There’s plenty of speculation about pending free agents even before the June 30 window opens. A new report says big man Brook Lopez will draw plenty of interest this summer, including from one of his former teams.
NBA Exec on Veteran C: “I’m Sure the Lakers Have Already Talked to Him”
Lopez to Garner “Plenty of Interest”
Wisconsin sportswriter Gery Woelfel took to X to share some new developments regarding the Bucks, among them the future of the team’s starting center. In a Wednesday post, Woelfel wrote in part:
“’There’ll be plenty of interest in him,’ an NBA executive responded before cynically adding, ‘I’m sure the Lakers have already talked to him.’”
Brook Lopez will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
So, how much interest will there be for the 37-year-old center?
“There’ll be plenty of interest in him,” an NBA executive responded before cynically adding, “I’m sure the Lakers have already talked to him.”— Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) May 21, 2025
The comments on Lopez come amid a crucial offseason for the Bucks, who are at a crossroads with franchise superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo after their third consecutive first-round exit.
In 80 games (all starts), Lopez averaged 13 points, five rebounds and nearly two assists on .509/.373/.826 splits. He couldn’t match the same efficiency in the postseason, however. Playing 15 minutes a night, Lopez put up 5.0 points (36% FG), 1.6 rebounds and a block per game in Milwaukee’s loss to the Indiana Pacers. His lone appearance off the bench came in Game 5, where he finished with two made free throws in seven minutes.
Cases For and Against the Lakers Pursuing Brook Lopez
Brook Lopez signed with the Bucks after spending the 2017-18 season with the Lakers. Coming to LA from the D’Angelo Russell trade, he averaged 13 points, four rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 blocks across 74 games (72 starts). Whether or not the comments came in jest, a reunion between the Lakers and the 2021 champion would be a double-edged sword.
The good news is Lopez has been a reliable starter in his 16th season. His scoring has remained consistent throughout the latter half of his career, and his ability to space the floor is a bonus for any team, as is his copious playoff experience. He has had a solid three-point shot since 2016 (1.8 makes out of 5.2 attempts that year—34%) and is coming off one of his best perimeter shooting seasons.
If there was any serious interest for LA, perhaps it could be justified with their $5.1 million taxpayer mid-level exception, according to Lakers Nation’s Trevor Lane.
“Now, maybe he won’t be available for that, but I imagine that’s gonna be his price range,” Lane said. “He sure as hell isn’t getting the $23 million he’s getting right now.”
However, as he showed in the postseason, Lopez is still 37 years old and should not be plan A (or B) for the Lakers, no matter how desperate they are for a center. His defense is not what it used to be, and he isn’t the “lob threat” that Rob Pelinka is looking for. There are a host of other options LA could turn to via trade and free agency, including Nic Claxton and Daniel Gafford. The two are high-profile trade candidates who were previously linked to the Lakers and are better fits for LA’s timeline with Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
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