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Brian Lewis writes Wednesday that Sean Marks has reassured Brook Lopez he'll be a "building block not a trade chip" as the Nets move forward.
"He has talked to me, and we both definitely want to be here and see things happen here and help the team grow going forward,’’ said Lopez, apparently speaking of him and Thaddeus Young. Lopez spoke with Marks before last Tuesday’s game in Orlando and was told he would be shut down for the rest of the season.
It's the first indication of how the Nets new GM sees the team's core. There's been speculation among pundits and fans about whether Marks would use Lopez and/or Young to get younger, particularly on Draft Night. Lopez turned 28 last week. Young turns 28 in June. Both, it can be argued, had their best seasons this year despite the team's record.
Marks and Lopez are expected to speak at length on the team's future, Lewis reported.
"I wish it was more successful as a team, obviously," said Lopez who told writers he doesn't regret re-upping with the Nets. "It takes time obviously to figure things out, but I think we could’ve figured things out quicker."[But] our young guys learned a lot this season, and we found a lot of tools we could use going forward, definitely."