NBA Rumors: Latest Nets Buzz on Dorian Finney-Smith Trade, Nic Claxton Contract

Even though Dorian Finney-Smith remains a popular target for contending teams ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline, the Brooklyn Nets don't necessarily feel pressured to move him right now.

Per SNY's Ian Begley, the Milwaukee Bucks have "continued to show strong interest" in Finney-Smith, but the Nets have him under team control through next season if they want to hang onto him.

Begley did note the Nets would like to keep Nic Claxton "for the foreseeable future" and they will be "aggressive" in attempting to sign him to a new contract this summer, but doing so would also leave them in a position where they could move into the repeater tax next season if they try to keep the current roster together.

The Nets are under the luxury-tax line this season, but an extension for Claxton combined with contracts already on the books for next season would almost certainly push them over that line in 2024-25.

Begley noted going over the threshold next season would trigger repeater penalties for the Nets for being over the tax line three times in a four-season span. Claxton is averaging 12.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in 39 starts this season.

Trading Finney-Smith could help the Nets get under that line. He's owed $14.4 million in 2024-25 and has a $15.4 million player option for 2025-26. Dealing the 30-year-old would also help them recoup some of the assets they gave up in the January 2021 trade to acquire James Harden.

HoopsHype's Michael Scotto noted Finney-Smith is drawing "significant interest" on the trade market, including from the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks.

The reported asking price for Finney-Smith is two first-round draft picks. The Bucks and Lakers could only make such a move if they involved at least one other team.

The Mavs own their first-round picks in 2026, 2027 and 2028 if they want to make a big move. They know Finney-Smith is a fit alongside Luka Dončić after they played together in Dallas from 2018 to '21 before he was traded to Brooklyn in February 2023 as part of the Kyrie Irving deal.

Finney-Smith is averaging 9.1 points on 38.3 percent three-point shooting and 4.8 rebounds per game in 42 appearances this season.

The Nets enter Tuesday's game against the Mavericks ranked 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 20-29 record.