The Brooklyn Nets didn’t get the memo they’re supposed to be tanking. Instead, several veterans on the team have improved statistically to start the season under first-time NBA head coach Jordi Fernandez, who’s maximized the roster well and has the Nets hovering around the .500 mark through a quarter of the season.

Following the Mikal Bridges trade to New York and the trade with Houston to re-acquire Brooklyn’s 2025 first-round draft pick, the Nets are entering a rebuild and have the most trade candidates of any team. Overall, look for any Nets trade to be focused on acquiring future draft pick compensation, league sources told HoopsHype.

Before Nets 23-year-old leading scorer Cam Thomas suffered a left hamstring strain, The Athletic reported he is “widely considered to be available.” While any Net is technically considered available, given the early rebuilding stage the franchise is embarking on, it’s worth noting league sources told HoopsHype owner Joe Tsai is a fan of Thomas. Coach Fernandez has also lauded his scoring “superpowers” in press conferences.

Thomas is also considered one of the most polarizing players in the league, as some NBA executives value his scoring ability and have taken notice of his improving efficiency. In contrast, others question if he can be a role player on a winning playoff-caliber team and argue he gives up as many buckets on defense as he scores offensively.

While the trade value of Thomas is scattered in the eyes of NBA talent evaluators, there’s more of a consensus regarding his backcourt teammate.

After being a flag bearer and advancing to the bronze medal game with Germany in the Olympics, Dennis Schroeder has played some of the most efficient basketball of his career, shooting a career-high 41 percent from three-point range in 19 games played. Schroeder has been Brooklyn’s locker room leader as the alpha voice and an extension of Fernandez on the court as the floor general. A proven veteran at 31 years old and on an expiring $13 million deal, Schroeder is considered one of Brooklyn’s top trade candidates by NBA executives who spoke with HoopsHype. Those executives pegged Schroeder’s current trade value at multiple second-round picks as a potential rental.

Forward Dorian Finney-Smith is another veteran who’s having the most efficient year of his career, shooting a career-high 42 percent from three-point range while playing strong defense. Finney-Smith’s production is similar to the 2021-22 season when he and Dallas advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

Several playoff-caliber teams have already expressed interest in Finney-Smith, with some valuing him worth multiple second-round picks, league sources told HoopsHype. It’s worth noting that Finney-Smith has a $15.38 million player option for the 2025-26 season, which he can decline or exercise and then agree to an extension later if he’s moved to a contender focused on winning and prioritizing him in the rotation.

Forward Cam Johnson is in the midst of his best offensive season and has tried to be the “glue” for Brooklyn’s team this season. Some executives who spoke with HoopsHype believe Johnson may be able to fetch a future first-round pick in return if the Nets trade him before the deadline. However, if it’s up to the 28-year-old Johnson, he’d push to stay in Brooklyn.

“I want to build this,” Johnson told HoopsHype. “I really like coach Jordi. I like our staff. I think we’re headed in the right direction. I can’t tell them exactly what to do and how to proceed. The business will do what the business does. I don’t take it personally either way. For me, I’m invested in what we have. It’s been exciting to find progress and to see the potential. I want to be here and get this thing really turned around and back to winning basketball. I think we have the group to do it, and I think we have the assets and pieces to do it. Whatever they decide, no hard feelings.”

Johnson is owed $65.54 million through the 2026-27 season.

Teams gauging the trade market for a backup center are monitoring Day’Ron Sharpe, who’s expected to return soon from a hamstring injury for the Nets. With Noah Clowney out for at least a couple of weeks with a sprained ankle, it’s an opportunity for the 23-year-old Sharpe to jump back into the rotation immediately. Sharpe, who’s eligible for restricted free agency this summer, is being monitored by the Grizzlies, Clippers, Pelicans, Lakers, and Raptors, league sources told HoopsHype.

Forward Bojan Bogdanovic is also hoping to make his return sometime in December. NBA executives around the league expect the Nets to showcase Bogdanovic before the trade deadline and believe he could be worth a second-round pick if he looks healthy.

Ultimately, the Nets are searching for players who will be a part of their future for at least the next two years in the grand scheme. Two Nets forwards who’ve made the most of their opportunities and are increasingly expected to be a part of that future are Jalen Wilson and Ziaire Williams, league sources told HoopsHype. The Nets have a $2.22 million team option on Wilson for the 2025-26 season. Williams is eligible to become a restricted free agent this summer.

Lastly, two-way player Tyrese Martin has impressed recently by shooting a scorching 56 percent from three-point range through eight games played and has become a rotation player for the Nets.