The Brooklyn Nets pulled off what might seem like a puzzling move, cutting David Muoka just 24 hours after inking him to a standard deal. But there’s more strategy than meets the eye here—this wasn’t about Muoka’s abilities. The front office needed to clear a roster spot to complete their trade for guard Kobe Bufkin.
Where Muoka Lands Next
Don’t expect Muoka to disappear from the Nets universe anytime soon. League sources indicate he’ll likely rejoin the organization’s G League affiliate in Long Island, where he’s already familiar with the system. Brooklyn crafted his contract with this exact scenario in mind—keeping his two-way eligibility intact so he can slide back into the developmental pipeline without missing a beat.
The numbers game is getting tight across the league. Teams need to trim down to exactly 15 standard contracts plus three two-way deals before Opening Night arrives. Brooklyn’s sitting on 15 guaranteed deals right now, but they’ve also got four non-guaranteed contracts and two two-ways floating around. Throw in the expected additions of Fanbo Zeng and Ricky Council IV, and you can see why roster spots have become precious real estate.
The Money Game Behind the Scenes
General manager Sean Marks has been playing financial wizard lately, using Brooklyn’s league-leading salary cap space to absorb unwanted contracts. The team has already processed salary dumps for Michael Porter Jr., Haywood Highsmith, and Terance Mann, collecting future draft capital along the way. The Bufkin acquisition tells a different story though—here’s a case where they landed actual talent rather than just picks.
Atlanta basically handed Brooklyn the 15th pick from 2023’s draft to clear some breathing room on their own books. For the Nets, Bufkin represents an intriguing upside play while helping them reach the NBA’s mandatory salary floor of $139.2 million. His deal runs $4.5 million for 2025-26, with Brooklyn holding a team option for the following season that needs a decision by October 31st.
By cutting loose their non-guaranteed players, Brooklyn could boost their remaining cap space from roughly $11.5 million to around $20.15 million. Cap guru Yossi Gozlan thinks they might try to squeeze in one more minimum-salary dump to satisfy floor requirements while maximizing flexibility.
Muoka’s Contract Structure
Brooklyn didn’t just hand Muoka an Exhibit 10 training camp invitation—they went with a non-guaranteed one-year deal featuring an $85,300 partial guarantee. That specific figure isn’t random; it’s the maximum amount that preserves his two-way status and keeps him eligible for Long Island duty.
Muoka logged solid minutes during his 2023-24 G League campaign, appearing in 38 games while posting 4.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per outing across 14.7 minutes of action. He also got a taste of Summer League action in Las Vegas with the main squad.
Two-Way Situation and What’s Next
Brooklyn currently has Tyson Etienne and E.J. Liddell locked into two-way spots, leaving one slot open. Word around the organization suggests Fanbo Zeng—who’s already in New York—could be the leading candidate to fill that final position.
The Muoka move shows how Brooklyn wants to keep promising developmental pieces within their system even when roster math gets complicated. As training camp unfolds, having that prior relationship could pay dividends if they need to call up reinforcements from Long Island.
