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Milwaukee Bucks Rumors: Los Angeles Lakers interested in Brook Lopez reunion?

By Adam McGee

MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 17: Brook Lopez #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks high fives fans during a game between the Toronto Raptors and the Milwaukee Bucks during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 17, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Mike Roemer/NBAE via Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 17: Brook Lopez #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks high fives fans during a game between the Toronto Raptors and the Milwaukee Bucks during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 17, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Mike Roemer/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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As Brook Lopez prepares for free agency after an outstanding season with the Milwaukee Bucks, could the Los Angeles Lakers be looking to sign him again?

The chances of Brook Lopez returning to the Milwaukee Bucks for the 2019-20 season, and beyond, were significantly improved when the trade to dump Tony Snell‘s salary was finalized with the Detroit Pistons following Thursday’s NBA Draft.

The Bucks moved beyond simply having to consider offering the mid-level to Lopez, and can now not only offer approximately $10 million via cap space, but even exceed that number by stretching Jon Leuer and further boosting flexibility, if needed.

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In spite of all of that, the Bucks will still have to fight their corner to bring Lopez back.

The 31-year-old’s ability to protect the rim and anchor a defense, while also being able to space the floor at an elite level offensively makes him a very valuable commodity. Paired with Lopez’s great attitude and value as a teammate, it’s a certainty that other teams around the NBA will at least inquire about the possibility of prising him away from the Bucks.

One such team may well be the significantly re-tooled Los Angeles Lakers, who will be desperate to surround LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma with quality contributors once free agency opens on June 30.

Speaking on the latest episode of his podcast, Brian Windhorst and the Hoop Collective, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst made note of the Lakers’ interest in Lopez as part of a wider discussion on teams who may consider the veteran center:

"“Lopez had a terrific year this year. I don’t know what his priority is. Obviously this is his last chance at a big contract, and the Lakers, I think, are sniffing around. I think the Lakers need perimeter players. I think the Lakers are going to have to use their money on perimeter players.”"

That note from Windhorst was significant, as it wasn’t the first time he’s suggested that Lopez was a target for the Lakers, with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin also chiming in to that effect on another episode of The Hoop Collective last week:

"DM: “I just know that talking to people in the Lakers organization this week, that’s a name that has come up. This is days before the Anthony Davis trade went down, so Brook Lopez is certainly someone that intrigues at least some people in that organization.”BW: “Also, Anthony Davis prefers to play the four, and LeBron prefers to play the three. You could bring in Brook and then align it the way you want to align it.”"

Of course, there’s a great irony in all of this. If it wasn’t for the Lakers’ haphazard decision-making a year ago, Lopez may well have remained in L.A., and the trajectory of a Bucks’ season that finished with 60 wins and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals could have been very different.

Instead, the Lakers showed no real interest in bringing Lopez back, in spite of the obvious fit he’d have provided alongside James. Jon Horst swooped in to capitalize on that situation with the bi-annual exception, and the rest is history.

Still, speaking to ESPN’s Zach Lowe earlier in the season, Lopez admitted he was more than a little surprised at the failure of his hometown team to show any interest in bringing him back:

"“I was a little surprised. It just didn’t end up working out. It kind of went in one direction pretty quickly. From that point, I was looking at other options.”"

Whether any ill-effects from how that situation played out would linger to the point where Lopez would no longer be interested in the Lakers remains to be seen. What we do know is that Lopez has made no secret of his desire to return to Milwaukee. When asked about his future in exit interviews, Lopez declared he would “love to be back.”

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It seems more and more likely that a return to the Bucks will come to pass for Lopez, but the interest of the Lakers should act as a warning for Milwaukee not to get complacent as other teams would only be too happy to capitalize.

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