Bucks Make Crucial Decision on Center Brook Lopez Entering NBA Season
September 2, 2024
2,344
The Milwaukee Bucks will enter the new NBA season looking to dethrone the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee saw multiple significant injuries to crucial players down the stretch last season that led them to be bounced in the first round by the Indiana Pacers.
Both stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard missed time in the postseason, making things very difficult for Milwaukee. Despite this, there were rumors earlier in the summer that the Bucks may be looking to make some roster changes for next season.
One of the key players in the potential changes was veteran center Brook Lopez. Lopez averaged 12.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game last season for Milwaukee.
However, it seems that Milwaukee no longer is looking to deal the longtime center. ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst provided an update on the situation on The Hoops Collective podcast.
“As of right now, I’ve been told firmly that they are not trading him,” Windhorst said. “And so is Brook. Brook heard some of the rumors and said, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ They’re like, ‘No, we’re not trading you.’ “
The issue with Lopez isn’t his play, but rather him being 36 years old. He is entering the final year of his contract and is scheduled to be paid $23 million for the season.
Milwaukee likely considered dealing him to get off the salary while also making sure they don’t lose his services for nothing after the year ends. However, moving Lopez would also create a massive hole in the lineup, especially given that Milwaukee wants to contend this coming season.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MAY 02: Brook Lopez #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrates after making a shot in the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game six of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs… INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MAY 02: Brook Lopez #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrates after making a shot in the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game six of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 02, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Lopez will remain with the Bucks this coming season.
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Along with forwards Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis, the Bucks believe they are a title team. They have been one of the better squads in the NBA over the past few seasons, winning the championship in 2021.
The health of Antetokounmpo and Lillard is paramount for the Bucks to do anything this season. Without them on the court, Milwaukee will be an inferior team on paper to the Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and perhaps others in the East.
This could be the last ride for the Bucks, at least with their current group. Given the ages of Lopez and others, plus the new Collective Bargaining Agreement curtailing every team’s ability to extend its championship window, Milwaukee might only have one last chance to capture another title before keeping its roster intact gets tricky.
More news: Pelicans Star Brandon Ingram Sparks Trade Speculation With Cryptic Social Media Post
Um die besten Erfahrungen zu bieten, verwenden wir Technologien wie Cookies, um Geräteinformationen zu speichern und/oder darauf zuzugreifen. Wenn Sie diesen Technologien zustimmen, können wir Daten wie das Surfverhalten oder eindeutige IDs auf dieser Website verarbeiten. Die Nichteinwilligung oder der Widerruf der Einwilligung kann bestimmte Merkmale und Funktionen beeinträchtigen.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
