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The Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans are both in interesting positions as they enter the 2025 offseason. For Milwaukee, the future is completely unknown as it awaits to see if Giannis Antetokounmpo will be traded. New Orleans, meanwhile, would appear to be in a rebuild, but the question marks around Zion Williamson remain.
Williamson, the oft-injured superstar who has been much criticized for his weight, work ethic, and general off-the-court issues, stunningly represented the Pelicans during the NBA Draft lottery earlier this month. The move was reportedly a sign that New Orleans, despite reports indicating otherwise earlier in the offseason, plans to stick with Williamson for the time being as its cornerstone player.
If the Pelicans choose to do so, they will need to reshape the roster to give Williamson the help required to make the playoffs in a highly competitive Western Conference. And, according to ESPN's Kevin Pelton, the Pelicans might look toward Milwaukee to add reinforcements.
The Bucks will be without Damian Lillard for most, if not all, of the 2025-26 season as a result of a torn Achilles tendon. That, combined with another first-round playoff exit, has Antetokounmpo considering leaving Milwaukee 12 years after being drafted by the Bucks.
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Whether he does or not, Brook Lopez, who joined Antetokounmpo and the Bucks back in 2018, could be on his way out of Milwaukee and, potentially, into New Orleans.
“Having turned 37 in April, Lopez has slowed as a rim protector, a factor in the Bucks taking him out of the starting lineup for the first time since March 2022 during Game 5 of their first-round loss to the Pacers,” Pelton wrote. “But his 31.8 MPG in the regular season were his most in nearly a decade, and Lopez missed just two games all season while shooting his usual 37% from 3-point range. If Milwaukee moves on for financial reasons, Lopez should have a strong midlevel market. Scouts anticipate some regression from Lopez but still see a capable starting center in most matchups.
Possible fits: If the Pelicans are trying to win now and committed to Zion Williamson — two big ifs — Lopez would be an ideal frontcourt partner and take pressure to perform off developing centers Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic. The Warriors could try to bring the former Stanford big man back to the Bay Area, either via sign-and-trade or opening up their nontaxpayer midlevel.”
Entering the offseason, the Pelicans' frontcourt includes the likes of Williamson, Missi, Matkovic, Herb Jones, Kelly Olynyk, and Trey Murphy III. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Mo Bamba are both unrestricted free agents.
