Nets open to trading Williams, Lopez, and Johnson

Lopez is a good shot blocker and decent floor stretcher. Also a bit of an ass. He's also probably a bit out of our price range in terms of assets.

Williams was good five years ago. Now? I wouldn't take him over Darren Collison.

Joe Johnson is an interesting option. I thought he looked great to start the season but he's pretty old now and doesn't really match-up with our window of contention. There's also the issue of us having anything the Nets would want.

If we were going to go all in on a playoff run this season, I think it would be interesting to see if we couldn't somehow snatch KG from the Nets. He's not an amazing player at this point but still a good rebounder, solid team defender, and would give the team size beyond Boogie and JT. He could also be another veteran leader from which our young guys can learn and there's always that small chance that Kevin Garnett goes Kevin Garnett and gives the team a surprise third option when Boogies out or Rudy's having an off night.

But I'm just waxing poetic here.
 
I had pondered the Lopez question.

Actually I had pondered starting a thread openly wondering about:

Brooke Lopez
Nikola Pekovic
Greg Monroe
JaVale Mcgee

all as big money centers available for various reasons, the first three with lower level goto stuff. Here was my theory: go all in on the smashmouth thing. Try to bring one off the bench, but have them polay half their min next to Cousins or something. Make for a relentless post attack. Of course you would also be using up a huge salary slot, and you'd have to try to convince a starting center to play as a backup. But I'd be thinking 30min a night here, using Cuz's versatility to play true huge ball half the time, and no longer having to rely on an undersized Landry to keep up the post attack off the bench.

Of course my theory was silent as to why anybody but the Nuggets would ditch those guys for the paltry assets we could offer.
 
Kg has a no trade clause he's going to a true contender hopefully Washington or Toronto.

I'd give up Nik for johnson I know he's 33 but he has an old mans game and has 4 good years left. Let him come off the bench and we get instant scoring. He's a great shooter he's shot 38% 37% and 40% last 3 seasons from 3 and that's all on 5 or more attempts. You put him with Landry/Evans and we instantly have a very good bench on them 2 alone and our small ball would be deadly with him in there. Also if Ben is struggling JJ can play the 2 him and Gay would demolish teams on the post since he's one of the best post up guards.

Lopez Id be willing to give up JT/Nik/Ben hear me out. This is his games played since entering the nba 82, 82, 82, 5, 74, 16 so his injuries are really only 2 seasons. Putting lopez/DMC/Gay makes us title contenders this year. Ya I said it. No team will be able to guard those 2. Lopez is not even ball dominate he's averaged only 13 field goals per game last 2 seasons with 16 being a career high he spreads the floor for DMC also. How would teams match up either guy would make waste of other teams PF. You might say DMC will foul out but he does that now and still plays 30min. Also lopez is an elite rim protector oppenets at the rim % this year is 37.9% which is number 1.
 
JT and DWill along with one of either Ben, Nik, Ray, Evans or Ramon works salary-wise to acquire Lopez. I would give up Ramon, Evans or Ray, but not sure if Brooklyn wants any. I wouldn't give up Ben because it leaves a huge hole at 2 this year. Does Ben's emergence make Nik expendable, even though Nik might be a player?

I do know that the lineup of Brook/Boogie/Rudy/Ben/Darren is a serious lineup. Having Landy and Omri off the bench, along with other pieces (some combo of Ray, Reggie, Ramon, and Nik) is pretty good. Brook seems like he can stretch the floor and is more of a shotblocker, though JT has turned into a plus defender.

If Brooklyn is trying to clear mistakes, it might also be possible to take our Terry trade exception and trade it for Jack. Does Brooklyn bite on a huge cap relief trade? Depends on how desperate they are to move Lopez and if they think Jack was a mistake. Probably not, but you might be in the ball park if you offer:

JT, Dwill, and Ramon for Lopez, and then a trade exception for Jack.
 
From a salary point of view, Johnson and Williams are pretty much right out.

Williams is owed $63M over the next three years, he's 30, he's not a good defender, and he's already showing signs of injury and decline. Do you send Landry, Williams, and Collison (~$42M over those three years) to take a flyer on Deron? I don't.

Johnson actually costs "only" $48M total, but it's in a two year contract. That means we'd have to match $23M to get him and he has the same age problems.

Brook is the guy that's intriguing here. $15.7M, and with his player option it's likely a one-year thing. Injuries are again a concern, but the salary is right. The only question is what Brooklyn would take for him. Here, we'd have to give up an asset. But we can't really ship off a pick. The Nets probably don't want to trade Brook's one-year + player option deal out for a three-year deal, so Landry and Thompson seem out. That means our package would have to center around Derrick Williams' expiring and...either Ben or Nik. And that doesn't come close to working under the cap. If we extend it to include Jarrett Jack's three-year deal, we could do something like Brook and Jack for DWill, Nik, Landry, and Ramon. I kind of doubt that is the best offer that the Nets can get for Lopez, but I'm not sure we can reasonably put together a better one.
 
