When Healthy, should we trade Lopez?

[NyCeEvO]

I know that today has been a whirlwind of a day, but I'd like for us to look to future for a bit, especially since the present isn't looking too good lol.

The Nets dream scenario would obviously be that no D12 trade happens and he signs with the Nets in the offseason. We'd still have all of the players that we want of course (Morrow, MarShon) and we'd still have Brook's bird rights.

However, I have two questions:
1) Is it better to have Brook or a good wing player to attract to/keep players on this team?
2) For the sake of having a better balanced roster, wouldn't it be better to have a big 3 of PG/SF/C rather than PG/PF/C?


1 - As much as we defend Brook, the league doesn't perceive him to be that good of a player. Eric Gordon has career averages of 18.1ppg/3.3apg/2.7rpg over 3 seasons, while Lopez has 17.4ppg/7.6rpg/1.7bpg. While both are up and coming players, people have a much higher opinion of Eric Gordon than they do of Lopez, even though Gordon has somewhat significant injuries over the last two seasons.

Do you think trading Lopez for a player of Griffin's stature (also Granger, Harden) could make this team more appealing to other players?

2 - Also, given the first question, I'm not so high on a potential pairing of D12/Lopez in comparison to a D12 or Lopez & stud wing player. Not only do I feel that you can you'll have more methods to attack a defense if you have a PG/SF/C combo, I feel that in particular a PF/C combo of Dwight and Lopez wouldn't be as effective in real life as it would be on paper, since Dwight isn't a really athletic stretch 4 that can burn the defense for collapsing on Dwight or vice versa.

What type of Big 3 personnel makeup would you rather have? D-Will/Stud wing/Dwight or D-Will/Lopez/Dwight?

[SteveNets15]

I'd rather have a PG/SF/C.Problem is i still think we need Brook to get Dwight in a trade...

[NyCeEvO]

I'd rather have a PG/SF/C.Problem is i still think we need Brook to get Dwight in a trade...

The scenario that I'm referring to does not have us trading for Dwight at all.

[Ronito]

If we get Dwight via free agency, then we should work a trade that involves Andre Iguodola coming to Brooklyn.

Also, we don't know what the league views Brook Lopez as. All we know is most posters on the RealGM forums don't perceive him as anything of significance.

[Preludepunk27]

If you pay attention to how other fans perceive this team you'll make a stupid and rash decision.

Most GM's and ESPN analysts love Brook. Some people knock him for his down year...other than rebounding, he turned it around the 2nd half of the year. GM's and other basketball people know what Brook can be and that's all that should matter.

Do fans generally overvalue their own players? Yes, but we also generally undervalue other teams players. Don't think for a second the 29 other team's fans wouldn't have a MASSIVE party if a team ever fleeced us on a deal for Brook.

Relax people

[N Ireland Nets]

I'll play this game to make me feel better. If we were sure we were getting Howard I personally would trade Lopez for a stud wing and more depth even. So what options would be out there:

Derozan
Harden
Granger
George
Gay
Gordon

Trying to wrack my brain for more talented obtainable wings but cant think. Out of that list I'd target Gordon or Harden because they are very good already but havent even reached their ceiling. Plus you could get more pieces from their team in a trade with lopez. So could get picks or more depth along with them.

Would love to trade lopez with Houstons 2011 1st for Harden and Ibaka or is that far to 1 sided?

I think Lopez has big value as a top big but im not great at proposing trades. Add in us selecting a player in the lottery.....

Roster would then be something like:

D Will / Gaines
Harden / Morrow / Brooks
Kidd-Gilchrist / James / S Williams
Ibaka / Hump
Howard

Farmar isnt going to take his option or he would be traded, id even sign Arenas for more guard depth. But how sick would that not be, unrealistic, totally but after Lopez going down I just want to stay in a dream world right now. That roster above is a young team that can really stay together for a long long time.

[bobbyc]

Definitely do not trade Brook for a wing. Brook is going to be a hell of a value when he signs his new contract next year.

