Milwaukee Bucks 2018-19 Season Review: Brook Lopez
Summer focus and final grade
Of course, the biggest topic as it relates to Lopez’s offseason is his pending free agent status.
Lopez is among the three players from the Bucks’ regular starting lineup throughout the season that are set to hit the open market, alongside Malcolm Brogdon and Khris Middleton. And of the three, Lopez is arguably the trickiest to bring back, in part due to the hefty paydays that both Brogdon and Middleton are due to command from the Bucks.
He certainly outperformed the minimal cost he took up on the Bucks’ cap sheet from this year as he signed via the team’s bi-annual exception and it’s safe to say he’ll have no shortage of suitors this time around compared to last summer.
The combination of Lopez’s perimeter shooting prowess, his stout rim protection and the fact that this will likely serve as his last chance to garner a sizeable contract, considering his age, are all factors the Bucks and all teams around the NBA will have to consider a few weeks from now.
Coming off the most successful season of his career as it relates to the 60-win season the Bucks had as well as their deep playoff run, it’s no surprise to see Lopez express his interest in coming back to extend his stay in Milwaukee.
But that’s a decision that is unfortunately not wholly up to him as all eyes point to whether the Bucks’ ownership will break the bank and go into the luxury tax to keep the team’s core intact beyond this year.
BTBP Final Grade: A-
Be on the look out for all of our individual season reviews in the coming weeks ahead as we head into the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2019 offseason here at Behind the Buck Pass.