For seven years, the Milwaukee Bucks relied on Brook Lopez to hold down the five spot in the starting lineup. Never fleet afoot, he compensated for his lack of agility with elite shot-blocking and reliable outside shooting. Now, slowing down at 37, the pending free agent is no longer a good fit for the roster, ending an era and leaving the Bucks to find a new starting center.
Ideally, they are looking to add an athletic big who can space the floor from 3-point range. That combination, however, is a limited commodity this offseason, creating a substantial obstacle as Milwaukee explores its options among available players.
Bucks unlikely to find ideal Brook Lopez replacement
One popular suggestion is a trade for Hornets center Mark Williams. The double-double machine has athleticism to spare, but he lacks an outside shot and is extremely injury-prone. While he might be the best option on the table, he is far from an optimal Lopez replacement.
In the free agent market, the Lakers' Jaxson Hayes is another possibility. Like Williams, he is not much of a shooter, though he has put up modest 3-point volume, with modest success, in years past. Jericho Sims, who arrived in Milwaukee at the trade deadline, is a similar case, supplying bounce but no long-range bombs. He has attempted one triple in his NBA career.
At the other end of the spectrum, free agents like Paul Reed and Thomas Bryant are viable shooters who lack explosiveness on either end of the floor. Of everyone mentioned thus far, only Williams is a genuine starter. In the top tier of available centers, Myles Turner will command a salary far beyond what Milwaukee can realistically offer. The Milwaukee Bucks have a severely limited pool of athletic stretch fives to choose from.
Two other, potentially intriguing options fit the bill, but they bring their own baggage. First, the Grizzlies' Santi Aldama has adequate, though unextraordinary, athletic traits and is a capable marksman (36.8 percent from deep last season). Although Memphis deployed him primarily off the bench, he is the closest thing to a starting-caliber big man outside of Williams, averaging 12.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Defensively, he is able to handle switches and guard multiple positions.
Aldama is not, however, much of a shot-blocker, and he is also a restricted free agent, so Memphis can match any contract offer. Because of his weak paint presence and contract complications, it seems unlikely that he would end up a Milwaukee Buck.
The second possibility is Orlando's Moritz Wagner, who played 30 games last season before suffering an ACL tear. Following his injury, will the Magic exercise his $11 million team option next year? If they do, targeting Wagner in a sign-and-trade doesn't make much sense, as the Bucks would have to sacrifice assets for a question mark on an expiring deal. Uncertainty over whether he can bounce back will remain regardless, but if Orlando lets Wagner walk, teams like Milwaukee will have the flexibility to sign him on more advantageous terms.
Before the injury last season, Wagner averaged 12.9 points and shot 36 percent from distance, a bit up from his numbers over the two seasons prior. In his seven-year career, he has averaged 9.2 points on 32.4 percent 3-point shooting in 17 minutes per game. Even more so than Aldama, he is naturally a reserve. Wagner also does not block many shots. Already 28, coming off injury, he is less of a match for the Milwaukee Bucks' vision of a younger, more agile roster (Aldama is 24).
At the end of the day, re-signing Bobby Portis, who is also subpar defensively and better equipped to play the four, might be the Bucks' best bet. No matter how they fill the void at center, they are unlikely to find the perfect skill set in any single candidate.