Brooklyn Nets: Brook Lopez Trade Marks New Beginning
The unexpected trade on Tuesday sending Brook Lopez to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, signals a shift in the direction of the Brooklyn Nets, and “marks” a new beginning for the team under general manager Sean Marks.
For a couple years now, center Brook Lopez‘s name was often heard in trade talks around the trade deadline. Although it was clear that the Nets were rebuilding over the past few years, they did not want to part with Lopez unless they received a fair package for him. On Tuesday, he was finally dealt.
In the trade with the Lakers, the Nets received former No. 2 overall pick, D’Angelo Russell along with Timofey Mozgov, in exchange for Lopez and the No. 27 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft. The Lakers gave up a player with great potential in Russell, but also managed to get rid of the remaining $48 million on Mozgov’s contract.
For the Nets, Lopez was the face of the franchise. He loved playing for the team, and hoped that he would be here around long enough to carry the Nets back into playoff basketball. That will no longer be the case, and the Nets will now have Russell during their attempt to rebuild.
Russell brings talent to the Nets, but also brings a lot of inconsistency. In 80 games, he averaged 13.2 points per game and 3.3 assists per game during his rookie season (which will be remembered for the Nick Young fiasco). He only played in 63 games last season due to injuries, averaging 15.6 PPG and 4.8 APG.
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Russell had high expectations coming out of Ohio State, but it has not resulted in much NBA success for him. He fell out of favor with former Lakers coach, Byron Scott, and could benefit more from playing in Kenny Atkinson’s system.
Mozgov only played in 64 games last season, averaging 7.4 PPG and 4.9 RPG. However, Mozgov’s real purpose in the deal was to serve as the player being salary dumped for the Lakers. He could end up as Brooklyn’s starting center, but the centerpiece of the trade for the Nets is clearly Russell.
Lopez was the last remaining player who was there during the team’s final years in New Jersey. He played through the various “eras” in Nets’ basketball history, from the NJ years to the Deron Williams/Joe Johnson/Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett years to the (current) no draft pick years.
He was also there for the franchise’s worst years. The team’s 12-70 record in the 2009-10 season was embarrassing, but Lopez was still loyal. On numerous occasions, he expressed his desire to remain with the team and did not demand a trade.
Lopez was an All Star in 2012-13, and holds career averages of 18.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 1.7 BPG in his nine-year career. He boasts the Nets’ all-time scoring record with 10,444 points. Foot problems between 2012-2014 raised concerns about his health, but he silenced those critics with strong recent years.
His best season was probably in 2015, when he averaged 20.6 points in 73 games, along with 7.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. He was never known for his rebounding or defense, but did accrue 972 blocks throughout his career. Last season, his offense rose to another level, when he incorporated the three-point shot into his arsenal. As a 7’0″ center, he made 134 threes last season at a 34.6% clip.
General manager Sean Marks wanted to make his imprint on the franchise, and this was it. In doing so, he gave up one of the best offensive centers in the league for an inconsistent point guard with a high upside. Russell is more valuable than the second-round offers Marks was hearing in trade talks for Lopez, and could be a young star if he develops.
Fans will be sad to see Lopez leave, but this is best for the team and his career. He gets to go back to California, where he is from, and can set himself up to be a free agent after the upcoming season. For the Nets, they received a better-than-expected haul and potentially have their point guard for the future.
The Nets can’t spell Brooklyn without “Brook”, and Lopez will always be an important part in the team’s history.