The Nets were the only franchise this summer using cap room to help other teams (at a price). The Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks went under to pay Jaren Jackson Jr. and Myles Turner, respectively. Brooklyn helped teams shed contracts (Terance Mann, Michael Porter Jr., Kobe Bufkin, and Highsmith) for profit, primarily in exchange for draft considerations.
The trend continues, with Highsmith flipped to the Rockets, helping Brooklyn open the necessary space to absorb VanVleet’s deal. The demand for the first-round pick via Houston stems from VanVleet’s second year, limiting Brooklyn’s cap room in 2026-27.
The team can rely on VanVleet, once healthy, as a veteran mentor for the team’s point guard prospects like Egor Demin and Nolan Traoré, or the Nets can move him later to a playoff team looking for a leader. The priority is cashing out Brooklyn’s flexibility for the first-round pick.
Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on X/Twitter @EricPincus.
