The latest Brooklyn Nets rumors are surrounding their former head coach and their current centerBrook Lopez.
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Jason Kiddand the Milwaukee Bucks recently pulled off a trade with the Detroit Pistons to rid themselves ofErsan Ilyasovaand his large contract. The trading of Ilyasova frees about $23 million in cap space for the Bucks.
The Bucks made the playoffs last season before being eliminated in a surprisingly good series against the Chicago Bulls. There are a lot of talented young players on the Bucks, as they haveJabari Parker,Khris Middleton, Michael-Carter Williams, andGiannis Antetokounmpo. With a good young core, the Bucks are close to being a real contender in the Eastern Conference, and adding a center looks to be the final piece of the puzzle.
The two centers that the Bucks are going to be looking to sign is Lopez of Nets, andTyson Chandlerof the Dallas Mavericks. Kidd has won a championship playing with Chandler in Dallas and also played with him on the New York Knicks. He was also Lopez’s coach in Brooklyn in an injury-plagued year for Lopez.
Two free agents Milwaukee intends to pursue in July according to ESPN sources: Big men Tyson Chandler and Brook Lopez
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine)June 12, 2015
Lopez and Chandler are extremely different players with Chandler being known for his defensive skills, and Lopez for his offensive skills. At this point in their careers, Lopez is the far better player. Lopez is 27-years-old compared to Chandler who is 32-years-old. The major concern that the Nets and any other team will have regarding Lopez is all about his health, as he has missed a lot of time
With the Mavericks last season, Chandler averaged a double-double with 10.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Last season, Lopez was able to stay pretty healthy, and was the best player on the Nets as result. Lopez totaled 17.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game last season. Nets’ head coachLionel Hollinswanted Lopez to become more of a force in the middle, and after some rough moments, Lopez really improved.
The Nets have made it pretty clear that they will be keeping Lopez at all costs, but they have also stated their desire to shred salary. If Lopez does indeed leave Brooklyn, it would be a crushing blow for the Nets and a huge upgrade for the Bucks.
With the poor play fromDeron Williamsin the last two seasons, Lopez has become a player the Nets simply cannot lose if they wish to remain competitive.
Next: Are big names on the move in Brooklyn?
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