NBA - New Jersey Nets

GM Billy King said that the "sky's the limit" for Brook Lopez, while confirming that he is playing 5-on-5 without restrictions. "He is healthy, he is playing 5-on-5 without restrictions," King said. "I think for him it's just about becoming a better basketball player." Lopez will be tasked with living up to his new maximum contract, and he's going to have to make his presence felt early if the Nets are going to live up to the massive hype. King also acknowledged that Lopez needs to do a better job on the glass.

GM Billy King said that Andray Blatche "is in the best shape of his life." This is good news for Nets fans hoping Blatche can resume being a productive player for the team, but it's not going to translate to fantasy value. Blatche is down to 264 lbs and will have to prove that he's dedicated, unlike what we saw last season in Washington.

Brook Lopez (ankle) feels "100 percent" healthy. Lopez is finally over his foot and ankle injuries from last season and is ready to go with training camp right around the corner. Lopez said that he's "not even thinking" about his foot, so it sounds like he's cleared the mental hurdle as well as the physical one. Lopez will bring owners scoring and blocks, but if he's on your fantasy team, be sure to find your rebounds elsewhere.

Magic will sign G Armon Johnson and G/F DeQuan Jones for training camp. Johnson was "very confident" in August that he'd be signed by a team before the season started, and he'll have a chance to earn a spot with the Magic. He was waived by the Blazers in February and finished the season with the Nets. Jones went undrafted in 2012 after four years at the University of Miami.

Orien Greene worked out for the Bucks on Tuesday. Milwaukee was hosting a group of veteran players and Greene was among them. He played with the Nets last season on a 10-day contract before returning to the D-League.

Stephen Dennis has been invited to Nets training camp. Dennis will come in on a non-guaranteed deal and has no realistic chance of making the final roster.

MarShon Brooks wants to win the Sixth Man of the Year award. "I feel like the sixth man is a much more important role these days. It's used a lot of different," Brooks said. "I'm just going to provide that spark for the team in any way possible. I'm going to look to create opportunities for my teammates as well as score the ball." Brooks averaged 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists on 42.8 percent shooting in his rookie season.

MarShon Brooks said that he's got to make the weight room "my best friend." Brooks has made it a priority to get stronger in the offseason, admitting that he was "198 lbs. soaking wet" last season. Brooks' adding some weight to his frame will only help him sustain over the course of an 82-game season, and that will be big for him as he is being relied upon to serve as the sixth man for the upcoming campaign.

The Nets have invited F Carleton Scott to training camp. Scott, who left Notre Dame a year early, was undrafted in 2011 and averaged just eight points for the Nets in Summer League play this year.

Nets sign G/F Josh Childress. Childress is on a non-guaranteed deal, but he'd have to perform an unbelievable belly flop in camp in order to not make the final roster. He'll serve as depth on the wing and will be useless to fantasy owners, just as he was in Phoenix.

Tyshawn Taylor spent the offseason improving his jumper. "Shooting a million jumpshots," Taylor said when asked about how he spent his summer. "I gotta make jumpshots and stay in shape." Taylor is expected to serve as the third-string PG behind Deron Williams and C.J. Watson, and although he should be able to find occasional minutes, he won't be on the fantasy radar.

The Brooklyn Nets signed Blatche on Wednesday, though terms of the deal weren't disclosed. The 6-foot-11 Blatche averaged 8.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 26 games last season for the Washington Wizards, but he missed the final 40 games because of a calf injury. Washington waived Blatche in July, designating him as the team's amnesty player. The move enabled the Wizards to remove the $23 million remaining on Blatche's contract from their salary cap.

Updating a previous item, Nets sign F/C Andray Blatche. This deal has been in the works for over a week now, today it finally became official. Blatche is talented as evidenced by his averages of 16.8 points and 8.2 rebounds on 44.5 percent shooting in 2010-11, but has always had problems staying motivated. The deal is for one year and is non-guaranteed, but he should make the final roster without issue. Blatche will have to really impress in training camp to be worthy of fantasy consideration out of the gate.

Andray Blatche is expected to sign with the Nets "in the next day or so." Blatche's signing with the Nets has been deemed imminent for a week, but it sounds like he's finally close to putting pen to paper and making it official. He's expected to serve as depth along a frontline that needs it, but it would be surprising to see him emerge with consistent fantasy value.

