The Milwaukee Bucks let Brook Lopez walk in free agency, and his first season with the Los Angeles Clippers proved the decision correct. The 7’1 big man was a crucial piece of Milwaukee’s 2021 championship roster, but the 38-year-old had, by most metrics, the worst season of his NBA career in LA. With the Bucks do everything possible to keep Giannis, letting Lopez go was the right move.
He played a career low 21.8 minutes per game, and his 8.5 points per game average was his lowest scoring by 3.5 each night. The advanced metrics paint a similar picture. Lopez produced 0.068 win shares per 48 minutes, which was by far the worst of his career. It was only the second time he dipped below the league average of 0.100 in his 18 years. The Clippers were 0.5 points per 100 possessions worse with Lopez on the floor. The big man wasn’t the only disappointment as LA’s slow start, coupled with a Play-In loss, kept them out of the playoffs for just the third time in the last 15 years.
The Bucks knew they had to get younger at the center spot, but prime Lopez was missed. He was a needed floor spacer and rim protector next to Giannis during his seven years in Milwaukee. Fans yearned for boxing out during a disastrous season. The Bucks' struggles shouldn't take away from the fact that the franchise wisely moved on from Lopez at the perfect time.
The Bucks were right to let Brook Lopez walk in free agency
Fans saw the decline in the 2025 playoffs. Lopez’s minutes went down as the series wore on, and he just couldn’t keep up with Indiana’s fast pace. It was clear Milwaukee needed an upgrade to hang with the best teams.
Lopez signed with the Clippers to be a backup, but he moved into the starting role after Ivica Zubac was traded to the Pacers at the deadline. Brook’s numbers were still down from his Milwaukee days. Lopez averaged 10.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 27.6 minutes per game over 33 contests. He was spacing the floor and protecting the rim, but not scoring or blocking shots at the rate he did with the Bucks.
Fans can’t be shocked. The 7’1 big man turned 38 in April, and the decline was already underway before leaving the Bucks. It is why Lopez went from making $23 million to $8.7 million. The Clippers have a $9.1 million team option for the 2026-27 campaign, and it will be fascinating to see if they decide to pick that up.
It wasn’t the storybook ending that Milwaukee Bucks fans wanted. Brook Lopez helped the Bucks win a championship. It would have been fantastic to see him retire with the franchise, but fans know Jon Horst and the front office continue to make bold moves to keep a contending roster around Giannis. Letting Lopez go turned out to be the right one, and it took just one season with the Clippers to find that out.
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