This upcoming Boston series (and possibly the two after) will shape the legacy of this Bucks’ team. At this time, it’s clear from that this squad is truly special. But, they face a quandary this offseason with Malcolm Brogdon, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez all expiring this offseason.
The widely accepted thought at the moment is the Bucks should prioritize Middleton, then Brogdon, then Lopez. Middleton is a much-maligned player by Bucks fans, but there’s no doubt he has the talent and should be a key part of Milwaukee’s future plans. Lopez has been seen as a nice guy to have, but not a “need to have” guy; a cog in the system rather than part of the driving force. I disagree. Milwaukee’s first priority should be re-signing Brook Lopez this offseason.
Conventional wisdom has said that Lopez will be played off the floor as the playoffs go on. However, if you look at the rosters of opponents, he lines up well. His incredible size and reach allow him to match up with fellow East goliaths Joel Embiid and Marc Gasol while being able to stay in the same area code as the more agile Al Horford. Even the two premier examples of spacing and small-ball: Houston and Golden State, are fielding Andrew Bogut and Clint Capela. So, Lopez can play significant minutes against all major remaining opponents.
Middleton and Lopez are both excellent shooters, 37.8 3P% for Middleton and 36.5 3P% for Lopez. They’re also both prone to streaky stretches: 19 games of 6+ 3PA under 30% for Brook, 17 for Khris. But, while Lopez is prone to these games, his defense is where his unparalleled impact is made and his importance elevates over Brogdon and Middleton. While dominant premier players like Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kristaps Porzingis, Anthony Davis, and Nikola Jokic epitomize the basketball unicorn, Lopez is one as well. No other player combines his sheer size, shooting ability, and incredible defense. Lopez is a 7′ 270-lb center with 45/36.5/84 splits while being fourth in blocks (2.2 per game).
Yes, if Lopez walks, Giannis can slot in as center. And, Giannis would be incredible. But, Giannis’ greatness is dependent on managing his Herculean workload, and Lopez is integral to that. Lopez is the primary rim protector and post defender. This saves Antetokounmpo fouls while taking miles off his body from not having to deal with post-ups and backdowns from monoliths like Drummond, Gasol, or Embiid on a nightly basis. This frees Giannis to become the most terrifying strong safety in the NBA, preying on layups and shots taken while concerned with Lopez at the rim.
While Middleton is a solid second scorer, Lopez is the truly unreplaceable Milwaukee free agent. In an ideal scenario, the new owners of the Bucks will be more than willing to go over the luxury tax to bring back Middleton, Lopez, and Brogdon, but if not, they should prioritize Lopez first. He is a truly one-of-a-kind player in the NBA, being able to simultaneously stop behemoths in their tracks under the rim defensively and extract them out to the perimeter on offense. While Giannis is the poster child for the Milwaukee revolution, Brook Lopez is the one printing the pamphlets and sewing the flags. Resign Brook Lopez.