Windhorst: NBA Execs Discussing Possibility of Nets Tearing Down Roster with Trades

Some NBA executives reportedly believe the Brooklyn Nets will consider tearing down their roster with major in-season trades.

Appearing on NBA Crosscourt, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst discussed the Nets' situation and their perception across the league:

Windhorst noted that people in the league are discussing whether the Nets might consider the "potentially nuclear option of beginning a blow-up to this roster this season."

The Nets are off to a disappointing 5-7 start, but they have gone 3-2 under Jacque Vaughn since hiring him as head coach to replace Steve Nash.

Although Kevin Durant has been his dominant self with averages of 30.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.9 blocks per game, the rest of Brooklyn's roster has been riddled with uncertainty.

Ben Simmons, who was acquired last season as part of the trade that sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers, is off to a slow start with averages of 5.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.3 assists while shooting just 44.2 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Superstar guard Kyrie Irving has been productive when in the lineup, but he is currently serving a team-imposed suspension for promoting a movie that pushed antisemitic viewpoints on his social media.

Entering the 2022-23 season, it was widely assumed that the Nets were poised to ship out their two biggest stars in Durant and Irving amid rumors that both of them wanted out.

Durant's business manager, Rich Kleiman, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski in June that Durant had requested a trade and that general manager Sean Marks had agreed to work with him to find one.

Ultimately, the Nets couldn't find a satisfactory fit, and Durant agreed to stay in Brooklyn for at least one more season.

Meanwhile, Irving provided the Nets with a list of teams he would accept landing with as part of a sign-and-trade deal, per Wojnarowski.

Kyrie eventually opted into the final year of his contract with the Nets, meaning he can become a free agent at the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign.

It is unclear if there would be much interest in Irving on the trade market this season after his tweet and initial refusal to apologize, but Durant would undoubtedly be on teams' radars if the Nets were to make him available.

Brooklyn likely could also get something of consequence for players such as Seth Curry, Royce O'Neale, Patty Mills and Nic Claxton.

For now, the Nets seem intent on trying to make one final run at a deep playoff push, but perhaps those plans will change if they are unable to move up the standings in the coming weeks.