Nets Trade Rumors: Landry Shamet Dealt to Suns for Jevon Carter, No. 29 Draft Pick

Timothy Rapp @@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVJuly 29, 2021

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 07: Landry Shamet #20 of the Brooklyn Nets celebrates his three point shot in the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks during game two of the Eastern Conference second round series at Barclays Center on June 07, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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The Phoenix Suns are reportedly acquiring Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Landry Shamet for Jevon Carter and the 29th pick in the first round of Thursday night's NBA draft, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Per Bobby Marks of ESPN, the deal can't officially be made until Aug. 6:

Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42
The trade cannot be completed until August 6 because the current salary for Shamet is $2M.<br><br>It will increase to $3.76M starting on August 3. <a href="https://t.co/3z70Ue8x5J">https://t.co/3z70Ue8x5J</a>

Shamet, 24, averaged 9.3 points and 1.6 assists in 61 games for the Nets in 2020-21, largely coming off the bench. He remains an excellent shooter from the perimeter, hitting on 39.7 percent of his threes in his career.

He'll give the Suns another shooter to space the floor, teaming up with role players such as Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson on the wing.

Granted, the most important storyline in Phoenix remains whether Chris Paul will return to the team, either by exercising his $44.1 million player option for next season or opting out and re-signing as a free agent.

With multiple reports that Russell Westbrook is potentially heading to the Los Angeles Lakers via a blockbuster trade, one possible suitor for Paul—he and LeBron James are famously good friends—is off the market.

Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
The Lakers and Wizards are discussing a trade that would send Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for Westbrook, sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthletic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthletic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Stadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Stadium</a>. The Lakers' No. 22 pick in the Draft could be in play, too. <a href="https://t.co/RQOnlyVnBS">https://t.co/RQOnlyVnBS</a>

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Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
The Lakers are near a deal to acquire Washington's Russell Westbrook for Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and a 2021 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN.

Carter, 25, appeared in 60 games for the Suns last season, averaging 4.1 points and 1.2 assists while shooting 42.2 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three. He'll give the Nets a dogged on-ball defender off the bench.

Perhaps more importantly from Brooklyn's perspective, however, is the draft capital it has accumulated. More than likely, the Nets won't make all five of their 2021 picks but could package them to move up the board, sell off some of their three second-rounders for cash or stash players who would remain overseas for a season or two. If nothing else, they'll end up with a few cost-controlled prospects.

The Nets, in essence, traded for added flexibility heading into Thursday night's draft.