According to reports from ESPN’s Marc Stein and Ohm Youngmisuk the Brooklyn Nets, fresh off a stomping by the Cleveland Cavaliers, are reportedly shopping 3 All-Stars in the form of point guard Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez.
Story going online now co-scribed with @NotoriousOHM: ESPN sources say Nets have made D-Will, Brook Lopez & Joe Johnson available via trade
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) December 9, 2014
The story says the Nets have fully informed teams of the three players availability and as to why these 3 are the ones.
from ESPN.com
The Brooklyn Nets have begun reaching out to teams to let them know that former All-Stars Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson are all available via trade, ESPN.com has learned.
Sources say no trade is imminent involving any of the three players.
Yet sources insist that the Nets haven’t abandoned their recent “win-now mentality” and aren’t merely looking to dump salary. Brooklyn’s hope, sources said, is eventually to construct a deal or two that bring back sufficient talent that enables the Nets remain a playoff team.
This just sounds like the Nets are trying to get some talent back, because the guys they have now, aren’t working at all. Now the interesting thing to see is who is going to be the first guy gone?
Here are some contract details on all 3 players.
from ESPN.com
Williams has two years remaining on a five-year, $98 million deal and has struggled to recapture the All-Star form he displayed in Utah while battling ankle trouble in recent seasons. He’s due $21 million next season and $22.3 million in 2016-17, with the ability to opt of his contract and return to free agency in the summer of 2016.
Lopez, who signed a four-year, $60 million deal in 2012, has one more season left on his contract after this one. It’s a player option for 2015-16 worth $16.7 million, which Lopez is expected to exercise given the foot injuries that have plagued him for years in addition to the back strain that has him sidelined at present.
Johnson, meanwhile, is making $23.2 million this season as the league’s third-highest player and is owed $24.9 million 2015-16. He combines with Williams and Lopez to form the league’s highest paid trio this season at $58.7 million combined.
The 30 year old Williams did go through offseason surgery on both ankles but he has been a mainstay this season and has started in all 19 games this season and is averaging 17.6 points and 6.5 assists in 36.5 minutes per game.
At 26 years old Lopez is averaging 16.1 points and 6.2 rebounds in 16 games this season but has played only in 96 games over the past 3 seasons. The 7-footer played in only 17 games last season before suffering an injury to his right foot the ended his season on Dec. 20 in a game versus the Philadelphia 76ers. He is currently listed as “day-to-day” and has been diagnosed with a lower back strain, he will be re-evaluated in a week, Alex Raskin of the Wall Street Journal reports.
33 year old Joe Johnson has appeared in 18 games, playing 34.9 minutes per game, 15.7 points per game and 5 rebounds per game with 3.8 assists per game. He is currently listed as “day-to-day” with an illness and missed the Nets recent game against the Cavs.
Pick your poison, NBA teams.
