Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez. (Photo : Getty Images)
The Brooklyn Nets is a team that's often dismissed as one of the league's worst and since they do not have an incentive to tank, they are involved in NBA trade rumors.
According to Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders, Brook Lopez and the situation with the Nets is one of the scenarios to watch.
The Nets are in a dead end-they are projected to fall into the lottery but they have to swap and give up their next two picks so there's no room to improve. How would Lopez handle that frustration especially when offers from fringe contenders pop up. Greene explored that.
"While the team may have every hope of holding onto Lopez long term there will be more than a few clubs that believe they are ready for the next step, and as a result willing to give up future assets for a guy like him via trade. Future assets are key to any rebuilding project and you can expect the Nets to seriously evaluate all offers that float across their desk involving the talented Lopez."
Teams who could use a center in their roster could be inclined to pursue Lopez. For the Brooklyn Nets, it could also be a way for them to gain more talent or even draft picks.
The Milwaukee Bucks could use this opportunity as a way to end the Greg Monroe trade search. If the Bucks send Monroe to the Nets, they get a scoring center back. It's not as high as Lopez, but it won't be a huge discrepancy. The Nets would definitely ask for a first round draft pick back and probably another young asset, perhaps Michael Carter-Williams.
There is another team that covets a center and that's the Boston Celtics on the assumption they would play Al Horford at the four position. The Brooklyn Nets are probably not that eager to trade with Danny Ainge, but they do have more trade assets than any team in the league.
The Nets will most likely take the Boston Celtics 2017 first round pick because of the pick swap condition. In this case, the Celtics can send second round picks for Monroe (whose trade value is down). If they decide to forge a three-way swap, the Bucks get Brook Lopez, the Boston Celtics get Greg Monroe, the Nets get Michael Carter-Williams, the Bucks' 2017 first round pick and one of the Celtics big men, maybe Jonas Jerebko, possibly a second round pick from the Celtics as well.
This is a scenario that could emerge from the rumored Lopez-Monroe trade as suggested in this Real GM article from Michael Pina.
