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The career arc of Brook Lopez is a fascinating one, as he came into the league as a burly big man that dominated the paint. Then the midlife crisis appeared. Some guys buy a convertible Porsche. Lopez morphed into a three-point specialist. Was he from the future? Or just smart enough to see the changing landscape of the NBA? Well, he did go to Stanford.
Over the last six seasons, Lopez has been a mainstay in Milwaukee, averaging 13 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.8 treys. He shot 35% from beyond the arc and 82% from the line. Lopez was a big part of the 2021 Bucks championship.
He will now be heading back to the West Coast after signing a two-year, $18 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
It’s a great move for the Clippers, as they were bereft of backup options at center last season. In addition, Lopez brings a different element than Ivica Zubac and will provide more space for James Harden and Kawhi Leonard.
From a fantasy perspective, it’s not good for both Zubac and Lopez. Lopez averaged at least 30 minutes per game the last three seasons. He will likely play in the low-20s now. After being mired in the mid-to-high 20s, Zubac finally averaged 32.8 minutes per game last season, helping lead to his breakout season. He will likely revert back to the 28 minutes per game.
As for Milwaukee, Bobby Portis signed a three-year, $44 million contract to stay with the Bucks. As of now, he is slotted to gobble up all the center minutes he can handle. It’s a huge blow for the Bucks defense, though.
On June 29th, 2025, the Clippers were +4000 to win the NBA Championship while the Bucks were +6000. The odds have not moved after the Lopez signing.
