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ESPN: Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson are on the trade block

By Tom Lorenzo
Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

According to ESPN, the Brooklyn Nets have reached out to teams to let them know that Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson are all available to be had via trade.

While nothing is imminent, ESPN reports that with the disappointing start to the season (8-11) and the high payroll ($94 million this year), the team is looking to move their three former All-Stars in separate deals. The team does, however, still think that they can "win now," despite the exploratory talks.

Yet sources insist that the Nets haven't abandoned their recent "win-now mentality" and aren't merely looking to dump salary. Brooklyn's hope, sources said, is eventually to construct a deal or two that bring back sufficient talent that enables the Nets remain a playoff team.

A league source told NetsDaily that the team has been receiving calls as well as sending out feelers to other teams, and Fred Kerber of the New York Post quotes a league source as saying "[The Nets] have explored all options at this time, which [they] are supposed to do." Many teams start sending out feelers to teams around this time period to gauge where other teams stand.

What might they want? Sam Amick of USA Today thinks he knows.


After this season, Deron Williams still has two years left on his contract, at about $43 million, while Brook Lopez, who is currently out with a lower back strain, still has a $16.7 million player option for 2015-16. Joe Johnson, the team's highest paid player, is due $24.9 million.

The team hasn't played all that well under new head coach Lionel Hollins, and they also don't have much flexibility over the next year-plus, as it stands. Any move would likely include taking back salary but, in a perfect world, would keep them under the cap in the summer of 2016 when Kevin Durant and other big name players are free agents. The Nets could be as much as $50 million under that summer. The Nets are also looking to stock up on picks.

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