Brook Lopez tells Nets he'll opt out of contract

As expected, Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez told general manager Billy King he'll opt out of the final year of his contract, according to multiple sources.

Despite being plagued by chronic foot injuries and playing fewer than 18 games in two of his past four seasons, Lopez mostly managed to remain on the court in 2014-15, and turned himself into an attractive potential free agent with a torrid second-half stretch that crested with consecutive Player of the Week honors at the end of March and beginning of April.

After the All-Star break, he averaged 19.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks, while leading the Nets on a mini-surge that allowed them to sneak into the postseason as a No. 8 seed.

Lopez's player option would've paid him $16.7 million next season, but if he holds to his word, he'll become an unrestricted free agent July 1. King has said re-signing Lopez will be one of the Nets' top offseason priorities, and that's probably doubly true now that they've traded Miles Plumlee.