At 28 years old, firmly entrenched in his prime, with only one year remaining after this one on his contract, Brook Lopez profiles as one of the NBA’s best trade assets.
But only if the Brooklyn Nets view him as one, and it’s unclear if they do.
Indeed, the Nets have the worst record in the league and may not have business reinvesting in Lopez’s services come summer 2018. But it’s hard to deal a guy who is buying into your rebuilding process with such obvious enthusiasm.
Just look at what Lopez had to say of the Association-worst Nets, per the New York Post‘s Fred Kerber:
“I’m confident that if we continue to work the way we are and if we continue to build the foundation like we are here that we’re going to have something in the future. I realize it’s not about this immediate moment,” Lopez said, referring to the young players who could make a difference.
But Lopez has said this before. How is this different? One word, Lopez said.
“Accountability. There’s accountability here from top to bottom,” he said. “Everyone has bought in. This is somewhere they want to be. Obviously there’s lots of growing pains and everything like that, but we have to realize this is all building to something.”
The NBA is a business, and Lopez looks out of place on the Nets in many ways. General manager Sean Marks is always listening to calls, and there will come a time, be it before the trade deadline, over the offseason or sometime in 2017-18,, when Brooklyn has to make a tough decision.
In the meantime, though, it’s good to know that Brook Lopez is content and ready to build right where he is, despite all the past setbacks. Some players in slightly more promising situations than himself wouldn’t have the stamina to embrace this top-to-bottom reinvention.
