Rumors are out that the Brooklyn Nets are talking to the Toronto Raptors of a possible trade that will move their frontcourt starters Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young to the Canadian side before the NBA trade deadline on Thursday.

NJ Advance Media reported that "the rumor mill has the Nets discussing a deal with Toronto that would move star center Brook Lopez and/or power forward Thaddeus Young to the Raptors".

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Toronto is said to be giving the 2015 NBA Draft's 20th overall pick, point guard Delon Wright, power forward Patrick Patterson, and a 2016 first round draft pick the team got from the New York Knicks, the report continued.

The Nets are nearing an impending blowout that saw the team fire head coach Lionel Hollins and general manager Billy King stepping down from his position all in the span of the last month.

Sure to follow are player shakeups and so even though Lopez and Young have both just recently signed new contracts and have been actually playing well in Brooklyn, they are also not safe from the Nets' trading block.

Lopez is currently averaging 20.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks while Young has 15.1 points, 9.1 boards, and 1.7 assists per game, quite an impressive production for both players so far this season.

Still, the Nets are presently hanging on to the second to the last spot in the Eastern Conference with a 14-40 win-loss slate. Only the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers have worse records in the NBA right now.

Brooklyn is definitely in the midst of a rebuild midway into the season with the upcoming hiring of a new GM, which means that the team could be looking to trade away their veterans for young players or future picks that will be more beneficial for the club in the long run.

Bleacher Report said that "moving Lopez and Young might be the only way Brooklyn can begin a proper rebuild with first-round picks".

Unloading Lopez and Young, plus the looming expiration of Joe Johnson's humongous contract, will also mean that the team will have freed up significant cap space to pursue quality free agents in the summer.

TagsNBA Trade Rumors, Brooklyn Nets, Brook Lopez, thaddeus young, Toronto Raptors