The news broke on Tuesday that the Brooklyn Nets, underachieving this season at just 8-13, are looking to trade away their trio of overpriced stars, namely Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez. Rumors swirl around the organization that owner Mikhail Prokhorov might be selling at least part of the team and the Nets have long hemorrhaged money in their failed pursuit of a championship.
The trio make for some interesting possibilities and yet share the distinction of being accomplished players with baggage. Past their prime. Oft-injured. Not worth the money. Still, I can guarantee that at least half the NBA’s general managers considered the possibility of trading for at least one of the Not-So-Big-3 and Miami’s Pat Riley is probably among them.
While Williams represents an upgrade at the point guard position (a weakness, especially defensively), the remaining three years and nearly $60 million left on his contract don’t fit the Heat’s long-term plan (presumably, to clear cap space at the end of the 2015-16 season to make a run at elite-level free agents).
Johnson is an incredible scorer/shooter and would help Miami’s offensive issues but at two years and a whopping $48 million left on his deal, he’s out of everybody’s price range.
Leaving us Lopez, the 7-footer out of Stanford, that has two years left and approximately $31 million owed to him.
Before I get into the merit of making a move for Lopez, I’ll begin with this caveat: trades, even theoretical ones, aren’t my strong suit. I don’t have the gift of envisioning multi-team deals that yield prospects, cap space, etc. Moreover, I dislike the idea of shipping players and disrupting team chemistry, especially when I’m not convinced that the Heat – as currently constructed – can’t continue to grow. It’s worth discussing the possibilities, though, and so I shall.
Lopez’ substantial salary makes him difficult to move, considering Miami’s lack of trade-worthy assets.The remaining two years of his deal, while not ideal, still give Riley the flexibility he desires to be a player in the 2016 offseason. So, who could the Heat trade to Brooklyn? The bulk of the salary would be covered by Luol Deng, who is signed until 2016 as well (next season, though, is a player option which he’s likely to invoke unless he goes on a scoring tear for the rest of the season and increases his value…not likely).
Chris Andersen (signed until 2016 at around $5.4 million per year) would be included as well. The Nets have Mason Plumlee to anchor the center position and Andersen would make a solid backup (when healthy). Plus, wouldn’t the bearded and tattooed Birdman fit well with hipster-friendly Brooklyn? Probably not, but I digress…
The salaries of Deng/Andersen match well but the cherry on top would be to include a young prospect…likely James Ennis. He’s got room for growth, huge upside, and dazzling athleticism that would excite the Barclays Center crowds.
Of course, this deal seems tough for even Riley, a noted front-office assassin, to pull off. Deng was the feather in this offseason’s cap, helping keep the team as a viable contender. Andersen was the feel-good acquisition of the 2013 championship season and would’ve been in a Cavaliers jersey if not for his loyalty to the team. Since this is all theoretical, we’ll just have to accept Riley was willing to make this deal.
What do we know about Lopez? His 7-year stats are 17.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. He’s shot at 51 percent from the field in his NBA career and is a good free throw shooter (79 percent). He takes the bulk of his shots around the rim, completing around 60 percent of them throughout his tenure. He’s a solid mid-range shooter, employing a standstill shot that he can get off over nearly everyone in the league (not named Anthony Davis). A recent game shows off his full offensive arsenal:
His scoring would be a big plus, to be sure. But the knock on Lopez has never been his ability to put up points but rather his rebounding and defense.
It’s easy to assume that getting boards is easy for someone his height. Not the case, obviously, but the particular issues affecting Lopez have been broken down at length; this post is probably the most comprehensive analysis, although it’s in context of how he was able to mesh with super-rebounder Reggie Evans. I recommend you read it but it basically boils down to this:
- Lopez only seems like a poor rebounder but he’s technically sound
- He spends a lot of time boxing out opponents and that results in Evans (or, currently, Kevin Garnett) getting the bulk of the rebounds
- While players like Evans and Kenneth Faried are aggressive in chasing rebounds, Lopez isn’t as physical and concentrates more on positioning
- He does have flaws and is prone to either commit too much or not enough to boxing out, leaving him in rebounding limbo
Still, seven feet is seven feet and his size and bulk would certainly be welcomed in Miami. However, his defense would need to improve.
Again, his shortcomings have been previously diagnosed and I’d be foolish to think I do a better job than Grantland’s Zach Lowe, who broke down why Lopez isn’t a great defender. It is ultimately the biggest reason why he’s not a great fit for the Heat.
- Lopez is traditionally a terrible pick-and-roll defender, a staple of most offenses in the NBA
- He tends to position himself at the foul line to impede ball handlers and then backpedaling toward the hoop, often much too late to stop an easy basket
- He lacks foot speed to contain quicker big men
These weaknesses were broken down nearly two years ago yet are still a concern today. His medical issues are also a huge concern, with Lopez having played just 17 games last season and only five games in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season. He looks to be healthy but feet never heal completely for big men (see Bill Walton, Yao Ming and possibly Joel Embiid). At his peak, he could be a great scorer and would help Chris Bosh transition back to his ideal power forward position. He’s also an intelligent professional, one who would blend in well with Miami’s established locker room culture.
It’s worth looking into, intriguing to consider but, based on his limited defense and injury history, pursuing Lopez is not in Miami’s best interests at this time.