The Brooklyn Nets are fading fast. The team has immense interest in trading away some of its top talent, which includes Deron Williams and Brook Lopez. It’s the latter that has seemed to draw the most attention from teams, but is Lopez worth the hefty price Brooklyn is asking?
Over his seven-year NBA career Lopez has made quite the name for himself. His career averages of 17.7 points and 7.2 rebounds make him one of the league’s more consistent and established big men. However, Lopez has a problem staying on the court, as injuries have gotten the better of him over the last few years.
In two of the last four years Lopez has missed significant time due to injury. During the 2011-12 season he missed all but five games. His bad luck continued in 2013-14 when he only played in 17 games. This season, despite missing some time with injury, Lopez has been able to stay on the court for the majority of the season, playing in 35 games.
Is the risk of Lopez’s health worth the talent he brings?
The Denver Nuggets are one of the team’s that believe Lopez is worth the gamble. The Nuggets are offering a package of Javale McGee and J.J. Hickson for the Nets center, a package which Brooklyn isn’t too thrilled with.
Like Lopez, McGee has also had an extensive injury history.
The last two seasons have seen McGee play in a combined 20 games. Hickson has been a solid, but not great, option for the Nuggets over the last three years. The package is hardly worth Brook Lopez, and Brooklyn’s stance on not taking the offer has been firm.
The Nets are not going to win with their current roster. Moves will be coming in an attempt to solidify the team’s future. Brook Lopez is am asset the team can move, especially with the emergence of Mason Plumlee.
The only roadblock on moving Lopez is finding a team willing to pay Brooklyn’s exuberant price tag. Considering Lopez’s track record they might want to lower their expectations.