It's easy to forget nowadays that the Milwaukee Bucks finished the 2022-23 regular season with the best record in the NBA, winning 56 games as they stood out as one of the favorites to win the championship. And a huge part of the Bucks' regular season dominance was the play of Brook Lopez, a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate, who, despite missing a ton of time during the 2021-22 season due to back injury, played in 78 games.
Sure, they ran into Jimmy Butler in the first round of the playoffs, and the rest was history. But the Bucks, for as long as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton remain in town, should have the requisite talent to compete for a title. Re-signing Lopez to a two-year, $48 million deal only serves to further their cause.
Given how impactful Brook Lopez was for the Bucks last season, bringing him back was a must if they were to bounce back from last season's playoff heartbreak. But did the Bucks get him for a fair price in free agency? And did Lopez do the best he could coming off arguably the best season of his career?
Here are grades for both Bucks and Lopez after the two sides came to an agreement on a two-year, $48 million deal in free agency.
Bucks' grade: A
After the season Brook Lopez had, it's no wonder that many teams had him at the top of their free agency shopping list. A team such as the Houston Rockets showed interest in Lopez to bolster their defense after winning a combined 59 games over the past three seasons. And the Rockets had cap space, making them a legitimate threat to snatch away the big man from the Bucks.
Thus, the Bucks had to splash the cash to re-sign Lopez, even dipping into the luxury tax just to run a championship-caliber contender back. An average annual value of $24 million isn't too expensive for a player of Lopez's caliber anyway, even though that huge of a deal may not be the most ideal to offer a 35-year old center who not too long ago had to nurse a worrying injury.
Brook Lopez was one of the best rim protectors in the league last season, flourishing in the Bucks' system alongside personnel that served to accentuate his impeccable ability to block shots. The Bucks' defensive system relied heavily on the drop coverage, with pesky perimeter defenders such as Jrue Holiday fighting over screens, essentially funneling ballhandlers straight towards Lopez.
Lopez does not have the quickest feet when guarding in space, but his sheer length makes scoring over him a chore. And even on the rare occasions when he does get beat, he has the safety basket of Giannis Antetokounmpo covering for him on the weakside.
All in all, the Bucks were 11.6 points better per 100 possessions when Brook Lopez was on the court, per PBP Stats. The personnel around him when he's on the court matters for sure, but even in Lopez's minutes without Antetokounmpo or Holiday, the Bucks comfortably outplayed their opponents (+5.5 net rating).
For as much love Lopez gets for his defensive work (justifiably so), his role on offense is nothing to scoff at at all. Not only does he stretch the floor reliably (37.4 percent last season from three), he is also a brute-force presence on the interior. After all, he began his career as a post-up big with the Brooklyn Nets. Last year, Lopez bullied smaller defenders, making teams pay for when they switch or go small. The veteran center posted the best true shooting percentage of his career last season, a testament to his offensive mastery.
Lopez thrived under former head coach Mike Budenholzer, so it'll be interesting to see how new HC Adrian Griffin utilizes him. But given how effective he has been ever since donning a Bucks uniform in 2018, Griffin shouldn't have to reinvent the wheel to get the best out of the 35-year old center.
Brook Lopez's grade: A+
It's not too often that a 35-year old center lands a huge deal in free agency these days. But Brook Lopez is certainly a talent worth keeping for the Bucks, and it's incredible for the veteran to parlay his career year into a hefty payday.
But not only did Lopez get the bag, he also stayed with the Bucks, a team that has maximized his talents for the past five seasons. He may be in the twilight years of his career, but he'll be spending them on a championship contender — all the while making an average of $24 million for the next two years.
Brook Lopez is certainly winning in life.
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