The Nets Will Only Go As Far As Brook Lopez Allows Them To

Some may think it's Deron Williams, others Joe Johnson. But the truth is that Brook Lopez is the true key to the Nets' success as a team.

The Nets front office spent much of this offseason trying to trade for Dwight Howard, someone who had never been on the Nets and probably never will be. General Manager Billy King made it very clear throughout last season and the summer that his team was in full pursuit of the Orlando Magic center, and at some points came ridiculously close to actually pulling a deal off. However, regardless of the close calls that occurred in the entire Dwightmare scenario, no trade was ever made. We know how that story ended up: Brook Lopez was extended, the Nets solidified their starting lineup with Joe Johnson, and Howard was dealt to the Lakers in a four-team trade that didn't give the Magic much value in return.

Heading into a new state, city, arena, and identity, the Nets had to rebound quickly from their failed pursuit of Howard in order to get ready for beginning of the NBA season a few months away. One player--even though he was the key part of the Nets' potential return for Howard--was nearly completely neglected by the team's front office and fans. That would, of course, be Brook Lopez. The entire summer, and much of last season, Lopez had to hear his name swirled in trade talks with the Magic, leaving him without much confidence in the franchise that was still signing his paychecks. At least I know I wouldn't have any faith in a team basically admitting that I wasn't good enough for them as they attempted to trade me for someone to directly fill my spot on the team.

Ironically, as much as Brook was talked about off-court in the trade discussions, his on-court abilities were forgotten. He may be an awful rebounder and shaky defender for a man of his size, but Brook is certainly a dynamite scorer who is almost impossible for any other defender to stop when the Stanford grad is at the top of his game. Sure, people agreed that he was important to the Nets but these same people also seemed to undervalue his importance to the success of this team. Basically all contending teams have a really good center (at the least, power forward), and Brook is that guy for the Nets.