National media attention forms the argument so much - Brook Lopez is having a fine season, he merits being an All-Star selection - this will give him recognition nationwide. Also Lopez has only ever played on terrible teams in New Jersey, once he makes his play-off debut in Brooklyn later this year he will get further recognition.

I'm a long suffering Nets fan. I've followed Lopez's career since we drafted him. He has always been stellar on the offensive end and he is without doubt the best offensive centre in the NBA. The game i saw him live at court side my friend (supporting the Raptors) turned to me and said "I never knew Lopez was this good". Everyone will say this once they see more of him in big matches.

What has kept Lopez down is his defence which i will admit has been below average since he has been in the league. He has made strides this season in improving especially weak side and he has improved as a shot blocker. His rebounding is sub-standard for someone 7ft tall but he is playing with PFs (Hump and Reggie Evans) who specialise in rebounding, taking away some of potential boards for Lopez.

Before last season he had barely missed a game in his three seasons and then last season he gets a freak injury putting him out for almost all the season and gets labelled injury prone, SMH. National media commentators knowing fuck all.

Brook is playing the best season of his career. Dwight is playing the worst. And their numbers are very close apart from Brook is playing SEVEN minutes less per game than Dwight. Dwight Howard is averaging 36 mins a game. Brook Lopez is averaging 29 mins a game.

Dwight’s offensive and rebounding numbers are right around his career averages. It’s his defensive effort which has fallen off. There aren’t stats to demonstrate where Dwight has fallen off and where Lopez has risen. Thus their stats appear close, but their effect on the game is much different.

No-one knows how Dwight will fare next season and beyond. Is he going to be back to Superman status or is he going to be a shell of himself yet one costing $100 million +.

The thing everyone can agree on Brook Lopez is improving and has not yet reached his prime.

I do agree both front offices would sign Dwight over Lopez in a second if they knew that Dwight was going to be the athletic monster he used to be but no-one can tell if he is going to return to that. The Lakers have a very big decision to make this off season about what contract to offer him. And we know from the past couple of seasons Dwight is all about the money in his new contract.

Dwight has worn out any desire from Nets fans to be part of our team and at the same time the Nets fans love Lopez who has played hard for them since he was drafted. Dwight had the chance to be a Net all of last season and fucked us by signing the ETO (or whatever) with the Magic at the trade deadline. Our front office has moved on. That is why we gave Hump the big contract to use him as a trade piece in the future. There is even talk of the Nets giving Greg Oden a guaranteed contract (even if its small).

Part of the reason Lopez doesn't get treated as a star is because he is a goof ball who loves comic books, he is not athletic, he doesn't chase publicity.


I firmly believe the Nets are not interested in Dwight anymore.