The Brooklyn Nets have finalized deals with Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young to keep them on the Brooklyn Nets, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, with both deals including a player option:
Yahoo Sources: The Nets have agreements now: Thad Young (4 years, $50M) and Brook Lopez (3 years, $60M). Both deals w/ player option.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 1, 2015
But Howard Beck of Bleacher Report reported that Lopez’s deal does not include a player option:
Minor note to pass along (and not sure if it's out there yet): Brook Lopez's 3-yr, $60 mil deal w/Nets does NOT include a player option.
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) July 1, 2015
Young tweeted out thanks to a fan who congratulated him on his contract:
Thanks highly appreciated https://t.co/kKDyLTO0cP
— Thad Young (@yungsmoove21) July 1, 2015
My family & I are extremely happy 2 continue being a Net. Thanks 2 all of my fam, friends, & fans 4 ur support. The GRIND doesn't stop here.
— Thad Young (@yungsmoove21) July 1, 2015
A maximum deal for Lopez with the salary cap projections would have clocked in at around three years and $61.1 million, and it’s unclear if the $60 million valuation was a slight discount or an underestimation. Both deals come with a player option in the last year, which would open the door for Lopez & Young to cash in on the new TV money that kicks into the league next season.
If the dollar figures are accurate, here’s what those deals could look like, with regular 7.5% raises:
The Nets now currently have around $90 million in commitments for next season, depending on the status of non-guaranteed deals for Earl Clark, Cory Jefferson, and Markel Brown.
Re-signing Young and Lopez was a top priority for the Nets this offseason, and now with that out of the way, they can move on to the next steps: whether or not they match offers for Mirza Teletovic, whether or not they use their taxpayer mid-level exception, and if they can find a trade market for Deron Williams or Joe Johnson.
Update: this post originally included a report that a player option was not allowed in a 3-year contract, which is erroneous.
