After the Brooklyn Nets' Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young opted out of contracts to become unrestricted free agents, the Nets remain strong frontrunners to re-sign the frontcourt players, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
general manager Billy King is determined to keep Lopez and Young, and both players opted out of contracts with strong intentions of reaching agreement on new deals with Brooklyn, league sources said.
The Nets traded center Mason Plumlee to Portland on Thursday night, further solidifying the franchise’s confidence that Lopez will return on a new deal.
Lopez is likely seeking a three-year, $60 million maximum contract extension, league sources said. The Nets are planning to pay the 7-footer that full market value, although an agreement could include some financial protections for the Nets should a recurrence of Lopez’s past foot issues sideline him again, sources said.
Lopez, 27, could do a deal that includes a player option for the third year, which would allow him to re-enter free agency after the maximum contract salaries elevate with the flow of new television money.
Young, 27, who opted out of $10.2 million owed him next season, is on course for a four-year, $48 million-plus deal in the free agency marketplace and the Nets appear strongly willing to meet those parameters, league sources said.
League rules prohibit negotiations on these free-agent deals before July 1. Only then can the Nets start discussions on those deals.
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