Yea, just cause the average Realgm poster thinks he is bad doesn't mean he is actually not that valuable. He is still 23 and a couple years away from his best basketball. This kid is gonna be an all star. General Board posters for the most part aren't that great of a judge of talent.

In all likelihood any trade where we get an elite wing, is going to force us to take on a lot of salary. With Dwight up in the air and our inabilty to compete for anything this year, we should not make any trade like this happen.

And I don't think it has to be an either or scenario. Gerald Wallace is a FA next year, and if Farmar declines, we trade Petro away and maybe Shawne Williams too. I think we could pull off one more big contract or trade for a wing as well as resign Lopez.

[DarkXaero]

I think this season would have boosted his trade value tremendously. His rebounding numbers would have been much better, and the offensive output just as good if not better. If its a trade for Dwight then you obviously do it. But if Brook comes back healthy (with no nagging problems on his foot), then I'd rather keep him and boost his trade value, before trying to trade him.

[NyCeEvO]

I think this season would have boosted his trade value tremendously. His rebounding numbers would have been much better, and the offensive output just as good if not better. If its a trade for Dwight then you obviously do it. But if Brook comes back healthy (with no nagging problems on his foot), then I'd rather keep him and boost his trade value, before trying to trade him.

He'd have to come back before the trade deadline, which we don't know if he will for sure and if he will be completely healthy at that point.

[NyCeEvO]

Another reason I'd trade Lopez (if we knew Howard was coming for sure) would be because their skills wouldn't reach their maximum potential when they're playing at the same time.

It's similar to the LBJ-Wade argument in which they take turn being Superman. Now, they succeed at it because their talent greatly exceeds their opponents wing players, but I feel that the Heat would be even more dangerous if they had a true dominant inside presence, a dominant wing, and a good playmaker.

If D12 has the balldown low, Brook would either need to cut to the basket or float out. If Brook was much faster, then cutting to the basket would work well when Howard pass out of a double-team, but Brook is too slow for that. Alternatively, you'd rather have someone who is more adept at consistently knocking down midrange jumpers if he's going to float out.

I understand that most teams don't have the luxury of having great 1-3-5 players. But we already have the 1, and the 5 has already expressed interest. A great 3 would be fast enough to cut when the 5 is doubled, but also would have the shooting ability to float out and knock down the J. The best thing about the 1-3-5 combo is that you can run so many plays that can take advantage of each player's different abilities and yet the players won't get in the way of each other.

[ecuhus1981]

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. We can land him (or Harrison Barnes) in the late lottery, assuming this season goes as I envision (24-30 wins, 36-42 losses). That, along with the fact that Twin Towers beats all, means I hope we keep Brook and add Dwight.

[NjNeTs1029]

if we were definitely getting dwight in the offseason i would trade Brook. If we can somehow get Josh Smith from ATL and then add dwight we'd have a sick team that'd be fun to watch. Deron, JSmith, and Dwight would be tough to match up with. Really athletic team plus Morrow spreading the floor.

[LOUiS-D]

How many pivot men are there that can consistently create for themselves? It's a short list of extremely valuable players. If you can keep Brook, you keep Brook. I imagine having Dwight and Williams on the floor together at most times and having Lopez start alongside them, but mostly carrying the scoring load when the bench unit is playing.

Both Dwight and Brook putting fouls on opposing front lines in the playoffs would be heavenly.

[therealbig3]

Personally, I think it's dumb to keep Lopez and sign Howard, if you get D12, then trade Lopez. They play the same position and both operate in the low post. Howard is all-around better, so keep him and trade Lopez for talent.

Especially since there's a need for a wing. I wouldn't want Iguodala, simply because his contract is apparently really horrible. It's a shame, because I really do love his game. I don't know what wings are available, but basically trade Lopez for a solid wing player, and team him up with Williams and Howard. I'd sign Humphries to a longer term deal too, because he's a legit PF, and he would be awesome next to Dwight. Morrow would be draining 3s all day. That would definitely be a serious contender.

[Shaheen]

You guys are delusional if you think we can get that good of a wing player after Lopez comes off major surgery. Hes not gonna have value for a while.
i'd rather keep him. Him and Dwight would make a deadly combo.