Nets land another first-round pick for taking on Terance Mann contract in three-team blockbuster

The Nets taking on salary dumps for draft assets was the league’s worst-kept secret.And Brooklyn got to work Tuesday, opportunistically landing a first-round pick for taking on Terance Mann. In a three-team trade, the Nets received Atlanta’s 22nd overall pick in return for taking on Mann, a 28-year-old wing who was born in Brooklyn.

Boston received Georges Niang and a second-round pick, but offloaded Kristaps Porzingis and a second-rounder to the Hawks. “I was born in Brooklyn hospital,” Mann posted on X.“This is crazyyyy.” The deal was first reported by ESPN and confirmed by The Post.

It can’t be finalized until July 6 because the Nets will acquire Mann with cap space, but it gives the Nets five first-rounders and helps in a quest for a second lottery pick. Mann — who averaged 9.8 points this past for Atlanta on .541 shooting and .386 from behind the arc — still has three years and $47 million left on his contract.For taking that on, the Nets will get a pick even better than the 28th selection that the Celtics could have offered for taking Porzingis. It’s precisely the sort of opportunistic move that Nets general manager Sean Marks has been looking to make.

Now leading the league in both first-round picks (one sixth of Wednesday’s entire draft) and cap space (still roughly $35 million), the Nets are positioned to control the offseason.  Sign up for Inside the Nets by Brian Lewis, exclusively on Sports+.Please provide a valid email address.

By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! The Nets have the eighth, 19th, 22nd, 26th, 27th and 36th picks, and can move up by packaging picks and/or taking more salary dumps. “What does that get you? Does that get you into the teens again? Or can you pick up a future down the road that you can use, similar to the OKC model? I do think when you have cap space, it certainly hel...