Despite being one of the most important members of the Milwaukee Bucks roster, Brook Lopez still saw his name dragged into multiple trade rumors this offseason.
In truth, this does not come as a complete shock considering how disappointing the previous campaign was for the Bucks after yet another first-round playoff exit. At this point, there appears to be a slight sense of desperation within the team — or at least among the fans — as Milwaukee looks to bounce back in 2024-25.
If you ask general manager Jon Horst, however, parting ways with Lopez is absolutely out of the question.
Milwaukee Bucks News: Jon Horst Speaks Out on Brook Lopez Trade Rumors
In a recent interview with Eric Nehm of The Athletic, one of the tougher questions Horst had to face involved Lopez’s future with the team. The high-ranking Bucks executive acknowledged the rumors surrounding the former All-Star’s potential exit, and Horst made it abundantly clear that this is not going to happen.
“I typically don’t talk about any of this stuff with the media, but I will say, because Brook is so core to who we are, we have zero intentions of trading Brook,” Horst declared.
“Of course he has value around the league. That’s a credit to him. But we’ve not engaged in any real conversations about trading Brook. There are teams that have a lot of value and interest in him. It’s my job to take calls, receive calls, have conversations, but Brook has been and will continue to be core to who we are.”
Based on his statement above, it appears that Horst is confirming that he’s had inquiries about Lopez from around the league. However, it is clear that he has turned down each one of them.
“I hope that Brook retires as a Milwaukee Buck,” Horst continued. “That’s been the goal since we originally got him. His impact on our team defensively and rebounding is elite. It only gets better. It’s not declining. I mean, he’s an anomaly in how he just continues to get better and better and better.”
This should officially put an end to all the rumors surrounding Lopez and a potential summer departure. As Horst declared, this man isn’t going anywhere.
For More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @PaoloSongcoNBA, and follow us @WiSportsHeroics. Also, check out our Merchandise Here! Get 20% off with the code “WSH.” You can also reach out to Paolo Songco via email at pao.songco@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers.
