Earlier in the season it seemed that despite his player option for the 2015-2016 season, Brook Lopez might opt out and leave the Brooklyn Nets. But things have changed, and it’s unlikely that he won’t be playing for the team next season.
Despite his $16.74 million player option next season, his relationship with head coach Lionel Hollins and the ease productive and especially scoring big men have when it comes to signing big deals in the NBA pointed to the direction of Lopez switching teams, but a lot of things have changed in the second half of the season.
First of all, Lopez is healthy and playing well, averaging 20.7 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in March. Then there’s his relationship with coach Hollins, who has stated publicly again and again that he wants Lopez to stay. Whether or not that has something to do with orders from higher up or simply Hollins changing his mind about the center who is often a defensive weakness.
It’s also worth remembering that there’s the big upswing in the salary cap coming up in 2016 and Lopez has a very powerful agent, Arn Tellem, who is going to recommend to stay put and hit free agency in 2016, when the salary cap might reach $90 million for the following season, which means a lot more money for everyone, including Lopez.
Unless he’s injured again, and then he’s f@#$%^.