(SportsNetwork.com) - The Brooklyn Nets weren't as busy at the trade deadline as expected, but they begin a western road trip Friday night at the Staples Center against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Brooklyn is in the middle of an eight-game road trip and dropped the first three legs before the All-Star break. The Nets will visit Denver, New Orleans, Houston and Dallas on this sojourn.
After multiple reports the Nets were close to dealing center Brook Lopez to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, OKC got cold feet and instead, acquired center Enes Kanter formerly of the Utah Jazz.
The Nets did make one deal, sending future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett back to his first NBA home, the Minnesota Timberwolves. In return, Brooklyn received Thaddeus Young.
"We are very pleased to add Thaddeus to our roster," said general manager Billy King. "He is a versatile, athletic forward who will provide us with added flexibility in our frontcourt rotation. In addition, I want to thank Kevin for his contributions over the past two seasons and wish him well in the future."
Despite their lousy record (21-31), the Nets are only one game out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn lost to the Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies to start this odyssey.
The Lakers dropped six in a row prior to the break and were inactive on Thursday. Goran Dragic highlighted the Lakers as one of the teams he wished to be traded to, but, without any meaningful assets, it was never a fit. Dragic went to another team on his wish list, the Miami Heat.
LA, which is 1-15 in its last 16, did have some interest in what happened on Thursday. The Lakers' first-round pick this year belonged to the Phoenix Suns, but they shipped it to the Philadelphia 76ers in a three-team deal. That pick will still belong to the Lakers if it falls inside the top five. The Lakers currently own the fourth-worst record in basketball.
With Kobe Bryant sidelined the remainder of the season with a rotator cuff injury, the Lakers have been dreadful, as evidenced by their record since Jan. 9. They've allowed 100-plus points in five straight and will be at home for four of their first five after the break.
Nick Young has struggled in 2015. He is averaging just 12.0 ppg and shooting 31.6 percent from the field and 27.4 percent from long range.
"With this little break that we had, I think that helped me a lot," Young said. "Just being around good people - around my family - get my mind right and talking and enjoying myself."
The Nets beat the Lakers in LA last season to snap an 11-game series losing streak. The Lakers had won five in a row at home in this series prior to last season's loss.
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