Josh Childress is "almost certain" to make the Nets roster. Although Childress is coming in on a non-guaranteed deal worth the veteran's minimum, Brooklyn needs SF depth badly behind Gerald Wallace and it would be a complete shock if he wasn't on the team come opening night. Childress is a nice depth addition for the Nets as the team has completely revamped its second unit, but he's not going to offer any fantasy value.

The Nets and free agent Josh Childress have agreed to terms on a one-year deal. The Nets needed to add depth at SF behind Gerald Wallace, and Childress became an obvious choice once Donte Greene fractured his ankle and Dominic McGuire signed with the Raptors. Childress was miserable for the Suns the past two seasons, and is unlikely to provide any fantasy value.

Larry Owens has left Gravelines-Dunkerque. Owens had cup of coffee with the Nets last season before being waived and faces a long road ahead to carve out a sustainable future in the NBA.

Williams says he would be "definitely open" to playing for the United States in the 2014 World Cup of Basketball. Williams, who helped the Americans win the gold medal in Beijing in 2008 and defend their title last month in London, says he loves representing the U.S. and wouldn't rule out returning for a third Olympics in four years, when he would be 32.

Andray Blatche's agent said his client has "other business that needs to be addressed" before he's able to to enter into any contract agreement. It's a pretty strange update from Blatche's agent after his deal has been widely reported with Brooklyn over the last week, including confirmation from John Lucas, who has been working with Blatche during the offseason. Regardless, Blatche will "likely agree sometime this week," an indication that whatever snag is causing the delay isn't likely to be a serious hurdle to clear.

The Turkish team Fenerbahce Ulker is reportedly willing to release Bojan Bogdanovic from his contract, and his agent is already talking with the Spanish team Unicaja. The Nets own Bogdanovic's NBA rights, and he's eager to come to the U.S., but it doesn't sound like he'll make the jump until the 2013-14 season. Nets fans can be encouraged by his excellent play at the recent EuroBasket qualifying tournament, where he averaged 16.1 points in just 27 minutes per game, while shooting 21-of-40 from downtown.

Andray Blatche will sign a one-year, non-guaranteed deal for the league minimum with the Nets some time next week. Blatche will serve as a backup big man for the Nets and could be a nice value depth addition for a team that was a bit thin on the front line in the second unit. Although he's just two years removed from averaging 16.8 points and 8.2 rebounds, we're not expecting a fantasy renaissance.

Updating a previous item, former NBA coach John Lucas tweeted a congratulatory message to Andray Blatche on Friday for his signing with the Nets. Lucas is working with Blatche both on and off the court, and previous reports suggested that a deal was imminent, too. He'll have to fight his way up the depth chart before he deserves fantasy consideration in most formats.

Shelden Williams, who will be playing for Elan Chalon France this year, was injured on Thursday and will miss the next two weeks. It was originally reported that Williams would miss two months, but that was incorrect. He will be 29 later this year and it would appear no NBA team was a good fit for the Duke product. He had three double-doubles last year and his days of being a low-level fantasy asset may be done.

Andray Blatche will "officially accept a one-year, non-guaranteed deal" with the Nets on Thursday or Friday, a source tells the NY Post. The Washington Post previously indicated that Miami was still in play for Blatche's services, but it looks like his deal with the Nets is going to get done. Blatche will make $1.1 million with the Nets if he sticks on the final roster.

Updating a previous item, Andray Blatche's deal with the Nets has not been finalized, according to Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Lee added that two sources close to Blatche said the forward has "yet to make a decision and is also considering an offer from the Miami Heat." This conflicts with Marc Spears' earlier report that Blatche and the Nets have agreed in principle, although the reported agreement would be a non-guaranteed deal. Both Lee and Spears are two of the most credible sources in the business, so check back for updates on this story.

Andray Blatche has agreed in principle to a one-year contract at the veteran minimum with the Brooklyn Nets, Marc Spears of Yahoo! reports. This story has been brewing for quite some time and it looks like the Nets were willing to take a chance on Blatche. The Nets have an improved roster and the former Wizard will battle Mirza Teletovic for bench minutes at power forward. Blatche has gone on hot stretches before, so he might be someone to watch in training camp.

