Brooklyn Swapped a Young Forward for Marquis Teague
The Nets acquired former Kentucky point guard Marquis Teague from Chicago on January 21, 2014, sending Georgian forward Tornike Shengelia to the Bulls. Teague had been the No. 29 pick in 2012 but had not developed into an established Chicago rotation guard. Brooklyn wanted a younger backcourt option behind veterans on a team still trying to contend after an expensive summer. Shengelia had spent portions of his Nets tenure moving between the NBA roster and the developmental league, so he offered Chicago a different kind of youth gamble. The agreement was a direct player exchange, not a deal for a draft choice or salary-only consideration. The two clubs gave each prospect a change of setting without surrendering a frontline starter.
Teague Played Twenty-One Brooklyn Games, Mostly off the Bench
Teague appeared in 21 Nets games during the remainder of 2013-14. He started just once, averaged 3.0 points and 1.4 assists, and played fewer than ten minutes per appearance. Those figures capture his actual Brooklyn opportunity, distinct from the 19 games he had already played for Chicago earlier that season. A former first-round guard was given a chance to improve his decision making, but established Nets backcourt players carried the larger jobs. Brooklyn did not retain him for a multi-season starting role. Teague was subsequently moved to Philadelphia in October 2014, demonstrating that this January exchange functioned more as a development trial than a commitment to the future at point guard. The Nets inherited C grade reasonably reflects that limited direct return.
Shengelia Brought Potential but Not an Established Chicago Starter
Shengelia had shown flashes of offensive skill for Brooklyn in infrequent NBA appearances and developmental assignments. Moving to the Bulls gave the forward a chance to earn minutes on a different roster, yet he did not emerge as a lasting Chicago starter. The Bulls had competitive frontcourt options and were seeking manageable young contracts while preserving their main playoff rotation. Their inherited C grade matches the Nets grade, and the Even Trade classification is appropriate for the small-scale exchange of two prospects with restricted immediate roles. Neither incoming player can be credited with earlier college achievements or NBA statistics accrued on his old team. The transaction was a change-of-scenery attempt that did not produce a clear long-term on-court winner.
Final Verdict
Even Trade under the retained C/C grades. Brooklyn got Marquis Teague for 21 games, one start, 3.0 points and 1.4 assists after the January 2014 swap. Chicago received Tornike Shengelia, another young player who did not develop into a sustained Bulls starter. Neither side acquired a dependable franchise contributor.