Nets Rumors: Billy King Wants To Build Around Brook Lopez, Others?

The Brooklyn Nets are entering a crucial offseason following their first-round exit from the NBA Playoffs, and GM Billy King has singled out big man Brook Lopez as the one player the team wants to build around going forward.

In regards to the others such as Joe Johnson and Deron Williams, don't rule out the possibility of a summer full of trades.

"Joe may have summed it up best," King said this past Wednesday, via NBA.com. "It may be the group, just together - maybe it's time to maybe split it up, or maybe add to it to help them. So we'll look to add to complement them, to make them better. Or do you look to maybe move a piece to add some other pieces to it?"

Lopez carried the team on his back down the stretch, posting a scoring average significantly higher than his overall 17.2 ppg mark after the All-Star break.

"For us to get in the playoffs, that stretch, he was the guy who carried us. He was our best player," King said.

"Without Brook Lopez, there's no way we even get to where we go to this year. What you saw in the playoffs, teams are double-teaming, game-planning how to stop him. And so that to me, when you've got a guy that can average 20 and is rebounding the basketball and getting double-doubles, there's not a lot of guys that can do that."

Both Lopez and the recently-acquired Thaddeus Young can test free agency in July. King has made it clear that he wants to keep both of them going forward.

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