Brook Lopez and his cat don't pay attention to trade rumors

It seems as if Brook Lopez has been on the trading block pretty much since Day One with the Brooklyn Nets.

As far back as 2012, Lopez's name was connected to Dwight Howard rumors as the Nets looked to land the superstar. Lopez ultimately stayed put and signed a four-year, $60.8-million contract to stay in Brooklyn long-term, but it hasn't been enough to keep him out of trade rumors. 

The Nets surging with him on the shelf last season certainly didn't help matters, and the Nets struggling with him mostly healthy this season has pushed his name even further into the rumor mill. At this point, it's old hate for Lopez, who isn't fazed.

"I live at home with my brother and my cat, so I don't really go out of my way ... to see that stuff," Lopez said Tuesday.

A simple life at home with family and pets, free of speculation. It sounds pretty nice, even if Lopez is asked about the rumors every day and can in no way avoid them entirely.

Most recently, Lopez was linked to the Oklahoma City Thunder in talks that have reportedly been tabled for the time being. The 7-footer is an attractive interior scoring option, averaging 15 points on 50.3 percent shooting, but he's a defensive minus and comes with a potentially onerous $16.7-million player option for next season that could cause some teams pause.