Brooklyn head coach Avery Johnson surprisingly admitted that the Nets are not a title contender this season. "We're not there yet. We're not a championship team. We got a lot of work to do. But at the same time, we have a much better talent pool than we've had the last two years," said Johnson. He may be speaking the truth, but it's pretty shocking to hear a head coach admit his team isn't in contention to win it all, especially with all of the improvements that the Nets made this offseason. It's also surprising for Johnson to go directly against what his stars Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez both said a few weeks ago when they proclaimed the Nets intend to win a championship this year. No matter who you believe, the Nets will be much improved this season.

Mirza Teletovic is averaging 23.6 points during the EuroBasket qualifying tournament, with 6.0 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. Teletovic is the go-to guy for Bosnia and Herzegovina -- he'll play a reserve PF/C role with the Nets as a rookie, but he's a polished scorer with 3-point range who makes for an interesting fantasy sleeper. Keep an eye on him during the preseason.

Donte Greene's deal with the Nets will reportedly "not go down now." Greene's agent Chris Luchey had said previously that the expectation was for his client "to be a Net," but it sounds like that is in jeopardy following his ankle fracture. It will be interesting to see how the two sides handle it from here on out. Greene's expected to be sidelined for the foreseeable future following his injury.

The Nets will do their "due diligence" on unrestricted FA Damion James. James is expected to visit one more team in the coming days before making a decision on where he'll land. Injuries have limited James to just 32 regular season games through the first two seasons of his career.

Donte Greene's ankle fracture "could be worse than a simple fracture." Greene's agent Chris Luchey said that his client was dealing with "some type of fracture," but it sounds like Greene may have seriously injured the ankle. Pending MRI results, Greene may have to undergo surgery, which would obviously force him to miss a major chunk of time. The Nets may choose to go another route if Greene's injury is severe since Greene has yet to officially sign with the team. However, Luchey did say that he expects Greene "to be a Net."

Damion James will visit one more team this weekend and then make his decision. No word yet if this James decision will be a nationally-televised event. No matter where his talents wind up, the Longhorn has struggled to stay healthy and won't be a noteworthy contributor this season.

Donte Greene's signing from earlier this week with the Nets is now on hold due to pending surgery on his ankle "with some type of fracture," according to his agent, Chris Luchey. Greene suffered an ankle fracture while working out in Charlotte last Saturday, which is absolutely terrible timing for the free agent swingman. Greene's contract wasn't going to be guaranteed, but this definitely puts a major damper on the feasibility of it actually happening at all. He spent his prior four NBA seasons with the Kings and will now have to wait out the results of his surgery and/or MRI to find his next team.

Former NBA swingman Ime Udoka has been hired as an assistant coach with the Spurs. Udoka has seven years of NBA experience, including a cup of coffee with the Spurs in 2010-11, and he's also played in the D-League, France and Spain. His diverse experience and no-nonsense attitude should make him a perfect fit on Gregg Popovich's staff. We haven't heard a formal retirement from Udoka, but it appears his playing days are over.

Shelden Williams has signed with Chalon in France. Williams spent last season with the Nets, but he had no market stateside and will likely make more money overseas than he could garner in the NBA at this stage of his career. He's married to Candace Parker, so we think he'll be just fine.

Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez both said that the Nets intend to win a championship this year, despite being tied with Minnesota for the worst record in the NBA over the past three seasons. The Nets also aren't shying away from a crosstown rivalry with the Knicks, whom they play on opening night in Brooklyn, Nov. 1. The Nets' starting five (Deron Williams, Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries and Lopez) will dominate minutes and fantasy value for Brooklyn, but we'll be keeping an eye on young reserves MarShon Brooks and Mirza Teletovic during the preseason.

Joe Johnson said he was "training a lot more" this offseason than he has previously. "I'm doing more agility work, more weight training, even some sled-pushing," Johnson said. In a lengthy Q&A, Johnson expresses his excitement to join the Nets and anticipates his team being capable of achieving success in their first season together. Johnson won't be the sole source of offense in Brooklyn and won't play his traditional iso-Joe role that he did in Atlanta, but fantasy owners shouldn't overlook the veteran. He averaged 18.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 treys on 45.4 percent shooting last season. Follow the link for the full interview below.

Donte Greene's contract with the Nets is "just a camp invite" and "isn't guaranteed," a source tells Hoopsworld's Alex Raskin. However, Greene "definitely has a shot at making the team," and we'd agree with that assessment. The Nets need depth at small forward behind Gerald Wallace, and we're guessing the team isn't relying on Jerry Stackhouse to fill that role all season. Greene won't be a fantasy factor so long as Wallace stays healthy, but he's a nice depth addition for the reloaded Brooklyn squad.

