Brook Lopez has opted out of his contract with the Nets, making him an unrestricted free agent, the New York Daily News reports.

Lopez has opted out of his contract with the Nets, making him an unrestricted free agent, the New York Daily News reports.

Analysis:

Lopez forgoes $17 million in salary for next season by opting out of his contract, but can now secure a long-term deal after undergoing three surgeries on his foot over recent seasons. While the Nets are expected to make a strong push to retain the 27-year-old, his career averages of 17.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks should make Lopez a hot commodity for teams in need of an upgrade at center this offseason.