Nets’ Shooting Crisis Opens the Door for Trade Solutions

The Brooklyn Nets’ offense in the 2025–26 season isn’t just slumping; it’s stuck in a very dangerous crossroads. It is at a certain point that most teams know what to do when they study film on the Nets. NBA.com’s shooting data has them sitting at 24th in three-point percentage with a 34.8%, which is currently in the bottom ten, which says a lot about why they can’t keep up offensively for long stretches. In a league obsessed with spacing and efficient scoring, those numbers just don’t cut it. Compared to the top 5 (Denver, Milwaukee, New York, Houston, and Minnesota), it spikes up to about 3-5% higher and about 2-4% higher than the league’s average for 3PT shooting percentage.

This isn’t some short-term cold streak. It’s baked into how the roster is built. The Nets lag behind in almost every meaningful shooting category: catch-and-shoot threes, pull-ups, free throws, and even long twos. Add it all up, and you get an offense that leans way too much on isolation and tough shot-making, not on generating real advantages. Defenses see this a mile away. They pack the paint and dare Brooklyn to launch from outside, knowing the numbers are in their favor. As of now, Brooklyn ranks 26th in the league in true shooting percentage, currently in the bottom 5.

Nets’ Shooting Crisis Opens the Door for Trade Solutions

The Nets’ Poor Shooting Roster

Look closer at the roster, and the problem comes into focus. Egor Demin and Michael Porter Jr. are the only ones even sniffing elite territory, both at 39.6% from three. Great, but their impact is limited when nobody else consistently threatens defenses. It’s not enough to change the geometry of the floor.

After them, there’s a group of guys hanging around league average: Danny Wolf (36.7%), Tyrese Martin (35.5%), Jalen Wilson (35.1%), and Cam Thomas (34.0%). Not terrible, but nobody here is scaring defenses or forcing them to stay honest. Opponents still help off, especially if those shooters share the court with weaker options.

The real trouble starts at the back end of the rotation. Terance Mann (33.7%), Ziaire Williams (32.1%), Noah Clowney (32.0%), Nolan Traore (31.0%), and Drake Powell (30.8%). These guys often end up on the floor together, and defenses just ignore them. Clowney’s shooting is especially rough. He’s ranked as the eighth-worst shooter in the league by impact stats, which just crushes Brooklyn’s lineup flexibility and spacing.

So what happens? The Nets play offense in a box. Driving lanes vanish. Ball movement dies. Suddenly, you’re grinding out tough shots as the clock runs down, and one mistake means another empty trip.

Cam Thomas Trade Rumors

Making things even messier is the Cam Thomas situation. He’s the team’s most creative scorer, but his future in Brooklyn is cloudy; while he’s not officially on the trade block, his name keeps coming up in talks, inside and outside the team. Let’s be honest: there’s a good chance this is his last season in a Nets uniform.

That matters for two big reasons. First, Thomas is one of the few guys who can get his own shot when everything else breaks down. Second, if he’s gone, the Nets lose one of their only shot creators, which exposes an already shaky shooting foundation.

Even with Cam Thomas on the court, the Nets just can’t seem to put enough shooting around him. Defenses don’t respect the other guys; they crowd Thomas & MPJ’s drives and mid-range looks, knowing their help defenders can recover without real risk. If Brooklyn actually moves Thomas, whether at the deadline or this summer, the offense gets even uglier. The team’s lack of shooting goes from a problem to a full-blown crisis.

That’s why Brooklyn has to get serious about adding perimeter shooters, not just to support MPJ, but to survive if he’s gone.

The Trade Market Isn’t Optional Anymore

The Athletic’s reporting makes it clear: there are shooters out there, guys with real perimeter skills who are either available or about to hit the market. For the Nets, these aren’t luxury moves to make anymore; they’re must-haves for the team to improve and try to at least reach the play-in tournament.

Brooklyn’s internal development isn’t enough to fix an offense that ranks 24th in shooting and looks nothing like a modern NBA attack.

