SUNDAY, 11:48am: The Nets will indeed apply for the disabled player exception, GM Billy King confirms to reporters, including Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). Several agents and opposing teams have contacted the Nets to shop their big men, King says, adding that tax concerns won’t preclude the team from making a trade, according to Newsday’s Roderick Boone (Twitter links). The Nets could use the DPE to absorb a player on an expiring deal of no more than $5.25MM, or they could sign a player for as much as $5.15MM to replace Lopez. Still, King cautions that no trade is imminent, as Boone tweets.
SATURDAY, 11:57am: Indications are that the Nets will at least explore using the Disabled Players Exception to replace the injured Brook Lopez, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter). David Aldridge of NBA.com, meanwhile, hears that the Nets don’t have plans to go outside at present (link). Earlier today, we learned that the Nets will lose the big man for the season thanks to a broken foot, though the Nets say they’re waiting on official word.
In the short term, the Nets are unlikely to rush out and find a Lopez replacement, Stein tweets. Instead, they’ll rely on Kevin Garnett, Andray Blatche, Mason Plumlee, Mirza Teletovic, and Reggie Evans to pick things up and help fill the void. That could be a tall order given the offensive limitations of Evans, Blatche’s inconsistency, Teletovic’s defensive shortcomings, and Garnett’s overall decline. Brooklyn will also hope to get Andrei Kirilenko back in the fold to help across the board, particularly with rebounding.
The exception would be worth the amount of the non-taxpayer MLE, as explained in Hoops Rumors glossary entry on the DPE.