Brook Lopez (Photo : Getty Images)
The Charlotte Hornets and Dallas Mavericks have emerged as potential landing spots for Brook Lopez, who could be available before the Feb. 23 deadline.
The Brooklyn Nets may be ready to part ways with Lopez, who is touted as one of the few big men to hit the trade market this season. According to ESPN's Marc Stein, rival executives believe the Nets could let go of their All-Star center before the trade deadline for the right price.
"Some rival executives are increasingly convinced that the Nets are open to moving Lopez between now and the February deadline in the proverbial right deal," Stein wrote.
It is unclear whether the Nets would truly attempt to trade Lopez, but it is possible Brooklyn would consider such move if they want to start rebuilding. Lopez, who has career averages of 18.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, would make a valuable trade chip for the Nets, who would certainly entertain getting back some of their lost future draft picks.
Maxwell Ogden of Sports Illustrated's Fansided listed teams that could work out a trade with the Nets for Lopez. Among the teams mentioned in Fansided's trade scenario are the Hornets and Mavs.
Acquiring Lopez would give the Mavs a scoring big man, someone who could take over as the team's star big man once Dirk Nowitzki call it quits. Lopez's inside scoring would also fit well with the Mavs' offense, allowing Nowitzki to focus on his outside game.
In Ogden's proposed trade, the Mavs would send Andrew Bogut's expiring contract, Dwight Powell and a future first-round draft pick for Lopez, giving Brooklyn future assets for their rebuild and flexible cap space to make a run at top free agents next summer.
For a team that has been utilizing talented big men very well, the Mavs could benefit well from trading for Lopez. But the Hornets could also post as a perfect destination for the 28-year-old center.
Al Jefferson's offensive prowess inside the paint played a major role in ending the Hornets' postseason drought in their 2013-2014 campaign. Steve Clifford has shown he could maximize the skills of an aging center like Jefferson, which means a younger and more mobile Lopez would do wonders for the Hornets' hopes of reaching deep in the playoffs.
However, it would be difficult for the Hornets to match Lopez's $21.1 million deal for this season without giving too much players from their core roster. But it is a deal worth considering if Charlotte really wants to contend for a championship.
Video courtesy: YouTube/DownToBuck