JT, Dwill, and Ramon for Lopez, and then a trade exception for Jack.

I see we're thinking on the same lines, but I seriously doubt the Nets are tempted by a deal looking like this unless it includes Nik or Ben. Even then, I'm not sure it tempts them.
 
After some research I think lopez can be had for Ben/JT/DWill Ben value is pretty high and lopez isn't at it's highest. Nik will have to start but with a real big 3 lopez/cousins/Gay it shouldn't matter.

And let's keep d.williams out of this
 
Lopez is the only one that would work for us... and even then there will be question marks about his role and his first next to Cousins.

Nets will be looking for cap relief, young players and picks.

Problem we don't have our 1st rounder and until Chicago gets that pick we cant trade any of our future 1st rounders.

Williams is our biggest expiring contract and will have work. besides that we could add Hollins.

The salary filling vet role would go to JT or Landry, at this point.

The key will be a young player, it's going to have to be Ben or Nik, Ben has taken a huge leap forward and I think so a extent becomes untouchable because of his potential to be a two way SG the Kings have been looking for years. (Thank god that Josh Smith trade didn't go through) Nik has great potential too, but we would certainly have to give him up in a deal.

2 years of Lopez at 15 million ? I don't think it would work for him or us but I wouldn't be upset if we tried to pull it off.
 
After some research I think lopez can be had for Ben/JT/DWill Ben value is pretty high and lopez isn't at it's highest. Nik will have to start but with a real big 3 lopez/cousins/Gay it shouldn't matter.

And let's keep d.williams out of this

I don't think Brook Lopez is worth it.
 
He's played 82, 82, 82, 5, 74, 18 since being drafted. He's only missed major games on 1 season and has played 18 of 19 this year.

You forgot about last year. In the last 3 years (not counting this one where he is injured again), he's played in 96 out of 230 games.

Giving up anything of value for a big with a recent history of serious back and foot injuries?

Pass.
 
Kg has a no trade clause he's going to a true contender hopefully Washington or Toronto.

I'd give up Nik for johnson I know he's 33 but he has an old mans game and has 4 good years left. Let him come off the bench and we get instant scoring. He's a great shooter he's shot 38% 37% and 40% last 3 seasons from 3 and that's all on 5 or more attempts. You put him with Landry/Evans and we instantly have a very good bench on them 2 alone and our small ball would be deadly with him in there. Also if Ben is struggling JJ can play the 2 him and Gay would demolish teams on the post since he's one of the best post up guards.

Lopez Id be willing to give up JT/Nik/Ben hear me out. This is his games played since entering the nba 82, 82, 82, 5, 74, 16 so his injuries are really only 2 seasons. Putting lopez/DMC/Gay makes us title contenders this year. Ya I said it. No team will be able to guard those 2. Lopez is not even ball dominate he's averaged only 13 field goals per game last 2 seasons with 16 being a career high he spreads the floor for DMC also. How would teams match up either guy would make waste of other teams PF. You might say DMC will foul out but he does that now and still plays 30min. Also lopez is an elite rim protector oppenets at the rim % this year is 37.9% which is number 1.

Yeah, two seasons, but two out of the last three, and by the way, he's out with a bad back right now...To give up that much young talent for a player that would have to come off the bench, and has been injured off and on the last three years is just plain nuts. I'd give up JT, William, and Evans. Two of them are enders, and JT would be a useful player for them. That trade works by the way on trade check. Lopez has a player option for next season. Now its likely he'll pick up the option since he's not likely to get that much money from anyone else, but none the less, he could walk after this season, and if he did and you gave up Nik, Ben, and JT, that trade would be a disaster.
 
the one, well one of, the interesting things about Lopez is that he's really not that bad a contract. $16mil this year, $17mil next on a player option, and that's it. So you can potentially risk more with a guy like him because you won't be stuck with your mistake. Looked at in one light, he's even a potential answer to shortening our obligations to JT/Landry etc. And he's only 26.

Its the sort of thing that could be an absolute coup...if he were healthy. But that's such an enormous question. Is he Big Z or Smits destined for a long career? Or is he Ralph Sampson or Bynum on the way down. Perhaps its hopeful the first two were feet, the latter two knees.

P.S. When healthy, truly healthy? Maybe 2nd best offensive big in the game. A lot of him absolutely screams 2nd big in a Twin Towers lineup. Taller, softer, shotblocker, Boogie takes care of the boardwork, both lethal post options...and in some ways he fits our purported M.O. of looking for undervalued talents and buying low. It would be a stab at greatness, or at least very goodness with an attention grabbing throwback structure.

But...he's got to play. And you wonder. (I also immediately wondered with the back thing..is he really hurt? Or are they stashing him while trying to trade him?)
 
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Its the sort of thing that could be an absolute coup...if he were healthy. But that's such an enormous question. Is he Big Z or Smits destined for a long career? Or is he Ralph Sampson or Bynum on the way down. Perhaps its hopeful the first two were feet, the latter two knees.