Ayo Dosunmu: Plug-and-Play Shooting, No Assets Needed

Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago stands out as the simplest fix. He’s hitting a wild 45.9% from deep; that’s elite company, as he’s top 10 in the league from three-point range. Drop him in Brooklyn, and he instantly becomes their best shooter. At 26, he fits the timeline for both now and the next few seasons.

He’s an unrestricted free agent, so the Nets don’t have to burn picks or young players to get him, which could potentially go to a figure of 3 years, $36–42 million ($12–14 million a year). For a team with Brooklyn’s needs, that’s a smart investment.

Plug Dosunmu in, and defenses have to change. Pairing him with Michael Porter Jr. gives Brooklyn at least two shooters that opponents can’t ignore. Suddenly, driving lanes open up, and the offense doesn’t have to rely on isolation every trip. Dosunmu’s defense means he doesn’t kill you on the other end, either.

Bennedict Mathurin: Long-Term Stability

Bennedict Mathurin from Indiana is a different type of piece. He’s not quite Dosunmu from three (36.6%), but teams still have to respect him. At 23, he lines up with a youth movement if Brooklyn decides to go after RFA in this upcoming off-season. If the Nets want an early start, they can offer the Pacers something to obtain him and offer an extension. He’s a restricted free agent and extension eligible. Expect him to land a deal in the $88–100 million range over four years.

Mathurin can attack closeouts, draw fouls, and finish through contact, skills this Nets roster badly needs. He keeps defenses honest and gives Brooklyn a new way to score when their shooters get run off the line.

You can potentially stick Mathurin in with the second unit and watch the offense settle down. He keeps the floor spaced while also adding some juice going downhill, which helps the Nets—no more stagnant, dud bench minutes, and you have a possible consistent scorer on the floor while Michael Porter Jr. sits or for when a top draft pick needs some rest.

Quentin Grimes: Glue Guy Who Raises the Floor

Quentin Grimes, now with the Sixers, isn’t a headline name, but he fits perfectly. He’s hitting 35.3% from deep, knows how to find space, and thrives in catch-and-shoot situations. He’s 25, an unrestricted free agent, and will likely command a contract of around 3 years, $33–39 million ($11–13 million per year).

Grimes matters most on defense. The Nets have struggled to balance shooting and perimeter defense, but Grimes provides both. He helps the bench and/or starters instantly, which would mean no more lineups with multiple non-shooters dragging the offense down. His presence keeps the floor higher and the offense steadier.

RJ Barrett: Swing for the Fences

RJ Barrett is the bold play. He’s shooting 35.5% from three, which is not elite and around the average mark, but for him, it’s real progress. He’s still a physical, attack-first scorer, and he’s only 25. Barrett’s under contract and would cost assets in a deal, but he brings real value: rebounding, attacking, and creating his own looks even when spacing is tight.

Put Barrett in Brooklyn, and you can play bigger without sacrificing shooting. He takes pressure off the small-ball lineups and gives the Nets another option when the shots just aren’t dropping.

Life After Cam Thomas

If the Nets move Thomas, shot creation will dry up, and spacing will become life or death. Without bold moves, Brooklyn risks sinking into the league’s basement on offense, at least for this year.

Add one shooter, and you get some relief. Add two, and the whole offense shifts. Add three, and suddenly, teams have to guard the Nets differently.

Brooklyn’s shooting problem isn’t just a bad stretch. It’s the team’s ceiling right now. With Thomas’ future up in the air, the front office doesn’t have time to wait. The market has answers. The Nets need to go and get them.

The Last Word

Brooklyn’s poor three-point shooting isn’t just an odd statistic; it’s a serious issue. And with Cam Thomas’ status uncertain about staying on the team, addressing it feels even more pressing. The Athletic points out that there are options on the market, and the Nets genuinely need the skills those players offer.

So, what’s next? They could target free agents like Dosunmu or Grimes, take a bigger chance on Mathurin, or make a bold move for Barrett. Either way, the direction is clear.

In today’s NBA, you can’t compete if you can’t shoot. For the Nets, improved shooting isn’t just a bonus. It’s absolutely essential.