Milwaukee Bucks: Ranking Jon Horst’s 5 best moves as general manager

Jon Horst’s best moves with the Milwaukee Bucks — No. 4: Signing Brook Lopez

Bringing in former Nets and Lakers center Brook Lopez took the Bucks to another level. After a short stint with Los Angeles, Lopez came to Milwaukee the year that Antetokounmpo went on his back-to-back MVP run. It wouldn’t be the same workload he had in Brooklyn, where he currently holds the franchise record in points scored during his tenure, but that fit him perfectly.

Lopez has averaged 12 points or more in each of his first three seasons in Milwaukee, and that is a trend that should continue to stay moving upward. After not taking a single 3-pointer in his first five years in the NBA, Lopez set a career-high in 3-point attempts per game (6.3) in his first year in Milwaukee.

When someone thinks of the modern-day “stretch-five,” Lopez’s name should enter the conversation. What he has been able to do in a limited offensive role shared with Antetokounmpo and Middleton is fantastic, and it should be celebrated that Horst took a gamble on a player who plays a position that generally declines faster than others. He proved to be an essential piece for the Bucks in their title run, providing some stellar defense and his fair share of offense.

Let’s not forget how much he loves Disney World. Whether he’s wearing a graphic t-shirt or seeming like he was in heaven during the Orlando bubble, Lopez has put unlimited smiles on the faces of Bucks fans.