Brooklyn Nets
Even though there have been recent whispers that indicated the Brooklyn Nets plan on taking a more patient approach with this rebuild heading into the offseason, I can't help but wonder if the lure of a young, extremely talented player like RJ Barrett could be enough to push them off their stance. This could be the exact scenario that the Nets need to play out if they want to help expedite this rebuilding phase. They bottomed out this season (for the most part) and will likely be looking to build up.
Barrrett could end up being a big part of that if they believe his best basketball is still very much in front of him. At this point, that's not that outlandish a belief. Barrett would get the freedom to be the focal point of the offense again in Brooklyn, and that could allow him to take another step forward in his development as a player. I'm not going to say the Nets need to build around him, but he could be a good second or third piece for a team that is looking to hit the reset button.
This is the type of move that would make even more sense if the Nets are able to land a potential foundational piece of their new build in the 2025 NBA Draft. That's far from a guarantee with their pick likely to land out of the top 3, but I suppose you never know what can happen at the NBA Draft Lottery. I would love a team's potential move for Barrett even more if they could pair him with a Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, or Ace Bailey.
But even if the Nets aren't lucky enough to move into a position to land one of the top 3 picks, adding Barrett could be considered a strong low-risk, high-reward move for the team. At the very least, they should be one team to keep a close eye on if the Toronto Raptors do end up shopping Barrett this offseason.