Nets Rumors: Asking Price For Brook Lopez Lowered

With only two days left until the trade deadline, the Brooklyn Nets have reportedly lowered their asking price for starting center Brook Lopez.

The February 23 trade deadline is almost upon us, and the Brooklyn Nets have yet to make any moves. However, that could soon change, with the Nets reportedly no longer seeking two first-round picks for Brook Lopez.

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, league sources say that the Nets are would settle for one first-round and one second-round pick.

The price on Brook Lopez has dropped, league sources say. Instead of two first-rounders, word is Brooklyn would accept a first and a second.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 21, 2017

This comes in light of the Sacramento Kings dealing perennial franchise center DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Kings arguably settled for much less than what Cousins is worth. In return for Cousins and Omri Casspi, Sacramento received Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, and the Pelicans’ 2017 first-round pick and a future second-round pick.

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Just last week, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders reported a similar package the Pelicans offered to the Nets. The proposal included Evans, Galloway, Tim Frazier, and a pick in exchange for the Nets’ franchise center. Thus, aside from the inclusion of Hield and a second pick in the Pelicans’ deal for Cousins, what New Orleans initially put up for Lopez was not much different.

It’s difficult to compare the two centers since Lopez does not play at the same caliber as conceivably the NBA’s best center in Cousins. Still, Brooklyn did not accept an extremely similar deal. However, the Cousins trade likely impacted the Nets’ decision to downgrade what they’re charging for Lopez. One consequence of the Sacramento-New Orleans exchange is that it shows the big man market may not work in the Nets’ favor if Brooklyn continues to insist on two first-round picks for Lopez.

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With the latest unraveling of Lopez trade rumors, it appears the Nets have a higher chance of reaching a deal very soon. We’ll see soon enough whether this year will be another year full of fruitless Lopez trade rumors or a year Brooklyn decides to finally take the initiative.