The Milwaukee Bucks are 5-9 this season and have a chance to be sellers at the NBA trade deadline this season. One player to watch for to be traded is center Brook Lopez. Lopez is in the final year of his contract with the team.
This offseason, he was rumored to be traded, but general manager Jon Horst never traded him. It will be interesting to see if he would ever get traded at some point during the 2024-2025 NBA season.
Fansided Thinks That the Oklahoma City Thunder Should Trade For Milwaukee Bucks Center Brook Lopez
The Thunder are one of the best teams in the NBA this season. Oklahoma City has a chance to be the number-one seed in the Western Conference for the second straight season. They do not have center Chet Holmgren for a lengthy time due to injury.
This offseason, they signed Isaiah Hartenstein, but it feels like they need more depth at the center position. Fansided.com writer Lior Lampert thinks that the Oklahoma City Thunder should trade for Brook Lopez and give up Isaiah Joe and Kenrich Williams. Lampert said:
“Milwaukee has reportedly been looking to add talent in response to the dismal start to the year. Nonetheless, they don’t have control of their first-round pick until 2031 and are above the second apron. So, upgrading the roster will be challenging, though center Brook Lopez is an appealing asset for the Thunder.
As a seven-footer who can stretch/space the floor offensively and protect the rim on the defensive end, Lopez would be virtually a seamless Holmgren replacement. The 36-year-old has struggled from beyond the arc thus far this season, but his track record speaks for itself.
Lopez has posted a 35.8 three-point percentage or better on at least 4.1 nightly attempts in three consecutive seasons. He’s a legitimate long-distance threat. Meanwhile, the Bucks shopped him over the summer, indicating the 17-year pro is expendable.
Moreover, Lopez is on an expiring contract, which bodes well for a Thunder squad with massive paydays for Holmgren, Jalen Williams and even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Oklahoma City can take on his deal without jeopardizing their payroll in the long run.
For the Bucks, this is a great way to pick two solid role players on team-friendly deals. Given their financial limitations and lack of draft capital, stockpiling cost-effective salaries is imperative.
Three-point marksman Isaiah Joe is signed through 2027 (including an $11.3 club option for 2027-28). He’s 25 and one of the NBA’s better snipers. His ability to shoot would get maximized alongside the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Regardless, it’s worth noting the Thunder can’t include him in any swaps until Dec. 15 due to agreeing to a contract extension this offseason.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder are not going to be the only NBA team who will be interested in trading for Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez during the 2024-2025 NBA season. Lopez has stepped up for the Bucks as of late with Khris Middleton not playing due to injury. If Milwaukee did trade Brook Lopez, it would be very interesting to see who would replace him at center.
Thunder Have Boat Load Of Picks
One of the things that makes the Oklahoma City Thunder an interesting trade partner with the Milwaukee Bucks is that they have a load of draft picks. Even though there have been rumors of Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded to the Thunder, it would be hard to believe that the Bucks would not get any draft picks back in return for Brook Lopez despite his age.
Oklahoma City is trying to win an NBA championship this season. What Milwaukee needs is to unload some contracts and get some draft capital back for the future.
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