Top-five talents in the NBA rarely come available. When they do, franchises evaluate the risk vs. reward, and ultimately make a decision whether to enter the sweepstakes or not. For the Brooklyn Nets, chasing Giannis Antetokounmpo is a major risk—especially given their recent history bringing in top-tier talent—but the reward could be a quick championship title.
However, there is another area to address before the “Greek Freak” lands in Kings County, that being a co-star. Nets GM Sean Marks has made it clear he won’t pull the blockbuster trigger without having a contending roster in place, and adding Antetokounmpo to Brooklyn’s current group wouldn’t push it atop the favorites list.
Antetokounmpo also prefers to have another big name paired with him wherever he ends up, essentially matching Marks’ vision. The Nets’ front office likely wouldn’t have the assets available to add another player of Antetokounmpo’s caliber, but it could bet on an up-and-comer blossoming into the perfect second option.
It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers are desperate for a big man to pair with LeBron James and Luka Doncic, and Nic Claxton was and still is a rumored trade target for GM Rob Pelinka.
Imagine this: Claxton is dealt to Los Angeles for Austin Reaves, Antetokounmpo ends up with his preferred team (Brooklyn) and the Nets re-sign Day’Ron Sharpe to be their starting center. Sharpe was extremely solid in the 2024-25 campaign and proved to be a capable starter when Claxton missed time with injury.
While Reaves isn’t currently an All-Star, he still averaged 20.2 points and 5.8 assists per game, leading to many labeling him as the “best third option in the league.” That last point is obviously up for debate, but the numbers are impressive nonetheless.
Brooklyn would boast a starting five of Reaves, Cam Thomas (assuming he’s re-signed), Cam Johnson (assuming he’s not traded), Antetokounmpo and Sharpe. In a weakened Eastern Conference, that’s quite a strong lineup.
Without the assets available to target a true superstar to create a scary tandem in Brooklyn, chasing a player like Reaves would be cost-efficient while potentially delivering the same level of impact.