Donte Greene has "agreed in principle" to sign with the Nets, although the deal is for just one year and is not guaranteed unless he is still with the team in January. Greene will have to fight his way through training camp to land a job backing up Gerald Wallace, but he has a decent shot at doing so. Although he was drafted No. 28 overall in 2008, Greene has failed to leave his mark in the league over four seasons with the Kings. He has career averages of 6.1 points and 2.4 rebounds on 40.6 percent shooting in 17 minutes per game and will not be a fantasy factor next season despite changing teams.

Jumaine Jones has signed with Bnei Herzliya in Israel. Jones last played in the NBA for the Suns during the 2006-07 season and was the No. 27 overall pick of the 1999 draft.

Brook Lopez (foot, ankle) is "pretty sure" he'll be fully healthy for the start of the season, pegging his current health at "probably around 90 percent." Lopez said in mid-July that he was playing 'without restrictions', so the fact that he's not fully healed is a bit concerning. The good news is that after playing in only five games last season, it sounds like he'll be on the court for opening night.

Bojan Bogdanovic will be eligible for a buyout from Fenerbahce Ulker in 2013. Bogdanovic could join the Nets for 2013-14 if he's bought out after the season. He was previously looking to join the team for the 2012-13 season, but that scenario never materialized. He was originally drafted No. 31 overall in 2011 by the Heat before being dealt to the Timberwolves, who then sold his rights to the Nets.

Ilkan Karaman has signed with Fenerbahce Ulker in Turkey. Karaman was the No. 57 overall pick of the 2012 draft, but his new contract in Turkey is for three years and won't be eligible for a potential buyout to head to the NBA until 2014.

Armon Johnson is "very confident" that he'll be signed before next season begins. Johnson, a free agent, was asked by the Nets to sit out summer league in case he was a part of a Dwight Howard trade, so he didn't get the opportunity to audition in front of scouts. However, that hasn't dissuaded Johnson's confidence. "I've been talking to some teams," he said. "I'm working my butt off in the gym to be ready for camp, and I'm going to take advantage of whatever opportunity I get." He'll offer no fantasy value regardless of where he lands.

Sasha Vujacic has re-signed with Anadolu Efes Istanbul for another season. Vujacic will continue to play in Turkey, where Jordan Farmar will be his newest teammate. Vujacic may eventually come back to the NBA, but he seems to be very happy playing for Anadolu Efes at this time.

Larry Owens has signed with Gravelines-Dunkerque. Owens was waived by the Nets in February and spent most of the season in the D-League. He should fare better overseas than he did in the NBA.

The Nets dismissed as inaccurate a report that claimed Brook Lopez's contract (four years, $61 million) contained a 15 percent 'trade kicker'. The inclusion of a 'trade kicker' isn't uncommon (Josh Smith and Nicolas Batum have it, among others), but in this case it would be "irrelevant" because Lopez can't make more than the league maximum salary, which is what his contract already pays him. The clause would have made it much trickier to shop Lopez once he is eligible to be traded, so this is good news for Nets fans still hoping to land Dwight Howard.

The Brooklyn Nets have signed Shengelia. General manager Billy King announced the signing Tuesday without releasing terms of the deal. The Nets acquired the 6-foot-10 native of the Republic of Georgia from Philadelphia in exchange for cash considerations. He was selected in the second round (54th overall) of this year's draft. Shengelia played last season for Belgacom Spirou, averaging 8.9 points and 5.2 rebounds in 20 games in the Belgium League. He averaged 10.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in the recent Orlando Pro Summer League.

Nets signed F Tornike Shengelia to a two-year contract. The second-round pick was originally thought to spend the upcoming year overseas, but the Nets have rewarded his play in summer league with a two-year deal. He's an extreme long shot to come away with fantasy relevance this season.

C.J. Watson's two-year deal with the Nets includes a player option for the second season. Watson's new contract makes much more sense with this news. He was solid in a backup role for the Bulls last season, and several eyebrows were raised around the league when the Nets got him on the veteran's minimum for two years. Watson will have the ability to become an unrestricted free agent again before the 2013-14 season and it wouldn't be a shock to see him do exactly that if he has another solid season.

