The Milwaukee Bucks have done it. After allowing a bit of doubt to creep into the minds of supporters over the future of Brook Lopez with the franchise, the Bucks finally struck a deal with the former All-Star to retain his services. This comes out to a two-year deal worth $48 million. That’s a whole lot of money for a player who will be turning 36 this coming season, which is probably why it took some time before the two parties arrived at an amenable number.
One major factor that further complicated talks is the Houston Rockets emerging as a real threat to sign Lopez. As a matter of fact, it is now being reported that Brook actually turned down a more lucrative offer from the Rockets in order to remain in Milwaukee.
Brook Lopez Rejected More Money From Rockets In Favor Of Staying With Milwaukee Bucks
According to Bucks insider Craigory Smith of KXCN, Lopez actually said no to an opportunity to pocket a substantially greater salary with the Rockets. The offer was reportedly in the region of $54 million for two years, which is $6 million more than what he’s going to get with the Bucks.
If you look at the big picture, $6 million may not seem like much. That’s just a little over 12% of the $48 million deal he has agreed to with Milwaukee. However, $6 million is still $6 million. That’s by no means a small amount.
For context, Russell Westbrook, a former league MVP, nine-time All-Star, and nine-time All-NBA (the list goes on), just agreed to a two-year extension with the Los Angeles Clippers worth $7.8 million. One might argue that this would be comparing apples to oranges, but at the same time, the fact still remains that the amount of money Lopez is set to miss out on is nearly equivalent to what Russ will earn in two years. Let that sink in.
Mission Accomplished For Milwaukee Bucks
It took some time — probably much longer than what Bucks fans would have hoped for — but in the end, the team got the job done.
They started off by re-signing Khris Middleton to a three-year, $102 million deal, and now they’ve got Lopez, too. Retaining these two starters was the top priority for Milwaukee this summer, and the fact that they did just that is an indication of a successful offseason in itself.
For good measure, the Bucks also agreed to extend the deal of Jae Crowder for another year. The 3-and-D specialist did not have the best debut season last term, but he now gets a fresh start with new head coach Adrian Griffin.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much has Brook Lopez made in his career?
Brook Lopez with an estimated net worth of $14 million, has earned a total of $133 million salary in his career. Lopez is now set to earn $12.7 million during the 2020-21 season.
Did Brook Lopez leave the Bucks?
No, Brook Lopez did not leave the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite attempts by the Rockets to recruit him, the veteran center chose to re-sign with the Bucks as he helped the team win an NBA championship in 2021. This decision aligns with the Bucks' offseason priority of retaining their championship core with him.