The Brooklyn Nets completed their third trade of the summer yesterday with the acquisition of Haywood Highsmith from the Miami Heat. The Nets also picked up a 2032 second-round pick from the Heat while sending a 2026 pick back to the Heat.
Nets Have Important Decisions Forthcoming After Hijacking Haywood Highsmith From Heat
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the second-rounder headed to Miami is top-55 protected. Therefore, the Nets would have to have the fifth-best record next year for the pick to be conveyed. With the Nets rebuilding, that is not going to happen. Essentially, Brooklyn gets Highsmith for nothing.
Highsmith, on an expiring $6.5 million deal, is coming off a career season. Highsmith averaged 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. He canned 1.2 threes with shooting splits of 45.8/38.2/72.1 in a career-best 72 games.
What does the Highsmith Trade mean?
Miami was desperate to get under the luxury tax as the Heat wanted to avoid the repeater tax. The Heat are now $4.2 million under the tax with one spot to fill. So, the trade is a salary dump.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn has 18 players on standard deals, with 13 on fully guaranteed deals, with a salary cap hit of $148.8 million. Therefore, the Nets are still $5.7 million under the salary cap. Keon Johnson, Ricky Council IV, Jalen Wilson, Drew Timme, and Tyrese Martin hold non-guaranteed deals.
With Brooklyn likely not sending a draft pick to Miami, the Nets added another asset with the 2032 second-round selection. The Nets have 32 draft picks between 2026 and 2033.
The biggest question is when Cam Thomas will join the fray. The Nets and Thomas have been slowly going through negotiations as he’s trying to see what his options are,” per Nets Wire Sharif Phillips-Keaton. Thomas, who holds a $5.99 million qualifying offer, is coming off a career season and is reportedly seeking at least $20 million a season.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks suggested that Thomas’s best course of action would be to take the qualifying offer.
“The 2026 free agent class could get a boost if current restricted free agents Jonathan Kuminga, Cam Thomas, Quentin Grimes, and Josh Giddey sign the one-year qualifying offer befOctober 1t. 1,” Marks said.”They would be unrestricted in 2026 if they take the one-year contract.”
Thomas has until October 1 to accept his qualifying offer if he wants to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason. The Nets and Thomas could extend the deadlineMarch 1r. 1. If Thomas doesn’t take the qualifying offer before the deadline, he will remain a restricted free agent.
Not including Thomas, Brooklyn has 22 players slated to go to training camp. Tosun Evbuomwan and Tyson Etienne are on two-way deals. Grant Nelson and Fanbo Zeng are on Exhibit 10 deals. The NBA’s training camp limit is 21, so the Nets will have to make one or two more moves before camp begins at the end of September.
Haywood Highsmith’s Role With Nets
Highsmith is entering his sixth year in the NBA. Highsmith is a hard worker known for his physical defense and willingness to do the little things. The 6-7 forward has significantly improved offensively over the last two seasons. He finishes well around the rim, though he has become more reliable off the catch and mainly a 3-point shooter. He averages 1.0 3-pointer per game at a 37.4% clip for his career.
Highsmith underwent knee surgery after tearing the meniscus in his right knee while working out in Baltimore earlier this month. He is slated to be out 8 to 10 weeks, which puts his projected return before the regular season.
So, with the Nets rebuilding, does Highsmith have a role? The simple answer is he should.
Highsmith and Terrence Mann are the exact types of players that Brooklyn needs. The pair are the eldest statesman of the club at 28, who has an average age of 23.1 — seven of 18 players are 21 or younger. Besides leadership, Highsmith and Mann are low-maintenance players who project to be part of the Nets’ rotation.
There should be plenty of competition in training camp. Thomas, Michael Porter Jr., and Nic Claxton are the only players who figure to be locks to start. The Nets also will have to figure out who will be on their 18-man roster. Currently, the Nets will have to cut three or four, depending on Thomas’ status, though they can add a two-way player.
Projecting Nets Top 8 Players
Starting Unit
PG: Egor Denim: The Nets used the No. 8 pick, and the 19-year-old showed promise as a shooter and all-around player during Vegas summer league action. However, it is guaranteed that Denim will start, though likely.