The Nets officially signed C.J. Watson on Monday. The deal is believed to be two years at the veteran's minimum, as Watson gave Brooklyn a slight discount for the chance to be on a playoff contender. He'll mop up minutes behind Deron Williams this season, and won't have fantasy value while D-Will is healthy.

The Brooklyn Nets have re-signed Bogans. General manager Billy King announced the deal Thursday without disclosing contract terms. Bogans was signed midway through the season and appeared in five games before breaking his left ankle in a game against Detroit on Feb. 8. The nine-year veteran played the previous season with the Chicago Bulls

Nets officially sign SG Keith Bogans. Bogans will be a good guy to have in the locker room but don't expect much from him on the court, playing behind Joe Johnson and MarShon Brooks. He's also coming off left ankle surgery and a torn deltoid ligament, but should be ready for the start of the season.

Deron Williams and Carmelo Anthony each scored 19 points to help Team USA to an easy 118-78 win over Great Britain in the third Olympics exhibition game on Thursday. LeBron James added 16 points, Kevin Durant had 13 and Russell Westbrook had 15 points, nine dimes and three boards in the win. Williams did the most damage today, draining 5-of-6 3-pointers. Luol Deng led Great Britain, and all scorers, with 25 points in a losing effort.

Tornike Shengelia will sign a two-year deal with the Nets. Shengelia, who can play both forward positions, was originally pegged as a player the Nets would stash overseas. In an amazing story of perseverance, he begged his way onto the Nets Summer League team to prove he was ready to come over to play in the NBA now, and took advantage of the opportunity. He was one of the most impressive performers in Orlando, averaging 10.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and shooting 53 percent from the field in five games. It's a nice story, but Shengelia won't have an impact in fantasy leagues next season.

Coach Avery Johnson said that Mirza Teletovic will play both power forward and center for the Nets. Johnson also added that the team is looking to bring in a backup center and backup small forward, but Teletovic is not going to be exclusively used as a power forward to begin his NBA career. Despite the team re-signing Kris Humphries, Teletovic should be an integral cog of the rotation during his rookie season.

Brook Lopez (ankle) said that he's been able to perform basketball activities without restrictions. This is good news for Lopez and Nets fans. Lopez was severely limited last season due to troublesome foot and ankle injuries, but it sounds like he's put both in the rear-view mirror and is ready to roll going forward. He may not rebound at a rapid rate, but Lopez should be able to score, block shots and shoot a solid mark from the charity stripe. Lopez could come at a discount on draft day, and owners definitely don't want to forget about him heading into next season.

Humphries has agreed to a two-year, $24 million contract with Brooklyn. Humphries will be part of a new-look group in Brooklyn that includes guards Deron Williams and Joe Johnson, center Brook Lopez, and forward Gerald Wallace, who all either decided to re-sign with the Nets this month, or in the case of Johnson, accept a trade from Atlanta to Brooklyn.

Nets signed F Kris Humphries. This is the official update from the Nets PR department. Although terms of the deal were not disclosed in the tweet, ESPN previously reported that the contract was for two years and $24 million.

Kris Humphries has re-signed with the Nets for two years and $24 million, according to ESPN's Marc Stein. To say that Humphries is overpaid on his new deal is obvious, and it's pretty eye-popping to understand that the Nets will have nearly $30 million committed in the Brook Lopez-Humphries tandem next season. Regardless, the Nets are not concerned about the luxury tax, and Humphries' ability to rebound will certainly serve as an asset for the team next season. He may not get as many touches on offense with Joe Johnson in the fold, but Humphries should be serviceable once again in fantasy next year. Humphries averaged 13.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 35 minutes per game last season.

The Nets and Kris Humphries remain in contract negotiations, but a deal is expected to be completed soon. A source told the New York Daily News that Humphries' deal was "in the works," and it's been previously reported that the contract is in the range of about 3 years and $26 million. Humphries made $8 million for the 2011-12 season on a one-year pact. We expect him to return to the Nets and be a part of Brooklyn's inaugural season.

The Nets are expected to re-sign G/F Keith Bogans. Bogans is little more than veteran depth at this stage of his career. He will not have any fantasy value.

The Nets officially signed Jerry Stackhouse on Monday to a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum. Stack continues to haunt NBA benches, and fittingly he was a ghost of himself off the Hawks' bench last season, shooting 37 percent from the field in 30 appearances. Don't expect much more in Brooklyn.

