Nets Looking At Hawks Josh Smith In Trade Chatter
In the last hour ESPN’s Chris Broussard revealed that the Brooklyn Nets are “aggressively pursuing” a trade for the Atlanta Hawks Josh Smith. This is not the first time that the Nets have been linked to Smith, although with the Nets being in a funk right now and getting zero production from the forward position, it could precipitate a trade quicker than normal.
Dwight Deal DEAD (for now) Nets Sign Lopez to Max
The Brooklyn Nets took themselves out of the running for Superman today when the two sides could not come to an agreement on the parameters of a trade. The longgggg saga that has drawn on for over a year will now be tabled and the Nets moved on to more important issues – Signing Brook Lopez to be the Man in the Middle when they walk into Brooklyn come the new NBA season.
Word has come down in the last hour that the Nets have comes to terms with Brook Lopez on a max deal worth $61m for 4 years as per Adrian Wojnarowski
@WojNBAYahoo
Brooklyn has reached agreement on a 4-year, $61 million max deal with Brook Lopez, league source tells Y! Sports.
@WojNBAYahoo
Lopez is expected to sign deal tonight, and thus, the Dwight Howard pursuit is officially over for the summer.
The drama is over (at least for the time being) as Lopez cannot be traded until Jan. 15th and after that, they need his consent. This makes the offseason the Nets had a complete A in my book. There are still a few items to resolve such as finding a way to sign Gerald Green and find a backup center to play behind Lopez. Billy King deserves a huge slap on the back for putting a winner on the floor to open the magnificent Barclays Center come the new season. The lineup of Deron Williams – Joe Johnson – Gerald Wallace – Mirza Teletovic – Brook Lopez will certainly be a force to be reckoned with in the East and the Nets become INSTANT CONTENDERS. Nice job Billy
[twitter-follow screen_name='pingshoops' show_count='yes']
Nets deal for Dwight Howard Close
The long task of bringing Dwight Howard to Brooklyn looks like it is coming to a close a Adrian Wojnarowski and Chad Ford brief us on what they have heard today. Read parts of Woj’s column here and click link to read the entire report. This situation has dragged on way too long and hopefully a resolution will come in the next 24 hours.
@WojYahooNBA
“In the proposed deal, Howard, Jason Richardson and Earl Clark would be sent to Brooklyn, and the Magic would receive the Nets’ Brook Lopez, Damion James, Sheldon Williams, Cleveland’s Luke Walton and three future first-round picks, sources said. Cleveland would receive Orlando’s Quentin Richardson, Brooklyn’s Sundiata Gaines, Kris Humphries (on a one-year guaranteed deal), a first-round pick and $3 million from the Nets. Brooklyn also would send Brooks to a fourth team to get them an additional first-round pick to send to the Magic.
Talks between the Magic and Nets remain fluid with some of the deal’s parts moving in and out based on different scenarios. One proposed hangup to a trade: Humphries would be against taking a one-year contract with the Cavs, instead seeking a four-year deal, a league source told Y! Sports’ Marc Spears. “
Chad Ford @chadfordinsider
Sources: Four-way Nets-Magic-Cavs-Clippers trade for Dwight Howard getting “close” http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/s
Proposed Nets-Magic deal:
Nets would get Dwight Howard, Jason Richardson, Chris Duhon & Earl Clark
Magic get Brook Lopez in S&T, Luke Walton, Damian James, Sheldon Williams, Armon Johnson and 3 first round picks (Magic picks would be: two 1st rd picks from Nets & a lottery protected 1st from the Clippers.)
Cavs get Kris Humprhries in a S&T, Quentin Richardson, Sundiata Gaines, a 1st round pick from the Nets & cash
Clippers would receive MarShon Brooks.
This will be Billy King greatest achievement if Howard does indeed land in Brooklyn and if it does then watch out NBA as the Brooklyn Nets are coming for you.
[twitter-follow screen_name='pingshoops' show_count='yes']
DWIGHT WATCH
As you read more and more stories and the days inch closer to the Trade Deadline it seems increasingly doable that the Orlando Magic may just stand pat and not trade Howard as they try to win a ring and convince him to stay. I have to say as a Nets fan that would excite me beyond belief as he can make his way to Brooklyn without the Nets giving up all their draft picks and the core of their injury riddled team. This would turn out to be a Win Win for the Nets if he stays in Orlando through the deadline and walks away in free agency.
Billy King would sign up for that in a millisecond. (lets all keep the faith Nets fans)
Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports has his take on the Dwightmare today…..
Follow me on Twitter: @jpaolantonio23
