Brook Lopez doesn't have the knack for rebounding, says Billy King. But rival GMs still gushing

Avery Johnson thought he could change Brook Lopez. Still does. He called Lopez a franchise cornerstone and an All-Star, as early as this season.
 
The All-Star goal for this season is now a longshot. A real longshot. Lopez is currently seventh in the voting among Eastern  Conference centers, behind Dwight Howard, Shaquille O’Neal, Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Andrew Bogut and Andrea Bargnani.
 
And if Lopez is going to lead this team in Brooklyn as a cornerstone player, he probably won't be averaging double digits in rebounds, according to Nets GM Billy King.
 
“I don’t think Brook is ever going to be a 10-rebound guy. Rik Smits, I think, at his best was a seven rebound guy. Kareem Adbul Jabaar, as great a scorer as he was, he wasn’t a great rebounder. Some guys have a knack for it. Some guys don’t,” King said. “I think he could get better at it, I just don’t think it’s something where he’s going to be a 10-, 12-rebound guy a night. I just don’t think it’s in him.”
 
If Lopez doesn't reach 10 rebounds per game, it'll be a disappointment considering he hauled in 8.7 in his second season. And while there’s a lot to be desired with Lopez’s game,  King says rival GMs are still gushing over the 22-year-old. He's one of the best centers offensively in the league, and would be even better if he didn't have to deal with double and triple teams.
 
“If you do your polls and talk to 29 other GMs, I guarantee you 29 of them that would say, ‘If you don’t want him, we’ll take him,” King said.