Sources: Nets determined to trade Lopez soon
Jan 12, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) controls the ball defended by Houston Rockets
The Brooklyn Nets have intensified trade discussions for center Brook Lopez and want to move him soon, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
The Nets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets began to gather traction on a three-way trade late Thursday afternoon, and planned to continue to discussions on Friday morning, league sources told Yahoo Sports. For the Nets, the biggest hurdle remained their willingness to take on combustible Charlotte guard Lance Stephenson, sources said.
Oklahoma City has been the most aggressive in its pursuit of Lopez, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Brooklyn has tried to find teams willing to move the expiring contract of Kendrick Perkins for an established player, sources said.
The Nets have delivered indications to teams they would like to settle on a trade by the weekend, league sources said.
Denver has discussed a package centered on center JaVale McGee, but his consistent problems with injuries have discouraged the Nets' interest, sources said. Miami raised the idea of a package including Chris Andersen, Norris Cole and Josh McRoberts, sources told Yahoo Sports. The Los Angeles Lakers have expressed interest too, sources said.
The Hornets have a strong interest in making a deal for Lopez, but league sources believe the Nets are focused on dealing Lopez to the Western Conference, league sources told Yahoo.
Brooklyn officials have been re-canvassing the league for intel on Hornets guard Lance Stephenson, trying to measure the risk-reward of bringing him back to his hometown, league sources said. Charlotte and Brooklyn talked several weeks ago, but discussions cooled when the Nets were reluctant to acquire Stephenson as part of a broader package, league sources said.
The Nets have three max-contract salaries on the roster â Lopez, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson â and are motivated to shed two of the three before the Feb. 19 trade deadline, league sources said. Brooklyn has lost seven straight games to drop to 16-23, and owner Mikhail Prokhorov is pursuing a sale of the team.
Brooklyn has been unable lately to find any traction in talks to move Williams, league sources said.
The Nets have had discussions with Oklahoma City on Lopez, but the best chance for bringing back value on the former All-Star center could be gambling on the talent of Stephenson. There's support for a Stephenson homecoming to Brooklyn on the ownership level but rival teams believe the front office is more cautious about taking on the volatile player.
Lopez, 26, has a player option of $16.7 million on his contract for the 2015-16 season, which he's almost certain to exercise based on the foot injuries that have plagued him the past few years. Lopez makes $15.7 million this season. He was an Eastern Conference All-Star in 2013, but missed most of the 2014 season with a recurrence of a foot injury.
Charlotte has been desperate to move Stephenson, who has been unable to integrate himself into the franchise's culture under coach Steve Clifford. Stephenson, 24, signed as a free agent over the summer and has a guaranteed deal for the 2015-16 season and a team option for '16-17.