Brook Lopez trade talks stall between Nets and Thunder
After several hours of speculation that Brook Lopez would be traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Nets have decided to back away from trade talks, at least for now.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports with the report:
“After progressing in serious talks on a deal to send center Brook Lopez to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Brooklyn Nets backed away from discussions Friday afternoon, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
“Standing pat at this time,” one Nets source told Yahoo Sports. “There was nothing we liked.”
The Nets backed away from the idea of simply moving Lopez on a salary dump, without the ability to bring back value on his talent, league sources said.
Nevertheless, discussions could begin again with a simple alteration of an offer, and the Nets’ desire to move Lopez soon remains unchanged.
The Houston Rockets were also probing the Nets on Lopez too, league sources said. The Miami Heat have also remained connected to discussions on Lopez, sources said.”
Initially, it seemed like the Nets were looking to move Lopez as a salary dump, but it now seems like the team would like a valuable asset as well in return. Although trade talks have halted, it doesn’t mean that the trade talks are “dead.” One phone call and Brook Lopez would be on his way to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Today morning, trade talks spiraled upward after the Nets refused to have Charlotte in the three-way deal which would have sent Lance Stephenson to the Nets. When the Hornets fell out of the original deal, the Nets and Thunder discussed a deal that would bring Jeremy Lamb and Kendrick Perkins to the Nets, but trade talks did not progress too far.
Thunder GM Sam Presti is a big fan of Lopez, who the team was interested in picking with the fourth overall pick in the 2008 draft. Presti elected to go with All-Star point-guard Russell Westbrook instead.
Although no deal is imminent, Brook Lopez will likely still be dealt. He has a $16.7 million player option and the Nets can’t afford to have him walk for nothing.
What readers said at the time
5 replies came in under this piece in 2015, and they are kept here as they were written — the readers’ words, not ours, spelling and all. The thread is closed; the desk does not take new comments.
jerry2517 January 2015
I think what transpired these last 2 days, was just part of a strategy by King/Proky. King likely knew he wouldn’t get good offers for Lopez, right away. They pretended that there was a weekend deadline (I think Broussard was “played” to get the word out). In reality the deadline is Feb 19, but first King has to line up some bidders. He appears to have made some progress and was helped further with Brook’s nice performance. Billy King should now have a better idea of which players might be available.
And the reason Nets want to get rid of Lopez is that they really don’t want to have to negotiate another long term deal with Brook, who is injury prone. If they really wanted Lopez (not to leave in Free Agency), they should be able to talk him into staying, for the right multiplayer deal
jerry2517 January 2015
correction: “for the right multiyear deal”.
Ravi Shah17 January 2015
Great points. I definitely agree. After the way Lopez played yesterday, he will definitely be receiving more attention around the league. Its better to trade Lopez noq, if the team is going to let him walk anyways.
Joe Volpe26 January 2015
Sorry but Billy King is not thet clever. I think he is just gunshy now because he has made so many obvious bad moves.
Tej Shah26 January 2015
I agree