Welp, it seems the Nets weren’t interested in Brooklyn’s Born Ready. After reports surfaced last night of a proposed three-team swap sending Brook Lopez to Oklahoma City, Jarrett Jack and Jeremy Lamb to Charlotte and Lance Stephenson to Brooklyn, it fell apart today because of Brooklyn’s unwillingness to take on Stephenson. But the Thunder are determined to get Brook and his fragile foot, and they could still receive the Nets center in exchange for Kendrick Perkins. You read that right.
First, the deal fell apart because Brooklyn didn’t want Lance:
The 3-way deal involving the Hornets, Nets and Thunder is dead, at least for now. an informed NBA source told the Observer.
— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) January 16, 2015
Then OKC decided to just go ahead and try and work out a deal directly with the Nets:
Nets unwillingness on Lance Stephenson has Brooklyn focused on dealing directly with Thunder for Brook Lopez, league sources tell Yahoo.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 16, 2015
The Nets are eager to get rid of Brook, even though they’ll still have the massive Joe Johnson and Deron Williams contracts on the books for the next two years. So they’re thinking of dealing Brook to OKC for Kendrick Perkins’ $9.4 million expiring:
Sources: Nets still talking with OKC about possibly sending Brook Lopez there in what will amount to virtually salary dump.
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) January 16, 2015
Sources: main piece Nets would get is Kendrick Perkins in trade for Lopez. Talks ongoing….
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) January 16, 2015
We’re excited to see Perk and a bonkers aging Kevin Garnett reunited, but we still think Stephenson in Brooklyn would be great. Then again, what this means for Oklahoma City — by taking on Brook’s salary (he’s owed over $32 million this year and next) is Reggie Jackson is not getting re-signed this summer. GM Sam Presti might have another deal in the works to move Reggie before the Feb. 19 deadline, so they don’t lose him this summer for nothing.
The Thunder need a low-post presence since Serge Ibaka has turned into a legitimate stretch four threat from beyond the arc — and not just in the corners. But they need someone to make the defense bend away from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on the perimeter, and Brook might do just that. For Brooklyn, they’re just dumping Brook’s deal since it’ll be impossible to trade Williams or Johnson at this point and they want to stop paying exorbitant luxury taxes.
Does this trade make OKC a more dangerous title contender?
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