The news wasn't as bad as it could have been. Brook Lopez didn't suffer an injury associated with his broken right foot, but instead a severe ankle sprain that will keep him out, and in a walking boot, for three weeks, or one week past the trade deadline. The Nets are expected to reevaluate him again on March 23.

Lopez injured his ankle early in the third quarter of Sunday's win in Charlotte, just his fifth game back from surgery on the same foot. He has averaged 19.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in the five games, shooting 49 percent from the field. The Nets are 3-2 in games where he's played.

Lopez missed the first 32 games of the season after December 23 surgery to repair a fracture of the right fifth metatarsal of his right foot. The games were the first he missed in his three plus year NBA career. Mehmet Okur, acquired in a Christmas Eve trade to be Lopez's replacement, hasn't played in 18 straight games, but could be back at the end of this week.

• Nets' Lopez to miss 3 weeks with ankle sprain - Ken Berger - CBS Sports
• How Does Lopez Injury Affect Howard? - John Schuhmann - NBA.com
• Brook Lopez Is Hurt Again, Which Could Complicate Things - Seth Rosenthal - New York Magazine
• Lopez injury could throw wrench into Howard trade talks - Jeff Zillgitt - USA Today
  
• Brook Lopez, New Jersey Nets center, out three weeks with sprained ankle - Fred Kerber - New York Post
  
• Brook Lopez out 3 weeks with ankle sprain - Andy Vasquez - NJ Nets Nation
• Brook Lopez out three weeks with sprained ankle, Nets say - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
• Lopez out three weeks with ankle sprain - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York