After locking up Khris Middleton on a new long-term deal, the Milwaukee Bucks turned their focus in free agency to Brook Lopez.
Negotiations between the two sides went on for quite some time, as it seemed like Lopez had a legitimate interest in joining the Houston Rockets. However, the Bucks ultimately retained their starting center in the end, having inked the veteran to a two-year deal worth a hefty $48 million. Fans have been discussing the deal since it was announced, so let’s grade it.
The financial aspect of Brook Lopez’s deal with the Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks spared no expense in re-signing Lopez. Leading up to free agency, not many analysts thought Lopez would get this much money on this deal. For example, Brian Sampson of Forbes predicted that the big man would ink a two-year deal worth $32 million. That wasn’t a bad bet at the time, but with the Houston Rockets reportedly offering Lopez a deal of around $40 million for two years, the Bucks had to up their offer mightily, which they rightfully did.
Would the Bucks have liked Brook Lopez to take a bit of a pay cut? Most likely, but coming off one of his best seasons to date, Lopez was due for a raise, and if the Bucks weren’t going to give it to him, the Rockets gladly would have. Letting Lopez walk would have opened up a little bit of money for the Bucks to utilize elsewhere, but not enough to justify losing him, especially when looking at the current free agent market and what players remain. The Bucks would have had a difficult time trying to replace Lopez with what money they had.
It’s a lot of money for a 35-year-old center, but that’s just the price Milwaukee had to pay to keep its starting center in town.
Detailing Brook Lopez’s fit and role with the Milwaukee Bucks
It’s not controversial to say that Brook Lopez has been a vital piece to the Bucks’ success over the past few years. The big man has been the perfect man in the middle for this team on both ends of the court. While things might not change drastically, it will be interesting to see how Lopez is used in a Milwaukee system that is not headed by Mike Budenholzer. Coach Adrain Griffin likely will not make many seismic changes, but he could look to experiment and Lopez somewhat differently on both ends of the court while still playing to his strengths.
Fit-wise, Lopez is the perfect center for this team, as previously mentioned. Offensively, Lopez has turned himself into a legitimate threat from the perimeter, having shot a career-high 37.4 percent from deep this past season. That helped fuel his best scoring season as a Buck, as he averaged an impressive 15.9 points per game. On top of that, he was a monster defensively, having finished a close second in the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year running. His rim protection is vital for the Bucks defensively, and, once again, it would be incredibly hard to replace that.
Coach Griffin will likely continue urging Lopez to let it fly from behind the arc to space the floor for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee’s other core pieces, as it opens things up for everyone on the court. Still, the Bucks should look to turn back the clock with Lopez more and have him operate down low more occasionally, as he’s still a tremendous post player. It was an advantage the Bucks rarely utilized under the previous regime. Defensively, Milwaukee might not utilize drop coverage as much under Griffin as they have previously, but the big man will still be tasked with protecting the rim in other coverages, and he’s more than capable of doing so.
In short, Lopez is key to the Bucks’ success on both ends.
The verdict on Brook Lopez’s deal with the Milwaukee Bucks
While it’s a lot of money, the Milwaukee Bucks had to get this deal done. Had they not, they would still likely be scrambling to find a replacement. Even then, the odds of getting anything close to the production Lopez has given them on both sides of the ball would be slim. Losing Lopez would have set the Bucks back several steps, and as a contending team with few avenues to improve, they’re not in a position where they can afford to make such moves.
If what he showcased this past season is any indication, Lopez still has plenty left in the tank for the Bucks. Not only can he still put points on the board from all over the floor, but he can be one of the league’s best rim protectors. Hopefully the big man can pick up right where he left off once the new season begins as the Bucks look to get back to the promised land. With a lucrative deal now under his belt, Lopez can focus on helping the Bucks compete at the highest level.
If Lopez continues this high level of play over the next two years or beyond, that No. 11 could very well head up to the rafters down the road.
BTBP Grade: A
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis, rumors, and breakdowns this off-season.