Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that the Nets are in pole position to bring both Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young back to Brooklyn on multi-year deals. Most intriguing, however, is what Wojnarowski outlines as the potential terms for each contract:
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.
Lopez may forgo the maximum amount of years in order to gain security now, while simultaneously preparing for the elevation in contract salary that will follow the forthcoming television deal. Young, on the other hand, is likely to receive $12 million dollars a year, a healthy bump from his current $10.2 million deal. Both opted out of the final years of their contracts.
For many, the trade of Mason Plumlee affirmed the belief that the Nets and Billy King are confident they’ll retain the two front-court players. Teams cannot start negotiating until July 1st, but the Nets will be eager to get the deals out of the way. Then, they’ll have to match whatever offer Mirza Teletovic receives, and decide what to do about the unrestricted services of Alan Anderson as well.
Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports — Sources: Nets frontrunners to re-sign Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young.
