ANALYSIS: ‘Inventive’ trade with Houston Rockets cleared way for flexibility in rebuild

The Brooklyn Nets’ odds at a high lottery pick in 2025 improved Sunday afternoon when the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Dallas Mavericks. That gave the Nets sole possession of the fifth best odds in the lottery: a 10.5% shot at the overall No. 1 pick, aka Cooper Flagg, and a 42.1% at top four pick. Even Brooklyn’s win over the Atlanta Hawks Sunday evening didn’t change things. The Nets retain control of the fifth best odds if said control is a little less tight.

That whole scenario, of course, became possible last June 24 when the Nets and Houston Rockets exchanged picks, one of two deals agreed to that night (and reported within 12 minutes of each other by Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams…