Why trading Mason Plumlee would be a mistake for the Nets

By foxsports
Published

The Nets made Mason Plumlee untradable when they were trying to unload Deron Williams during the middle of the season. Now, after Plumlee has come back to Earth (he was playing the best basketball of his life back in December when the Nets refused to include him in any D-Will deals), that looks like a mistake. 

Maybe the Nets should've jettisoned Williams when they had a chance. And Brooklyn has already started to take some criticism for being too stingy with Plumlee...But not from everyone.

Over at Bleacher Report, Dave Leonardis says Brooklyn would be making a mistake by trading Plumlee. Here's some of his argument:

Click here to read the full piece.

Plumlee averaged 8.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game this past season, his second in the NBA after spending his collegiate years playing alongside his brother, Miles, at Duke. It may only be his second year in the league, but Plumlee isn't that young anymore, already 25 years old. He might not be too far away from his peak—if he's not already there.

(H/t to Bleacher Report.)

Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

According to Basketball Insiders, Plumlee will make $1.4 million next season, making him the cheapest guaranteed contract on the Nets payroll. He's also under team control for two more years after 2015-16 before becoming a restricted free agent in 2018.

Plumlee's 2014-15 numbers were nothing to write home about, but his per-36 minute stats tell a different story. When you extrapolate the big man's regular-season production, you get a stat line of 14.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

He also notched a player efficiency rating (PER) of 18.04, which was second-best on the team behind Lopez. According to Basketball-Reference, Plumlee also allowed 103 points per 100 possessions, the best defensive rating of players in the Nets' regular rotation and second only to Earl Clark among guys on the active roster.