Stackhouse has signed with Brooklyn, though terms were not disclosed. Stackhouse appeared in 30 games with the Hawks last season, averaging 3.6 points and 9.1 minutes. The 17-year NBA veteran did not appear in any of Atlanta's six playoff games.

The Nets signing of Mirza Teletovic has become official. Teletovic got a three-year deal for the "mini" midlevel exception. He's got nice range for someone of his size but he is going to need help on the glass and on the defensive end of the floor.

The Nets "have spoken" to unrestricted free agent Damion James about returning to the team, a source tells the New York Post. Brooklyn is looking for ways to round out the roster, and James could be a low-risk option at the back end of the bench. The No. 24 pick from the 2010 class is searching to find his role in the league after two injury-plagued seasons with the Nets.

The New York Times confirms that Kris Humphries is "likely to return" with the Nets. Humphries was pursued by the Bobcats, but Brooklyn wasn't willing to facilitate a sign-and-trade. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports that the Nets are offering Humphries $20 million over two years or $26 million over three years, more than Charlotte is willing to pay.

David Aldridge reported Thursday that free agent Kris Humphries is likely to return to the Nets. Aldridge said that the Bobcats are the only other team interested in Humphries, who will have a solid starting role in either location.

Updating a previous report, the Nets, along with the Bobcats, are trying to re-sign PF Kris Humphries. It sounds like the Nets badly want Humphries back in the mix and are not willing to help facilitate a sign-and-trade to the Bobcats. Humphries has averaged a double-double in each of the past two seasons, which is quite a feat, and both teams are desperate at PF right now.

The Bobcats are reportedly in discussions with free agent F Kris Humphries. The Bobcats could certainly use some help at power forward, as Byron Mullens and Tyrus Thomas currently sit atop their depth chart. We've been waiting for Humphries' name to show up in some free agency rumors not related to Dwight Howard and it finally happened. Let's just hope whoever his girlfriend is at the time can handle a move to Charlotte.

The Nets are said to be shopping swingman MarShon Brooks. Brooks was an impressive scorer in his rookie season, averaging 12.6 points per game. But he's young and still needs to learn how to play in the NBA, which may be why the Nets were talking about bringing him off the bench even before signing Joe Johnson. Brooks would appear to have some nice trade value around the league, but the Nets asking price is probably going to be on the high side.

Unrestricted FA Kris Humphries is unlikely to re-sign with the Nets for the upcoming season. His price tag will simply be too high after averaging a double-double over the last two seasons, which has to be considered one of the most surprising statistics in the league over that time period. Sam Amico is reporting that the only way the Nets will sign Humphries is in order to trade him to another team. The Nets are a little thin at PF right now, but are still trying to land Antawn Jamison, signed rookie Mirza Teletovic and veteran Reggie Evans, and can also use Gerald Wallace at PF occasionally.

The Pacers are expected to offer free agent swingman Gerald Green a three-year, $10 million contract, which the Nets would likely be unable to match. The Pacers passed on Green to take Danny Granger in the draft a few years ago and might have a chance to play them together this season. Green was a surprising hit in New Jersey last season and could be a solid source of scoring (and dunking) off the Pacers bench.

Nets sign PF Mirza Teletovic to three-year contract. Billy King has called him one of the premier power forwards in Europe and he could end up starting at PF since it doesn't appear likely the Nets will re-sign Kris Humphries.

Clippers trade F/C Reggie Evans to Nets for future 2nd round pick. Evans will help with defense and rebounding off the bench, but Mirza Teletovic could be the new starting PF in Brooklyn.

Lopez has agreed to an extension with the Nets. Unable to work a trade with Orlando for Dwight Howard, the Nets used the first day contracts could be signed to get a deal done with their current center. Lopez had been linked to the Magic in trade talks for months, but now knows he will at least begin the season in Brooklyn. Lopez was limited to five games last season because of injuries, averaging 19.2 points. He had appeared in 82 games in each of his first two NBA seasons and has a 17.4-point career average.

The Los Angeles Clippers have traded forward Reggie Evans to Brooklyn in a sign-and-trade deal for the right to swap second-round draft picks with the Nets in 2016. Evans averaged 1.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 13.8 minutes in 56 games last season.

Brook Lopez signs four-year, $61 million deal with Nets. It's official. Dwight Howard will not be going to New Jersey any time soon, as Lopez can't be traded until Jan. 15. The Nets will boast a starting lineup of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Mirza Teletovic and Lopez, with MarShon Brooks as sixth man. And that looks like a pretty good team, despite not featuring Howard.

