Milwaukee Bucks: The importance of Robin Lopez’s player option

The Milwaukee Bucks have an intriguing situation on their hands regarding Robin Lopez and his upcoming player option for the 2020-21 NBA season.

The addition of Robin Lopez last offseason through free agency provided the Milwaukee Bucks with a stellar big man to bolster their bench. Playing behind his twin brother Brook Lopez, Robin proved to be a hulking presence on the defensive end, and a surprising bonus on offense with his much-improved 3-point shot.

All in all, Robin averaged 5.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from behind the arc in the regular season. While his numbers were not the most astonishing, Lopez had played the third-fewest minutes in his 12-year career this season and took on a role as a full-time backup.

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In the playoffs, however, Lopez became obsolete, spending most of Milwaukee’s 10-game run watching from the sidelines. The 32-year-old appeared in just three games, averaging 2.0 points in 7.0 minutes per contest.

Now, Lopez must decide whether he wishes to remain with the Bucks next season by opting into his deal worth around $5 million or test free agent waters once again. There has been no chatter surrounding a possible decision on Robin’s end, but whichever route he decides to go, Milwaukee will have some questions to answer.

Robin Lopez’s decision could lead to several different outcomes for the Milwaukee Bucks.

First and foremost, the likelihood of the situation is the Lopez decides to opt-in and earn that $5 million next season. The uncertainty surrounding the NBA’s potential financial implications due to the coronavirus pandemic looms large ahead of free agency, particularly with players seeking pay raises that teams might not be able to give. If the big man opts out, there is no guarantee he gets a bigger deal on this financially stiff free agent market.

Say he indeed opts in, then the question arises whether he will actually stay in Milwaukee or get used as a trade chip. While that will matter on who the Bucks might try to pursue, of course, his $5 million salary would almost certainly be included in any top-heavy trades.

If the team wishes to hang onto the big man, utilizing him in that same backup center role might not be such a bad bet either. Although he was ineffective in the postseason, the big man provided a solid effort in the regular season and gave the Bucks a reliable option to defer to when Brook was not on the floor.

Lastly, and the most unlikely scenario, is Robin opting out and playing elsewhere next season. The veteran’s value on the market is unknown, but playing a mere 21 minutes in the playoffs certainly did not raise his stock whatsoever. Still, if he were to depart, the Bucks would have a vacancy at the backup center position to fill. That could prove difficult in a weaker free agent class tied in with their already limited spending money, leaving the Bucks in quite the predicament.

While the wait on Robin Lopez’s decision is not the most tension-filled, it is an intriguing situation to monitor all the same, given all of the outcomes that could transpire. It might not be too far-fetched to believe that the $5 million in financial stability, given the current uncertainties of the world, could ultimately lead Robin to stay put in Milwaukee and finish out the remainder of his deal.

It seems justifiable to say the most likely outcome is seeing Robin Lopez running it back with the Milwaukee Bucks next season, but nothing is set in stone during these times.