Getty Brook Lopez of the Milwaukee Bucks plays the Denver Nuggets.
After not even getting an offer from the Los Angeles Lakers last offseason, Brook Lopez had a fantastic year alongside Giannis Antetokuonmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. A more prolific threat from deep with each passing season, Lopez has become a crucial cog in the Bucks’ plan of putting four shooters around Giannis. Shooting a blistering 36.5% from three last season, Lopez is an anomaly among seven-footers in the NBA. Able to alter shots in the paint on defense and drag his man out of the paint on offense, Lopez looks to be a perfect fit for the Lakers moving forward.
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Can the Lakers Lure Back Brook Lopez In Free Agency?
The biggest issue with bringing Brook Lopez back is the fact that the Lakers front office burned him in free agency last season. After having a solid year for the Lakers and available for cheap, the Lakers opted to not even extend an offer Lopez’s way and he wound up signing for a measly $3 million. Lopez likely isn’t going to forget that and despite Magic being out of the picture, is going to be a tough sell to bring back.
Especially considering the success he is experiencing on the Bucks, it would be hard for Lopez to justify ditching a title-contending team in the hopes that the Lakers MIGHT get there someday. It would be shocking if the Bucks decided to not at least try to bring back Lopez and the mutual benefits both sides have had this year are going to be tough for any team to beat, especially the Lakers.
How Much Would It Cost to Bring Back Brook Lopez to the Lakers?
Although Lopez took only $3 million and saw his numbers drop a bit, he is considerably more valuable after this past season. While he wasn’t utilized as much, he was extremely effective in his stretch big role and a number of teams should be interested in the services of the seven-footer. While he is going into his age-32 season, expect Lopez to command a bit more money compared to his previous contract. He shouldn’t break the bank in terms of how much it will cost to bring him on board and expect whoever does to be paying somewhere in the $6-8 million range.
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