5 Players who might replace P.J. Tucker before the trade deadline

2. Royce O’Neale

The Nets shopped O’Neale in the offseason and have a glut of wings on their roster. The 30-year-old is not his team’s primary starter for the first time since 2019. Brooklyn was asking for a first-round draft pick, but no deal materialized. Now, they may need to sell low to get anything in return for the 3-and-D wing.

He is shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range this season with 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 7.9 points per game. O’Neale is not a big-time scorer, but he will sink open looks and defend hard on the other end. He is a role player, but a skilled one with six years of playoff experience.

Brooklyn is two games over .500 and currently eighth in the Eastern Conference. They do not own their first-round picks, so there is no reason to blow it up. Still, the Nets may try to trade Royce O’Neale, especially if they believe he will depart in free agency.

P.J. Tucker would give Brooklyn a change of pace from Nicolas Claxton at the five. This may not be the ideal move for either party but could turn into a mutually beneficial trade. O’Neale gives coach Lue another versatile wing, but he may not be the best Net for the Clippers.