The Oklahoma City Thunder could land Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez when it's all said and done. Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler reported Brooklyn would likely revisit - and accept - Oklahoma City's original offer for Lopez after they've exhausted all other options leading up to the trade deadline.
It's no secret Brooklyn is shopping Lopez, but the 26-year-old's recent resurgence - 17.1 points and almost seven rebounds per game since January - forced Nets general manager Billy King to rebuff multiple offers for Lopez in order to see just how high he could drive up the 7-footer's price tag. Lopez has a number of suitors, but Kyler reported several NBA insiders believe Brooklyn will ultimately return to Oklahoma City's original offer.
"Has always been up to Brooklyn. They did not see a lot of value in OKC's offer. I was told by a few people that would likely be the deal that gets done back when the Nets called things off, with insiders thinking Brooklyn comes back after exhausting other options," Kyler wrote Monday. "I don't think you'll see OKC ponying up a ton more. But Sam Presti has always had a thing for Brook Lopez, so if a deal can be made involving basically what they offered - Perkins and Jeremy Lamb, I think OKC does that deal in a heart beat."
Oklahoma City and the Denver Nuggets both purportedly had their offers for Lopez declined by King, but both teams are still believed to be in pursuit of the injury-prone center. Lopez has also drawn interested from the Miami Heat and the Houston Rockets, although it's uncertain whether either team is still in active discussions with Brooklyn.
The NBA trade deadline is on Feb. 19.