SG: Cam Thomas
PF: Haywood Highsmith
C: Nic Claxton
Second Unit
6th: Terrence Mann
7th: Day’Ron Sharpe
8th: Ziaire Williams
Other Players Who Could Be In Mix:
Noah Clowney, Danny Wolf, Ben Saraf, and Dariq Whitehead
Who Is On The Chopping Block?
Who will the Nets eventually waive? This is a loaded question. But let’s say the Nets don’t make any other additions besides signing Thomas before training camp.
In that case, Brooklyn would have to waive two players before camp begins. Assuming that the Nets are at least interested in keeping the players on standard contracts, the easiest way for them to get to 21 players would be to waive Nelson and Zang.
Nelson and Zeng are expected to be ticketed for the G-League’s Long Island Nets as affiliate players anyway. Nelson went undrafted out of Alabama and was okay during the summer league for the Nets. Zeng, who played for the G-League Ignite, has been playing in China since going undrafted in 2022.
Regardless, Brooklyn will have to make four decisions regarding their 15-man roster. When Thomas signs, he will be the 14th player on a fully guaranteed deal. Therefore, the Nets likely have one roster spot remaining.
While Council, Wilson, and Johnson have partially guaranteed deals, none of the trio is guaranteed to make the 15-man roster. Timme and Martin’s deals don’t guarantee until January 10. Council may have the inside track over Johnson as Drake Powell figures to spend most, if not all, of next season in Long Island. Plus, Traore and Saraff struggled in Vegas.
Ricky Council IV
Council IV signed a one-year deal with the Nets that reportedly includes a partial guarantee, per Nets Daily. Council is a versatile wing who has shown the ability to score and rebound. He also has some ability on the defensive end.
Council showed improvement in year two with Philadelphia. Council averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals while shooting 38.2/25.8/80.4. He was much more productive as a starter than a reserve. The 24-year-old scored in double-figures 29 times, topping the 20-point mark once, and registered three double-doubles.
Keon Johnson
Johnson’s contract calls for a small guarantee ($297,000) with him getting $700,000 more if he is on the roster at the beginning of the regular season. The 2021 first-rounder is coming off his best season and showed some ability as a high-volume 3-point shooter. But he has been very inefficient as a scorer.
Johnson averaged 10.6 points, 3.8 boards, and 2.6 assists in 25 minutes in 79 games. The 23-year-old knocked down with shooting splits of 38.9/31.4/77. He scored in double-figures 42 times, topping the 20-point mark on 11 occasions.
Jalen Wilson
Like Johnson, Wilson was a part of Jordi Fernandez’s regular rotation this past season. The 24-year-old forward showed some ability to score, but he didn’t rebound the ball well and doesn’t do much else beyond stretching the floor . He averaged 9.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 threes with shooting splits of 39.7/33.7/81.8. Additionally, he scored in double-figures 38 times, topping the 20-point mark twice.
Drew Timme
Timme has shown why he was one of the most decorated college players in the pros despite going undrafted in 2023. The 24-year-old was named to the 2024-25 All-G-League second team and was excellent in his limited stint with the Nets last year. He then was exceptional in the Vegas summer league, compiling 25 points in 30 minutes of action.
Tyrese Martin
Like Johnson, Martin is an inefficient scorer who can be electric. Consistency was an issue for the 26-year-old, who scored in double-figures in 21 of his 60 appearances, topping the 20-point mark four times, including dropping 30 against Phoenix.
Martin averaged 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists last season. He produced one double-double and drained 1.7 triples with shooting splits of 40.6/35.1/79.3.
Last Word
The Nets have a lot of young talent, which includes Evbuowam and Etienne, so Sean Marks doesn’t have an easy decision. However, on a positive note, the Nets may decide to bring back one of the players waived on a two-way deal. Johnson appears to be the only player ineligible for a two-way contract. Timme seems like the obvious choice to pick up a two-way pact if he is waived.
Photo Credit: Sam Navarro, Imagn Images
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