The Milwaukee Bucks will reportedly enter the race to sign Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez this summer, provided that he opts out of his contract and enters free agency.
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Lopez put his injury woes behind him this year to play in 72 games through the regular season and playoffs as he played a vital role in helping the Nets to the first round of the post-season.
While their campaign ultimately ended in a disappointing early exit, the 27-year-old has re-established himself as a top big man in the NBA and so his services will be popular around the league after averaging 17.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.
Lopez can opt out of the final year of his contract and test the free agency market in July, and it is understood that former coach Jason Kidd would be interested in taking him to Milwaukee.
“If Brooklyn center Brook Lopez opts out of his contract, which is for $16.8 million, one of the teams he may consider, according to some NBA officials, is the Bucks,” the Racine Journal Times reports.
“Lopez has a good relationship with Bucks coach Jason Kidd, who coached him in Brooklyn last season.”
On the face of it, it would be an interesting move for both player and team as Lopez would work well in the front-court along with the likes of John Henson and Ersan Ilyasova, while also bringing some much needed experience to a young team.
However, they need to figure out the financial aspects of the move first as they will want to re-sign guard Khris Middleton this summer too as he becomes a restricted free agent while accommodating the max deal that Lopez will expect to sign.
If they can make it work, then they could make the jump from a team that can threaten in the early rounds of the playoffs, to a young team with a bright future that includes more immediate success.
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