Last month, the Nets, Thunder and Hornets discussed a trade that would have sent Brook Lopez from Brooklyn.
Talks fizzled, but not before one version of the deal nearly came to fruition.
Nets Daily:
Zach Lowe of Grantland:
https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/565540511952699392
It’s not clear why the Stephenson/Cody Zeller-Lopez trade fell through. It seems to be a fairly reasonable deal.
Lopez is near All-Star-level when healthy, but he’s frequently hurt and highly paid. Stephenson’s salary also exceeds his production, but he and Zeller are younger.
Why do I bring this up now?
Guard Lance Stephenson is still being shopped by the Hornets, a source said.
The Nets are still aggressively trying to move Brook Lopez before the trade deadline, a source told Yahoo Sports.
Lance Stephenson’s fit in Charlotte is still questionable, and Brooklyn could still be looking to shed salary in advance of a sale. These teams have also discussed a trade involving Joe Johnson.
There are clearly pieces on both sides that appeal to these teams. That doesn’t mean they’ll connect on a trade, but they could continue to circle toward something as the trade deadline nears.