Bingo. The one thing I would always steer clear of as GM of the Kings is challenging fate by bringing players with known health issues to the Kings.
 
Bingo. The one thing I would always steer clear of as GM of the Kings is challenging fate by bringing players with known health issues to the Kings.

Good grief, and I remember Sampson. His son went to U of Minnesota. :) Not as good as dad.
 
Kg has a no trade clause he's going to a true contender hopefully Washington or Toronto.

I'd give up Nik for johnson I know he's 33 but he has an old mans game and has 4 good years left. Let him come off the bench and we get instant scoring. He's a great shooter he's shot 38% 37% and 40% last 3 seasons from 3 and that's all on 5 or more attempts. You put him with Landry/Evans and we instantly have a very good bench on them 2 alone and our small ball would be deadly with him in there. Also if Ben is struggling JJ can play the 2 him and Gay would demolish teams on the post since he's one of the best post up guards.

Lopez Id be willing to give up JT/Nik/Ben hear me out. This is his games played since entering the nba 82, 82, 82, 5, 74, 16 so his injuries are really only 2 seasons. Putting lopez/DMC/Gay makes us title contenders this year. Ya I said it. No team will be able to guard those 2. Lopez is not even ball dominate he's averaged only 13 field goals per game last 2 seasons with 16 being a career high he spreads the floor for DMC also. How would teams match up either guy would make waste of other teams PF. You might say DMC will foul out but he does that now and still plays 30min. Also lopez is an elite rim protector oppenets at the rim % this year is 37.9% which is number 1.

what the truck. talk about selling LOW right there. just stop. STOP. JJ has about 1 OK year left. we aren't contending anytime soon so why give up a lotto pick that hasn't even finished his first year?
 
the one, well one of, the interesting things about Lopez is that he's really not that bad a contract. $16mil this year, $17mil next on a player option, and that's it. So you can potentially risk more with a guy like him because you won't be stuck with your mistake. Looked at in one light, he's even a potential answer to shortening our obligations to JT/Landry etc. And he's only 26.

Its the sort of thing that could be an absolute coup...if he were healthy. But that's such an enormous question. Is he Big Z or Smits destined for a long career? Or is he Ralph Sampson or Bynum on the way down. Perhaps its hopeful the first two were feet, the latter two knees.

P.S. When healthy, truly healthy? Maybe 2nd best offensive big in the game. A lot of him absolutely screams 2nd big in a Twin Towers lineup. Taller, softer, shotblocker, Boogie takes care of the boardwork, both lethal post options...and in some ways he fits our purported M.O. of looking for undervalued talents and buying low. It would be a stab at greatness, or at least very goodness with an attention grabbing throwback structure.

But...he's got to play. And you wonder. (I also immediately wondered with the back thing..is he really hurt? Or are they stashing him while trying to trade him?)

And he's done the (literal) twin towers thing before--Brook played PF in college while Robin played C.* I've often said that if he could chase around scrawny college PFs on the perimiter, then he could stick at PF in the NBA, but he may have slowed down a bit since then. Still, I'd definitely explore this angle. Brook is very skilled on offense and a decent enough defender; his biggest weakness is on the boards and Boogie could cover him there. For me, it comes down to the thought that if a Gay/Randolph/Gasol frontcourt can succeed in the West, there's no reason a Gay/Lopez/Cousins frontcourt couldn't.

*On a completely unrelated note, Spencer Hawes considered the Cardinal before committing to his hometown UWashington team. Hawes was one and done, of course, but that would have been a hell of a big man trio on the Farm in 2006-07. Needless to say, I booed Hawes mercilessly when the Huskies came to town, and the Cardinal pulled off the upset ;)
 
I would not include nik in that.
We have limited time to start building a playoff team. Brook gets us there way faster than Nik. Even if Nik ultimately turns out to be a good or very good player, we don't have the time to wait and see. Boogie, Rudy, and Darren need to compete now. Not 3 years from now.
 
We have limited time to start building a playoff team. Brook gets us there way faster than Nik. Even if Nik ultimately turns out to be a good or very good player, we don't have the time to wait and see. Boogie, Rudy, and Darren need to compete now. Not 3 years from now.

If I thought Lopez could stay healthy, you bet. But I don't think that and I don't want to be another team that traded young assets for damaged goods.
 
If I thought Lopez could stay healthy, you bet. But I don't think that and I don't want to be another team that traded young assets for damaged goods.

The question, though, is how "healthy" is enough? If we get 74 games out of Brook next year, in my mind that's still worth more than 82 from Nik. Yes, there was an outlier year where he played only 5 games, but the fact that he came back and played 74 the next year indicates to me that whatever injury that was bothering him has improved.
 
The question, though, is how "healthy" is enough? If we get 74 games out of Brook next year, in my mind that's still worth more than 82 from Nik. Yes, there was an outlier year where he played only 5 games, but the fact that he came back and played 74 the next year indicates to me that whatever injury that was bothering him has improved.

This exactly!! People talk like he plays 40 games a year he's only had 2 injury years the rest he's played all 82 besides the 74.
 
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