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Brook Lopez Headlines Pelicans and Nets Trade Talks
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated04 Oct 2023
The New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets have discussed a trade of Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, Tim Frazier and a 2018 protected first-round pick for Brook Lopez, league sources told Basketball Insiders.
The Pelicans are searching for a center to pair with Anthony Davis in the frontcourt.
The Nets are in rebuilding mode and Lopez, a former All-Star center in the prime of his career, is the organization’s most valuable trade chip.
Lopez, 28, is signed through next season. Lopez will earn $22.6 million next season and will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2018. The former All-Star ranks fifth in the league among centers in 3-point percentage (.336) while averaging 20.5 points and 1.7 blocks per game.
Evans, 27, will become an unrestricted free agent after the season. Evans averaged 16.8 points, 5.2 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game through his first six seasons. However, the former 2009 fourth overall pick has struggled with injuries dating back to last season. Evans played in only 25 games last season. This season, Evans has averaged a career-low 17.6 minutes per game off the bench this season.
Galloway, 25, has a $5.4 million player option after the season. Galloway, born in Baton Rouge, signed with New Orleans this summer and is shooting 37 percent from 3-point range while averaging 8.6 points per game off the bench.
Frazier, 26, is signed through next season for $2 million. Frazier began the season as a starter during the absence of Jrue Holiday, who missed the start of the season to care for his pregnant wife Lauren, who needed brain surgery to remove a tumor at the time. Frazier averaged 11.2 points and 7.7 assists per game as a starter.
New Orleans also remains in trade talks with the Philadelphia 76ers to acquire center Jahlil Okafor. USA Today was first to report those trade talks, which included a swap of Okafor for Alexis Ajinca and a 2018 protected first-round pick, league sources told Basketball Insiders.
