Nets Shut Down Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young for Season

With six games remaining in a lost season, the Nets have decided to shut down their two best players, Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young.

Since the playoffs are far out of reach for the Nets, GM Sean Marks did not want to risk injury to his two best assets and decided it was best to pull them off the floor while evaluating other players on the roster.  Deciding who is worth keeping from the players they currently have will help the front office map out a plan for free agency this summer, where the Nets could have up to $40 million in cap space.

In Sunday afternoon’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Nets started Shane Larkin, Wayne Ellington, rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Thomas Robinson and Henry Sims.  Hollis-Jefferson will be a key piece for the Nets moving forward, while the other four are playing for their NBA lives.

Both Lopez and Young played in 73 games a piece for the Nets (21-55), and neither player missed any time due to injury.  Lopez averaged 20.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game, while Young arguably had the greatest statistical season of his career with 15.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 0.5 blocks.

Brooklyn currently has the fourth-worst record in the NBA, which makes Boston Celtics fans extremely happy.  The Nets will send their 2016 first-round pick to the Celtics, and there is a high probability that it will be a top five selection.