Most Milwaukee Bucks fans expected that the front office would only be signing one Lopez once 2023 NBA Free Agency began.
Well, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, not only have the Bucks re-signed Brook Lopez to a new deal, but they’ve also signed his twin brother, Robin Lopez.
Milwaukee Bucks sign free agent Robin Lopez: Reaction and Analysis
This move makes sense for the Bucks. With B. Lopez locked up and Bobby Portis under contract, Milwaukee needed another big man for depth purposes. Over the past two seasons, they’ve had plenty of trouble finding a steady backup, cycling through several names like DeMarcus Cousins, Serge Ibaka, and Meyers Leonard. Now, the Bucks will have that position filled heading into the new season in a few months, ensuring they will not have to worry about it.
In all likelihood, Robin will not be playing a lot of minutes. However, when he is on the floor, he’ll be tasked with being an interior presence defensively while hauling in rebounds. The center has some chemistry with several Bucks, having been a member of the 2019-20 team, so that should help as he looks to reintegrate himself back into the swing of things in Milwaukee.
Financially, Lopez’s deal will almost certainly be the minimum, so it’s team friendly. For a team on the hunt for center depth, there’s not much to complain about. Fans clamored for Milwaukee to sign Mo Bamba off the free agent market, but he’s likely going to get more than what the Bucks could offer at this point in time. In short, this is a fine move on all fronts. It’s not great, but it’s certainly not terrible. It’s simply fine.
The Bucks have now signed their first external free agent but have plenty of more roster spots to fill before they reach the maximum capacity. Their current priority should be finding a backup point guard, but they could also use another wing or two for depth purposes. They don’t have the most spending money, but it will be interesting to see how the team tweaks the roster.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis and NBA Free Agency breakdowns.