The Milwaukee Bucks may have championship aspirations at the moment, but a troubling question hovers over their future: Who will anchor their defense when Brook Lopez is no longer able to?
In already his sixth season with the Bucks, Lopez remains one of the league’s most effective rim protectors, a key cog in Milwaukee’s defensive scheme and a vital partner to Giannis Antetokounmpo in the frontcourt. His 3-point shooting has finally returned, too, and he's been a consistently reliable partner for Damian Lillard in the pick-and-roll.
But the inescapable reality of professional sports is that Father Time is undefeated, and even though Lopez has shown few signs of immediate decline, the Milwaukee Bucks have no clear answer for the day his production inevitably wanes.
With Lopez turning 37 by the end of this season, one thing that is clear is that the day he drops off is soon coming. And Jon Horst and company will have to be ready for that eventuality, or risk wasting another year of Giannis Antetokounmpo's prime years.
The Bucks currently have no answers for the post-Brook Lopez future
Currently, Milwaukee’s depth chart offers little in terms of a future defensive centerpiece, even though there is certainly a lot of promise just sitting on the bench at the moment.
The first option will obviously have to be Bobby Portis. He is and has always been a dynamic scorer who is only just recently coming back into form, but also one who lacks the defensive acumen (or discipline) to be a full-time anchor on that end of the floor.
Rookies Liam Robbins and Tyler Smith are intriguing floor-spacers with flashes of good shot-blocking but are both still raw and unproven at the end of the day.
Robbins, a dominant collegiate shot-blocker, has the potential to develop into a solid rotational piece, but his ability to adapt to NBA speed remains a question mark. Smith, on the other hand, shows flashes of defensive activity but hasn’t played meaningful minutes against NBA competition.
And perhaps that's just the thing with these two young Bucks: we've seen flashes of decent mobility, shooting and whatever else from them, but until and unless they can find ways to break out of Doc Rivers' doghouse, the idea of them will be just that for the time being.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, of course, is a band aid option, too, just one that Rivers has yet to see.
His rare blend of athleticism and defensive instincts allows him to thrive as a small-ball center in spurts. However, leaning too heavily on Giannis in this role over the long term risks not only wearing him down but also sacrificing some of his offensive versatility.
Recent history has shown time and time again that he thrives most when paired with a big man who can take on the dirty work inside, freeing him to wreak havoc in transition and on mismatches. With Giannis turning 31 soon, there's also always the possibility that he could also be facing a bit of an athletic downtrend of his own.
The Bucks could also explore the trade market for a young center, though to say the options are limited would be nothing short of an understatement. Defensive anchors who can defend and switch, or otherwise complement modern NBA lineups are among the most sought-after archetypes in the league. Players like Robert Williams III would fit the bill but are likely unattainable without significant assets Milwaukee simply doesn’t have after the Damian Lillard trade.
This leaves the Milwaukee Bucks at a crossroads (Though to say they are at a crossroads would imply they have choices).
Do they gamble on Robbins or Smith developing into a rotation player? Do they take a more aggressive approach in free agency or the trade market? Or do they double down on Giannis at center, potentially redefining their identity as a smaller, faster team?
Whatever the answer, the Bucks can’t afford to ignore this looming issue. With Lopez nearing the twilight of his career and Milwaukee firmly in a win-now window, the time to plan for the future is now.
Failing to address their lack of a long-term defensive anchor could turn today’s championship contender into tomorrow’s cautionary tale.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.