WASHINGTON — League sources confirmed the Nets have moved forward in trade talks with teams surrounding center Brook Lopez.
Earlier Thursday, sources said no trades were imminent, and the Nets were looking at players from across the league — including Brooklyn native Lance Stephenson. But as the night progressed, it became clearer the Nets were inching closer to a trade that would bring Stephenson to Brooklyn and would send Lopez to Oklahoma City and Jarrett Jack to Charlotte.
Such a move — one reported by multiple outlets, and one that would require Kendrick Perkins to go to the Nets to make the salaries work — would save the Nets more than $10 million in combined payroll and luxury-tax payments. It would drop their total tax bill to close to $25 million lower than it was at the start of training camp, before the Nets dealt Andrei Kirilenko and Jorge Gutierrez to Philadelphia last month in another salary cutting move.
The fact the Nets would be considering trading Lopez comes as little surprise because of the team’s recent struggles — they head into Friday’s game, the first against Paul Pierce and the Wizards, riding a seven-game losing streak. Also, Lopez is the Nets’ most attractive trade piece to opposing teams among the Nets’ high-salary players.
Yahoo Sports first reported Lopez trade talks have heated up, and though the Nets have had talked with the Heat and the Nuggets — news first reported by Sports Illustrated — it appears the Nets have settled on the possibility of bringing Stephenson home to Brooklyn.
It’s where Stephenson earned the nickname “Born Ready” and where he starred at Lincoln High School, leading the Railsplitters to four straight PSAL championships.
In any trade for Lopez, the Nets ideally would be looking to get wing help to try and upgrade the team’s athleticism because Brooklyn is among the league’s slowest teams. Stephenson would give the Nets that — though he also would come with additional baggage, as well.
Stephenson has fallen out of favor quickly in Charlotte after signing a three-year, $27 million deal — which includes an option for the third season — after leaving the Pacers this summer. The Hornets have been looking to move him for some time.
Late Thursday, Stephenson posted an all-black picture on Instagram — the latest in a series of Brooklyn-themed pictures he has posted in recent weeks as he reportedly has hoped for some time to be traded back to his hometown.
The Nets have been in discussions about trading either Lopez or Deron Williams this season, including talks with the Kings that would have centered around Williams going to Sacramento in exchange for Darren Collison, Jason Thompson and Derrick Williams. Those talks were held up, however, by the Kings being interested in Mason Plumlee and the Nets in rookie Nik Stauskas, both non-starters for the other team.
Williams’ trade value has plummeted since, however, as he remains sidelined with fractured rib cartilage. The Nets said Thursday Williams is progressing but hasn’t resumed physical activity and will be reevaluated Wednesday — when, coincidentally, Brooklyn will begin a three-game West Coast trip in Sacramento.
Lopez is coming off a second season-ending injury to his right foot, one he suffered in December 2013 that limited him to 17 games a season ago. It forced him to undergo a complicated surgery last January that repositioned the bones in his foot to ease the pressure on his fifth metatarsal, which he’s now broken twice in the past three-plus seasons.
This season, Lopez is averaging 14.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, and largely has been coming off the bench behind Plumlee since missing time with a strained lower back last month.