Brook Lopez was one of the league's best shot-blockers during his time with the Milwaukee Bucks, but he wasn't perfect. Due to his tendency to lurk and hang out in the paint, the big man often tallied defensive three-second violations like they were arcade tokens. Now, the LA Clippers, where Lopez signed a new two-year deal this summer, will have to find a way to work with it.
Defensive three-second violations will not hinder Bucks as much
Last season, the Milwaukee Bucks tallied 18 defensive three-second violations, the second most in the NBA. Brook Lopez accounted for 11 of those, the highest tally in the league (the next most was Detroit's Jalen Duren with seven). In 2023-24, Milwaukee logged an NBA-leading 32 violations. Lopez had 20 of those (the next closest was Dallas' Derrick Lively II with 12). The point here is obvious.
With his towering, brutish stature and age, Lopez simply didn't move as well as he used to during his final few years in Milwaukee. He would often get caught camping in the paint, resulting in a violation and more points for the other team. Even if he was an impeccable shot-blocker, it was frustrating to see Brook Lopez consistently get caught in this defensive predicament.
Now, it's something the LA Clippers must deal with, especially with Ivica Zubac in town. Last season, Zubac was third in defensive three-second violations and sixth the year prior. The Clippers, who look solid after a strong offseason full of moves, now have two towering big men who love to camp out in the paint and tally these violations. That could stir some problems on the defensive end.
Instead of Lopez, the Milwaukee Bucks now employ Myles Turner, a more mobile big man who rarely tallies these violations. The Milwaukee Bucks needed to field a younger, more athletic roster, and the addition of Turner helps them do that. Even if it's something as small as getting fewer defensive three-second violations, it can give this team an underrated boost.
Brook Lopez is undeniably a Milwaukee hero for his efforts during his seven-year stint in town, but it was clearly time for the two sides to go their separate ways. It will be fascinating to see how he looks in a new system for the first time in seven years, especially next to another paint-dominant big man.
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