Nets who could be traded by the Feb. 8 deadline

Without question, the Nets have three players who likely will attract interest. They also have one player with an onerous contract they would like to dump, but they will find it impossible to do so.

Joe Harris: His expiring contract, which is a bargain at $1.5 million, and three-point shooting ability make Harris the Nets’ most obvious trade target. He has the size and versatility to play shooting guard and small forward, and he lately has shown the ability to play physical defense. His play also has been trending upward. In January, he is shooting 54.7 percent from three-point range and averaging 12.3 points in 26 minutes. Former Nets assistant general manager Bobby Marks, writing for ESPN Insider, said the going rate for a player like Harris is a second-round pick. Any team that trades for him inherits his Early Bird Rights. The Nets’ decision will revolve around whether they want to re-sign him to a contract that likely would start between $5 million and $6 million.

DeMarre Carroll: According to several ESPN reports, Carroll has attracted interest from the Pistons, Pelicans and Cavaliers even though he has another year left after this season at $15.4 million. Carroll’s combination of playoff experience, three-point shooting range, defensive ability and leadership would be valuable to any playoff contender. One potential deal would send Carroll to the Cavaliers for Channing Frye, who is on an expiring contract; Iman Shumpert, who has a player option for $11 million next season, and the Cavs’ first-round pick (currently 24th). “That works,” Marks said, “but Cleveland has a lot of directions it could go.”

Spencer Dinwiddie: Of all the Nets’ development projects, Dinwiddie is the centerpiece, rising from the G League last season to starting point guard this season, averaging 13.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists and ranking near the top in assist-to-turnover ratio. He also is a steal with a non-guaranteed contract of $1.6 million next season and will be eligible for a contract extension in December that likely would have to start around $8 million to $9 million. ESPN’s Marks said Dinwiddie has the highest trade value of any Net — with the possible exception of Caris LeVert, who isn’t going anywhere — but he hasn’t heard Dinwiddie’s name in trade rumors. If an offer materializes, the Nets have to ask themselves if Dinwiddie or D’Angelo Russell is their point guard of the future. “Dinwiddie is the better player right now,” Marks said. “Will he be when D’Angelo gets his game legs? I’m not quite sure. I don’t know if you do anything with Russell until his body of evidence is out there a little more and he can stay healthy.”

Timofey Mozgov: In order to land Russell as part of the Brook Lopez trade last summer, the Nets took back Mozgov with three years and $48 million remaining on his contract. The hope was that he might get his career back on track, but he’s a traditional low-post center who doesn’t fit their system. The only way to unload that contract is to attach it to something of value, and the Nets don’t have an asset like that now. They must find a role for Mozgov or buy him out.

By Greg Logan

Gregory.Logan@newsday.comGregLogan1

Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.