The Brooklyn Nets, as a result of a 2013 trade, had to give their 2016 first-round pick to the Boston Celtics, and they’ll have to do the same in 2018 and be forced to swap picks with the C’s this season.
With no high first-round picks for three straight seasons, it makes sense for the last-place Nets to trade players with any sort of value in an attempt to stockpile some draft picks.
Veteran center Brook Lopez could be the first to go before next month’s NBA trade deadline.
ESPN’s Marc Stein reported Saturday that the “current asking price” for Lopez is two first-round picks.
Lopez is having a pretty good season for Brooklyn. He’s averaging 19.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Durability has been an issue for Lopez in previous seasons, but he’s only missed four of Brooklyn’s 36 games so far.
The real issue for the Nets in trading Lopez is his salary. Not many teams can easily absorb his $21,165,675 salary this season and $22,642,350 salary next season.
That said, rim protection and scoring are valuable commodities around the trade deadline, so Lopez should draw some interest. Teams that strike out on Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap would be wise to give the Nets a call.
Thumbnail photo via Nicole Sweet/USA TODAY Sports Images
