On September 10th Beijing time, Nets reporter Brian Lewis wrote a piece analyzing the team's status. In it, he discussed Zeng Fanbo and noted that this Chinese forward is the top candidate for the Nets' last two-way contract spot.

Zeng Fanbo signed with the Nets this summer, but initially only secured a training camp contract, meaning he has yet to officially break into the NBA. He still needs to work toward converting it into a two-way contract. After signing, the team waived Toussaint Ekwomah, which originally left two two-way contract slots open. However, with Liddell’s signing, the Nets now have only one two-way slot remaining. Lewis clearly pointed out that Zeng Fanbo is the primary candidate for this slot. If Zeng performs well in training camp and preseason, his chances of staying on the team remain strong.

Additionally, Lewis cited a knowledgeable source who said that with the Nets finalizing contracts for Sharpe and Ziaire Williams, the team will not engage in any major trades this offseason. The Nets might still pursue some minor salary-clearing moves, as their current payroll remains below the league’s minimum salary threshold. Therefore, before the regular season starts, the team needs to add some extra salary.

Currently, the Nets’ payroll is only $649,000 below the minimum salary line. However, if the team finalizes a 15-player regular season roster and waives three players holding non-guaranteed minimum contracts, the payroll gap could increase to about $7 million. After reaching the minimum salary threshold, the Nets will still have roughly $15.5 million in salary cap space remaining.

Last season, the Nets finished with a 26-56 record, ranking 12th in the Eastern Conference. Their most significant move this offseason was trading Cameron Johnson to the Nuggets in exchange for Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-round pick.