The Brooklyn Nets may be one of the busier teams ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline.

Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer reported Wednesday that "the Nets are one of the teams more actively looking for upgrades before the stretch run" and listed Joe Harris ($18.6 million), Seth Curry ($8.5 million) and Patty Mills ($6.5 million) as possible candidates to be moved because of "their short-term salaries and the fact that they've been playing lesser roles lately."

Another contributing factor to those three potentially being available is Brooklyn's lack of significant assets outside of the trio.

O'Connor listed "unproven talent like Day'Ron Sharpe and Cam Thomas" and future draft picks as other assets, but it may not be enough to land the wing player or frontcourt backup to Nic Claxton who would make Brooklyn a well-rounded championship contender.

In fact, he called the need for a backup big who can shoot better than Claxton "what they really need the most."

Claxton has been excellent this season and is averaging 12.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 73.3 percent from the field. However, most of his offensive damage is done around the rim and on lobs, as he is not a threat from beyond the arc and is shooting just 46.3 percent from the free-throw line.

Teams could exploit those weaknesses in the playoffs by intentionally fouling him or clogging the lane with the knowledge he won't step outside and make them pay. Perhaps a backup big who can shoot from the outside would allow head coach Jacque Vaughn to mix and match the lineups more effectively down the stretch.

The loss of Curry or Harris in a trade would be notable seeing how they are two of Brooklyn's biggest threats from three-point range.

Their presence theoretically would make it more difficult for opponents to double on Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving in the postseason because they are so effective from deep at 41.5 percent from Curry and 39.7 percent from Harris.

Yet it may be the cost of doing business for a championship contender that will have no shortage of star power in the postseason but needs to fortify the secondary unit with other playmakers.