The first order of business for the Milwaukee Bucks in NBA Free Agency is done. This is after they secured Khris Middleton to a massive $102 million, three-year extension. They can now turn their attention to another pressing matter — one that, according to NBA rumors, might not be as straightforward as their highly-successful negotiations with Middleton.
Brook Lopez is the next big name to watch for Milwaukee. The 35-year-old is now officially a free agent and the fact that he hasn’t agreed to a contract with the Bucks could be a cause for concern — especially once you learn about the amount of money the Houston Rockets are reportedly willing to spend to steal him away from Milwaukee.
Rockets Willing To Offer Brook Lopez A Huge Payday
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Rockets are willing to splash the cash on Lopez:
“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,” Fischer wrote in his tweet.
That is a whole lot of money. The Rockets clearly have a ton of cap space available and they seem intent on using a big chunk of it on Lopez. Needless to say, Houston really, really wants their man.
For what it’s worth, Lopez pocketed $13.9 million with the Bucks last season. Simple math will tell you that Brook is going to be earning much more than that if these NBA rumors about Houston’s massive offer prove to be true.
Rockets’ Willingness To Spend Big On Brook Lopez Does Not Bode Well For Milwaukee Bucks
For context, Khris Middleton will be earning roughly $34 million per year with his new deal. Brook Lopez is well aware of the fact that he won’t be able to reach those same heights, but perhaps he was hoping to get a slight bump from the $13.9 million he earned last term.
The Rockets could potentially give Lopez $20 million per year, which is actually close to the amount of money he earned during his heyday. The last time Lopez went beyond the $20 million mark was during the 2017-18 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. That was five years ago and you can’t argue that Lopez is no longer the star big man he once was. He just turned 35 and it’s hard to deny that he’s now in the twilight of his career.
It’s difficult to see a scenario where the Bucks are able to match Houston’s supposed offer of $20 million per season, especially considering how they have both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton on their roster. As such, the Rockets’ massive bid could be too good to turn down for Brook now that he’s likely going to sign the last big-money deal of his career. Bucks fans would love to see Brook Lopez stay on for a couple more years, but at the end of the day, you can’t really blame him if he decides to take the substantially greater offer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many All Star games has Brook Lopez made?
Brook Lopez has made one All-Star game appearance in his whole career. He is also a two-time All-Defensive Team selection and has presented himself in 78 playoff games (all starts), with career postseason averages of 14.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game.
How long is Brook Lopez with the Bucks?
Brook Lopez is currently with the Bucks for two years with a $48 million deal. His return to Bucks strengthens their championship-winning core and their pursuit of another title in 2021. Bucks guard Wesley Matthews acknowledges the importance of Lopez's contributions to the team, stating, "We're not here without what Brook does."