The trade sending Joe Johnson to the Nets for Jordan Williams, Johan Petro, Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, DeShawn Stevenson and a 2013 lottery protected first-round pick is now official. The Nets announced it on the same day they bowed out of the race for Dwight Howard, and the acquisition of Johnson looked a lot better alongside Deron Williams and Howard. But with a core of Williams, Lopez, Johnson, MarShon Brooks, Gerald Wallace and Kris Humpries (if re-signed), should still be one of the better teams in the East.

NBA.com's David Aldridge is reporting that Brook Lopez will re-sign with the Nets on a four-year, nearly $61 million deal. The deal is supposed to happen on Wednesday night and the big news here is that the Nets will have to wait until Jan. 15 to trade Lopez, and also signals the official end to talks between the Nets and Magic for Dwight Howard. Lopez should have a good season in Brooklyn, as long as his ankle is fully healed by the time it starts. He will score plenty, but don't draft him thinking you're getting rebounds from your center, as he averaged just six per game in 2011, his last full season.

Wallace has signed a four-year, $40 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets. Acquired from Portland at the trade deadline, Wallace started 16 games for the Nets, averaging 15.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals in 35.8 minutes

The Blazers and Bobcats are both reportedly ready to sign Brook Lopez to a four-year max offer sheet. There is no shortage of suitors for Lopez and Billy King has to work quickly if he's going to get Dwight Howard on Wednesday. Once Lopez signs an offer sheet, he can no longer be traded. It really feels like the Howard situation is coming to a head on Wednesday afternoon, and King is probably wearing out his cell phone right now. The bottom line is that the Nets either have to sign-and-trade Lopez to Orlando today, or sign and keep him.

The Nets have officially re-signed Gerald Wallace to a four-year, $40 million contract. We're not sure if the entire deal is guaranteed, but either way $10 million per year is a lot to pay for Wallace -- the Nets seem to have bid against themselves in an attempt to salvage some value from the trade that brought in Wallace and sent the No. 6 pick to Portland. As usual, the injury-prone Wallace is a high-risk, high-reward fantasy pick.

The Nets and Brook Lopez are "progressing" in talks about a maximum contract extension, according to Yahoo! Sports. A deal could be completed as soon as Wednesday, and once it's official Lopez would be ineligible to be traded until December, effectively scuttling any talk of Dwight Howard joining the Nets. At the moment it's unclear whether it's a max four- or five-year contract, but either way it's a huge investment in a center who struggles to rebound and is coming off multiple foot surgeries.

As expected, Deron Williams signed his five-year, $98.75 million deal with the Nets early Wednesday morning. Now we just have to see what happens with the Dwightmare, but either way the Nets have loaded up on talent and will be fun to watch this season. With all of the contractual issues behind Williams now, he'll be a less ornery first round pick in 8-cat leagues.

The Nets are reportedly "making progress" in their attempt to find a third team to facilitate a trade for Dwight Howard -- the Cavaliers have been mentioned as a possible landing spot for a signed-and-traded Kris Humphries. As outlined earlier by Ken Berger, the team receiving Humphries would probably then send a first-round draft pick to the Magic, part of a package including Brook Lopez and at least three first-round picks. These reports are very tenuous at the moment, but Brooklyn seems to have momentum toward yet another blockbuster. Adrian Wojnarowski is also reporting that Cleveland's interest with Humphries is simply to use him to acquire more draft picks and assets.

The Nets have begun working on a contract extension for restricted FA Brook Lopez, according to Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski. As noted by Wojo, this could be an indication that the Nets are moving on with Lopez as their starting center, or it could be part of a larger sign-and-trade deal with the Magic for Dwight Howard. We'll update the proceedings once more details are known.

Deron Williams said he was close to signing with the Mavericks until the Nets traded for Joe Johnson. The acquisition of Johnson showed D-Will that the Nets were serious about contending immediately and ultimately gave him the final push he needed to sign with Brooklyn. Mikhail Prokhorov's deep pockets have helped the Nets land two superstars, now all hoops' fans eyes are on if Brooklyn can pull off an even more difficult trade to land Dwight Howard.

