With Brooklyn Nets coach Lionel Hollins keeping Deron Williams and Brook Lopez out of the starting rotation, is a trade for either star imminent?
Brooklyn has found some success with Williams and Lopez, both of who were once the cornerstones of the franchise, coming off the bench. The Nets are 4-1 with Williams and Lopez out of the starting rotation, and Hollins indicated he had no intention of promoting them back to starters any time soon.
"This is the Brooklyn Nets," Hollins said after Monday's 107-99 win over Sacramento, according to ESPN. "Yes, they were starters, but they've been in and out of the lineup. And if you note, while they were out we started playing better and winning, so why would I go back and change the lineup for now?"
As the New York Daily News pointed out, Williams and Lopez didn't touch the court until 11 1/2 minutes into the game and, even then, were the seventh and eighth men coming off the bench.
Brooklyn's winning record without Williams and Lopez is evidence the team would be fine without them, lending credence to ESPN's report that the Nets were shopping them in an effort to retool for the future. The trouble with moving either player, though, is their huge contracts and their history of injuries.
The Sacramento Kings reportedly discussed with Brooklyn the possibility of taking back Williams's contract, but the Kings wanted forward Mason Plumlee as well - somebody Brooklyn apparently sees as an integral part of their future plans.
Per ESPN's Chris Broussard:
"Talks between the Sacramento Kings and Brooklyn Nets about a trade involving Nets star Deron Williams have cooled, according to league sources.
"Sacramento had recently initiated talks with the Nets, proposing a deal for Williams and second-year forward Mason Plumlee, who was actually the Kings' main target, sources said. With Plumlee struggling and clashing a bit with new Nets coach Lionel Hollins over the first month of the season, the Kings were hoping he might be available. To compel the Nets into moving Plumlee, they considered taking on Williams, whose contract and history of injuries has scared off many clubs.
"Brooklyn, however, has no intention of moving Plumlee, who has surged to average 18 points and 10.2 rebounds over the past six games."
The trade deadline is on Feb. 19.
