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NBA Trade Rumors: New Orleans Pelicans interested in Brook Lopez

By John Buhler

Jan 13, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) walks towards the bench during the fourth quarter in a game against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. The Toronto Raptors won 132-113. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 13, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) walks towards the bench during the fourth quarter in a game against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. The Toronto Raptors won 132-113. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New Orleans Pelicans really want a center. Might they be after long-time Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez before the NBA trade deadline?

Despite having one of the best frontcourt players in the entire NBA in power forward Anthony Davis, the New Orleans Pelicans really want a center before the NBA trade deadline. One of the guys they are aggressively pursuing is Brooklyn Nets big man Brook Lopez.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical of Yahoo! Sports, “New Orleans has been engaged on several fronts to land a center, including pursuit of Brooklyn’s Brook Lopez.”

It seems obvious that the Pelicans front office wants to play Davis at the four instead of the five. In a small-ball lineup, Davis would in theory thrive at the five. However, he has been paired alongside a traditional back-to-the-basket center his whole NBA career.

While the Pelicans also have interest in Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor, Lopez may actually be the upgrade general manager Dell Demps wants over Omer Asik. Lopez may have an injury-riddled past, but he is an All-NBA big man when healthy. He is very smooth offensively and has added a three-point shot for head coach Kenny Atkinson in 2016-17.

It would almost certainly mean that New Orleans would have to trade a first-round pick to land Lopez. Brooklyn has dangled Lopez on the trading block for years, but has never parted ways with its long-time center.

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Since Brooklyn will have to swap first-round picks with the Boston Celtics in the 2017 NBA Draft, getting back into the lottery with a first-round pick coming from New Orleans may not be all that bad for the Nets should they trade Lopez to the Pelicans.

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