Milwaukee Bucks Roundtable: Early season reactions and predictions
By Ben Rauman
Q3. Which player was the most impactful acquisition this offseason for the Bucks?
BR: All of the Bucks’ offseason acquisitions have had a considerable impact on the team thus far, but none have been more striking than Brook Lopez. He has been not just a threat from beyond the arc, but a true weapon in Bud’s offense.
After spreading the floor well while with the Lakers, he has brought his game to a new level in Milwaukee and looks confident and empowered in Mike Budenholzer’s system.
He’s been key to the Bucks’ shooting and rebounding success and is already outplaying his bargain of a contract.
DB: Brook Lopez. Outside of Thon Maker, the Bucks did not have a center that could stretch the floor. Lopez has certainly outshined the worth of his contract. Every night, there is a possibility he could go off for four or more threes.
JT: Without a doubt, it’s been Brook Lopez, otherwise known as Splash Mountain (credit to @2LTDiesel on Twitter). I mean, what else can you really say about a seven-foot big man who’s averaging 13 points per game on .464/.413/1.000 shooting splits and has the second-highest net rating on the team?
Considering the Bucks’ woes at the center spot before this season, Lopez has virtually shored up all of the team’s previous deficiencies at that position while being a true threat from beyond the arc, as evidenced by his recent three-point outbursts on the Bucks’ recent road trip.
AM: I’d like to come up with a revelationary answer here for the sake of excitement, but it’s Lopez. That’s not to suggest Ersan Ilyasova and Pat Connaughton haven’t made an impact, but they haven’t fundamentally changed the way the team plays in the way Lopez has.
Of course, a big part of that is that Lopez is not just any old journeyman, floor-spacing center, but instead he’s a former All-Star with endless experience and a lot more bows in his arsenal too. The Bucks were incredibly lucky to get him, or should I say skilled, to give Jon Horst the credit he deserves for that particular free agency coup.
RC: I talked about Lopez already and he’s the clear answer to this question, but to mix it up I’ll say Ersan Ilyasova. Turk Nowitzki had a rough road trip, from getting beasted on by Montrezl Harrell to fouling out in Denver, but his role as the sixth man has still been a resounding success.
The Bucks needed more shooting, defense and rebounding going into this season, and Ilyasova has checked all those boxes by routinely being solid on defense, hitting the occasional three and cleaning up the boards on both the offensive and defensive ends. It’s good to have him back.
BP: It’s Brook Lopez. Although I may be sitting shotgun on the Pat Connaughton bandwagon (that Jordan is driving at full speed), there just isn’t any denying what Brook Lopez is doing to the opponent’s defense. He is shooting 41.9 percent from deep, and as we saw against the Clippers and Nuggets, he isn’t just knocking down a few from the corner every game.
I also think he has been (and will continue to be) a valuable piece of the “Let it Fly” mantra Bud has preached. There are a few guys on the roster (looking at you, Khris) who would be tempted to try and work the midrange on a night where the threes aren’t falling. With Brook on the floor, he will gladly launch as many threes as the defense will allow, without a single worry about how many have gone in.
JK: The Bucks had a great, scheme-altering offseason that saw us bring in a myriad of shooters with which to surround Giannis, but the addition of Brook Lopez has by far been the most impactful. A paint-clearing stretch center is a perfect ingredient to mix with Giannis.
On 7.2 three-point attempts per game from a multitude of areas and distances, Lopez is cashing-in at a 41.9 rate, forcing defending centers to respect his jumper and vacate the paint for Brogdon, Bledsoe, and Giannis to drive and thrive.