The Milwaukee Bucks have already accomplished one of their biggest goals in NBA free agency: re-signing Khris Middleton. The three-time All-Star agreed to a three-year contract worth $102 million that will keep in in Milwaukee throughout the duration of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s current contract.
However, Milwaukee also saw Jevon Carter sign with his hometown team (Chicago Bulls) and Joe Ingles sign a two-year $22 million deal with the Orlando Magic. In addition, the latest buzz surrounding center Brook Lopez does not sound promising for a reunion with the Bucks.
The Houston Rockets May Up Their Offer to Brook Lopez
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports,
“Brook Lopez’s free agent decision is definitely one of the larger dominoes free agents and teams are waiting to learn. There was increasing word today that Houston’s offer could even exceed the two-year, $40 million figure that’s been widely rumored in recent days.”
The Houston Rockets already signed free agent point guard Fred Van Vleet to a three-year $130 million contract. Going into the night, Houston had $64 million of salary cap space for this season. Van Vleet’s deal eats up over $41 million of that.
If what Fischer is saying is true, that means that the Rockets may be looking to use the rest of their salary cap space to bring Lopez to Houston.
According to previous reports, the offer the Bucks had on the table for Lopez was a three-year deal worth around $54 million, or $18 million per year. Perhaps a $2-5 million raise from that would be enough to convince the Defensive Player of the Year finalist to leave Milwaukee.
There is also this troubling development:
Brook Lopez has wiped his Instagram 👀 pic.twitter.com/PpYbogAste
— ₮₳₮Ɇ’₴ ₩ⱤⱠĐ ☄️🧃🌍 (@TatesBurner) July 1, 2023
Lopez completely cleared out his Instagram. All pictures of himself and the Bucks: gone. Deleted. No more.
Now, athletes do this for two main reasons: one, because they’re leaving their team. Two, for dramatic effect. There is no way to tell what Lopez’s reasons are, but the fact that Houston may be willing to overpay him is troubling when considering the possibility he continues his career in Milwaukee.
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