The Nets signed rookie guard Tyshawn Taylor on Friday. Taylor can play either guard position, although the majority of his time will be spent backing up Deron Williams at the point in Brooklyn next season. Taylor won't have much fantasy value unless D-Will or starting SG MarShon Brooks gets injured.

The Nets might be forced to move Gerald Wallace if they end up landing Dwight Howard. The Nets would basically have all their available salary tied up in Joe Johnson, Howard, Mirza Teletovic, Deron Williams and Wallace, and would probably need to find a third team to take on Wallace's salary, as the Magic aren't likely to do so. The Nets are still very much in the running to get Howard, but would likely need to trade Wallace in a complicated deal to make it happen.

If the Nets can't cut a deal for Dwight Howard, Adrian Wojnarowski writes that they will move to keep free agent Kris Humphries. Humphries' salary demands may be steep, but he is a near-perfect fit playing next to Brook Lopez, who has never met a rebound that didn't scare the living daylights out of him. The Nets are also looking at Ersan Ilyasova, and despite taking on one of the league's worst contracts in Joe Johnson, they're shaping up to be a contender in the East when it's all said and done.

If the Nets can't cut a deal for Dwight Howard, Adrian Wojnarowski first wrote that they would move to keep free agent Kris Humphries and then followed up with a report minutes later saying that he would probably be gone. Woj's second report stated that Humphries would need to accept the veteran minimum to stay and that obviously isn't going to happen. It's too bad, because he is a near-perfect fit playing next to Brook Lopez, who has never met a rebound that didn't scare the living daylights out of him. The Nets are also looking at Ersan Ilyasova, and we'll need to see why they can only offer Humphries the minimum, because on the other end of that question will reveal what they plan to do with their remaining monies.

Deron Williams announced on Twitter that he has agreed to a five-year, $100 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets. This isn't too surprising, as many sources had D-Will favoring the Nets, who signaled their intentions to win immediately by locking up Gerald Wallace and trading for Joe Johnson. Jason Kidd is expected to follow Williams to Brooklyn but the finances could get tricky, and there's still a chance he could sign with the Knicks or another team. Don't be surprised if the Mavericks, having failed in their bid for D-Will, make a few splashy offers for other FAs.

Williams is staying with the Nets. A person with knowledge of the decision says Williams told the team Tuesday he was accepting their five-year ontract worth $98 million. Williams, the top free agent available, chose to stay with the Nets over signing with his hometown team, the Dallas Mavericks.

The Nets are reportedly finalizing a sign-and-trade deal with the Clippers for veteran PF Reggie Evans. Evans will get a three-year, $5 million contract, while the Clippers get a future 2nd-round pick from the Nets. Evans is a rebounding machine and a tough frontcourt presence, and by signing him the Nets continue to build a veteran team meant to win next year (and convince Deron Williams that he can compete immediately in Brooklyn).

The Pacers will meet with unrestricted free agents Ian Mahinmi and Gerald Green in the "coming days." Both players would be complementary pieces if added to the fold. The Pacers are clearly doing due diligence in the big man department should Roy Hibbert depart, and Green would be an athletic swingman in the Pacers' second unit.

The Nets had a "good" meeting with Deron Williams on Monday but he's not expected to make a decision until sometime on Tuesday or Wednesday. If he returns to the Nets, as is expected, it sounds like Jason Kidd is going with him, while the same holds true for both if Dallas wins in an upset. But either way, it sounds like we could have to wait another day or two to get a final answer out of Williams.

The Nets and Gerald Wallace have verbally agreed on a four-year, $40 million contract, according to ESPN's Marc Stein. The Nets never wavered in their desire to re-sign Wallace, who played 16 games for New Jersey last season, averaging 15.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals.

Jordan Farmar has opted into the final year of his contract with the Nets, contrary to expectations. Farmar was expected to test the market as a free agent, after being disappointed with his role last season, but it's possible he didn't think he'd earn an equivalent annual salary. He's not going to earn more minutes if Deron Williams and Jason Kidd both opt for Brooklyn, but could be a key player if they choose Dallas.

Deron Williams will meet with the Nets and Mavericks on Monday before deciding which team to sign with, according to ESPN's Ric Bucher. Making D-Will's decision even more momentous, the report states that "Jason Kidd will also join whichever team Williams chooses." The two are playing golf together this weekend in the Hamptons, where Kidd recently bought a home, and (in line with recent speculation) one source claims they have already decided to play for the Nets.