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2 Nets trade acquisitions who can earn new contracts during second half of season
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Sean Marks is looking for "the next Brooklyn Nets " as his team moves forward in its rebuild. While several familiar faces will battle to secure long-term roles during the second half of the season, two new faces — Josh Minott and Ochai Agbaji — have entered the mix.
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The Nets acquired Minott and Agbaji from the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors , respectively, at the trade deadline. While the pair of salary dump acquisitions flew under the radar, Brooklyn brought both players in for a reason.
"We know they're very good players. That's why they're here," Jordi Fernandez said. "Show me what you can bring to the group, and if you can be part of this group, you can be a future Net… Ball pressure is our first staple. Every time you can apply ball pressure — full-court or half-court — you can create turnovers and deflections and make the other team uncomfortable late in the clock. We believe those guys can do that, and I'm excited to watch them play."
The Nets acquired Minott as a salary dump from the Celtics , who needed to move off his minimum contract to dip below the luxury tax. Brooklyn sent $110,000 in cash to Boston and did not receive a draft pick in exchange for taking on the forward's contract, indicating the team sees value in his skill set.
Minott has a non-guaranteed $2.58 million contract for 2026-27.
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Josh Minott, Ochai Agbaji auditioning for Nets after joining team at trade deadline
© David Butler II-Imagn Images
Brooklyn's intrigue in Minott shouldn't be surprising given his performance early this season. The 23-year-old averaged 6.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.8 steals in 18.5 minutes per game over his first 27 appearances before falling out of Boston's rotation. He was highly efficient offensively during that span, shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three on 7.1 attempts per 100 possessions.
"For me, it's about staying true to the values I've learned over my three and a half years in the league, especially the work ethic. I've been around some winning organizations. Understanding what we did right and what it takes to make those playoff pushes, it's about bringing that over," Minott said. "Defensively, I line up with the core values here: pressure and being disruptive. My shooting has come a long way, too. I can confidently say that's a strength, and I believe in taking the right, open shots."
At 6-foot-8 with a seven-foot wingspan and above-average athleticism, Minott fits into the Nets' defensive vision. His offensive development early this season turned heads across the league.
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"It was the hunger I was playing with," Minott said of his improved play with Boston. "That's something I'm definitely bringing here [to Brooklyn], the hunger and desperation. I know this organization values that mindset of disruption. I saw we're near the top of the league in pickup points, so it's not just talk. I'm bringing that drive and determination."
Meanwhile, the Nets received a 2032 Raptors second-round pick in exchange for taking on Agbaji's $6.4 million expiring contract. The 6-foot-5 guard fell out of Toronto's rotation this season amid a career-worst shooting slump.
However, he averaged 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists on 50/40/71 shooting splits across 64 appearances (45 starts) last season.
"For me, it's about getting back to myself and who I know I can be," Agbaji said. "That's super important in this league, and it's what I work for and what I'm trying to show again. First, my defense and the intensity I play with every single night. I'm always trying to win every possession. That's who I am as a player. I know I have a lot more to show. I had a great season last year and I'm trying to build on that. My time in Toronto was great, but I'm looking forward to what I can do here."
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