Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez is considering whether to sign an offer sheet with an unnamed rival team and has the power to kill any potential Dwight Howard trade to the Nets, according to the New York Times.
Howard Beck reports that Lopez has an offer sheet on the table, and is pondering whether to sign it. If he signs an offer sheet with another team Lopez will no longer be able to be traded, which would kill Brooklyn's hopes of landing Howard -- or at least postpone them until Dec. 15, the day when new signees can be dealt.
It's believed that his offer sheet must be from the Charlotte Bobcats, Portland Trail Blazers or Dallas Mavericks, who all have cap space to pursue the Nets' restricted free agent.
Looking to keep Lopez from squashing a potential Howard deal, the Nets have already guaranteed him that they will offer him four years at a max level, Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday. The Nets are the only team that can offer Lopez a five-year deal for the max.
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