NBA Rumors: Not Extending Brook Lopez an Easy Decision for Nets

Brook Lopez did enough in his first three seasons with the New Jersey Nets to earn an extension with the team, as he was good for roughly 18 points and eight rebounds per game.

But according to the New York Post, the Nets are not going to extend Lopez. Wednesday is the deadline to sign players to extensions, so Lopez will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

The Nets can choose to keep Lopez around during the summer if they so please, and Colin Stephenson of The Star-Ledger says team general manager Billy King is open to the idea.

In case you're wondering, King told the Post that Lopez's current injury predicament did indeed influence his decision. Lopez broke his foot before the start of the season, and he hasn't yet returned. It makes sense for the Nets to wait and make sure they know exactly what they have before they commit a few more years and a lot more money to Lopez.

This offseason, the Nets will have the option to match any offer Lopez gets from another team. If they really want to keep him, they will.

The Nets also have the option of letting Lopez go and finding somebody else in free agency.

Like, you know, Dwight Howard.

Not saying that's the team's plan. Just throwing it out there.

Personally, I won't be at all surprised if Lopez comes back and reminds the Nets exactly why they drafted him 10th overall in 2008. Lopez is a good player who is only getting better, as he averaged a career-high 20.4 points per game last season. 

If Lopez comes back and picks up where he left off last season, the Nets will invariably start playing better and there will be a few more smiles in the Nets' locker room. They're basically unable to compete right now, but getting Lopez back will be a huge boost.

Still, this is all down the road and completely hypothetical. King knows this as well as anyone, and I'm assuming that's why he was in no hurry to extend Lopez. Deadlines are all well and good, but there's always the offseason.

Regardless of what they choose to do with Lopez, you can rest assured that things are going to be very interesting in Net-land this offseason.