the last season, other teams do not think that the Nets matter is over. They will still contact the Nets about the transaction between Irving and Durant . This also means that if the Nets cannot win the championship in the new season, it is very likely that the Nets will be completely rebuilt next summer. This summer, the Nets are bound to make large-scale reinforcements in to enhance the team's strength to the championship level. According to NBA reporter Quinton Mayo, the Nets and Suns are discussing a deal for Ayton. The specific plan is: The Suns will get: Joe Harris, Thomas and Claxton; the Nets will get: Ayton. pause.
As for the Suns, they recently provided Ayton with a qualifying offer of US$16.4 million. Obviously, they did not sincerely want to sign Ayton, and the Suns are so optimistic about Ayton’s value that they may also let Ayton is dissatisfied. Even if no team offers a maximum salary, Ayton's departure is a foregone conclusion. If the Suns hope to get some return from the No. 1 pick they have cultivated for several years, trading him in the form of a sign-and-trade is the wisest choice. Several Nets players are good immediate players. Joe Harris is the league's top three-point shooter. Last season, his three-point shooting percentage reached 46.6%, ranking second in the league. In addition, he is the best three-point shooter in the league. He is able to hit 2.9 3-pointers each, has excellent off-ball movement ability, and can complete various difficult catch-and-shoot tasks, which can make the Suns' offensive space more layered.
As a second-year rookie, Thomas has performed well this season, averaging 8.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. He has excellent scoring ability with the ball, and can also complete some air-cutting attacks without the ball. Basketball task, he can become the best substitute for Booker . Claxton performed well in the playoffs. In the Green Army's Tietong defense, he averaged 10.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, and his shooting percentage was as high as 79.2%. He was the team's only inside player. A pillar, he also has excellent mobility and can complete some high-quality defensive switching tasks. It can be said that the overall strength of these three players is still very good and can improve the depth of the Suns' lineup.
For the Nets, the biggest problem this season is that the inside strength is too weak. In the playoffs, the team only averaged 34 rebounds per game, the lowest among all teams, and the team's starter Centers Aldridge and Griffin were even abandoned. The entire series relied on Claxton for support. Therefore, the team needs to introduce an All-Star level inside player, and Ayton is undoubtedly the Nets' best choice at this stage. Ayton averaged 17.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in the playoffs. Among center players, he is second only to Embiid and Teacher. He is a powerful inside finisher and rebounder.
In addition to being able to score and protect the basket, Ayton is a player who is extremely good at pick-and-roll coverage. The Nets will have three top ball-handlers in Durant, Irving and Simmons next season. The pick-and-roll will become the team's The most important offensive tactic. Especially for Durant, due to the lack of good screeners last season, most of his offense was completed through difficult singles with the ball, which not only consumed his physical energy, but also greatly reduced his hit rate. And Ayton can bring him good shooting space.
Therefore, this deal is a good choice for both teams. What do you think about this?
