There is nothing to say Dwight Howard will not eventually end up in his desired Brooklyn locale, but the relocated Nets will not be making that happen this offseason.
NBA.com reported Wednesday that the Nets signed center Brook Lopez to a 4-year, $60.8 million deal, which removes him from any imminent trade discussions. As Lopez was to be the centerpiece of any Brooklyn play for the Magic’s disgruntled center, the Nets are realistically no longer able to pursue a deal with Orlando.
As the Nets, Magic and other involved teams continued their struggle to come to terms on a trade, other teams, including the Charlotte Bobcats, began to eye Brook Lopez as a potential option. Signing Lopez outright, and thus taking him off the table for a trade until a few months into next season, prevented the team from having to match a competitive offer sheet.
