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Why the Nets Should Finally Pull the Trigger on a Brook Lopez Trade

By Sean Costello

Jan 13, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) walks towards the bench during the fourth quarter in a game against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. The Toronto Raptors won 132-113. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 13, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) walks towards the bench during the fourth quarter in a game against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. The Toronto Raptors won 132-113. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 12, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) is fouled as he moves by New Orleans Pelicans power forward Terrence Jones (9) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 12, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) is fouled as he moves by New Orleans Pelicans power forward Terrence Jones (9) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Lopez Doesn’t Fit in the Current Style of the NBA

Lopez is a true throwback center. He can body players down low and from an offensive standpoint and mostly do everything that you’d expect from a starting center in the league. However, there is one thing that he has never thrived in, and that’s rebounding.

RELATED STORY: Three Potential Fits in a Lopez Trade

The 7-footer is only averaging five rebounds on the dot so far this season, and that isn’t any help to the Nets, who have been one of, if not the worst, defensive team in the NBA this season. When you have a center who doesn’t exactly fit your offense and cannot do what a center of his style of play and size should do, which is block, rebound, and defend the basketball, it just adds some fuel to the flame and makes you think that maybe Lopez’s time in a black-and-white uniform may be up in less than a month.

It should definitely be noted however, that Lopez has done his best to try and fit into Kenny Atkinson’s offense. Lopez had only made three three-pointers in his entire career before this season. This season, Lopez has hit 66 three-pointers, and the NBA season is not even at the All-Star Break yet. Thus, you can’t say Lopez isn’t trying his best to fit in Atkinson’s offense. He’s doing whatever it takes to make it work, even if that means expanding and changing his game as much as he possibly could.