Brook Lopez has turned himself into a impactful center since leaving LA in 2018, but his age and play style are questionable fits with the Lakers’ next season.
Entering a pivotal summer for roster upgrades, the clearest place of need for the Lakers is an upgrade at the center spot — a position they not only were shorthanded with, but completely disregarded as their playoff series continued.
Given their evident desperation to acquire one this summer, numerous names will undoubtedly be linked to them. One familiar name has already entered the conversation in outside shooting big man Brook Lopez, who continues to show consistent durability and production.
However, questions arise regarding whether this is the right basketball fit for LA to pursue in a reunion.
The now 37-year-old product of Stanford played in 80 games last season for the Milwaukee Bucks. In 31.8 minutes per game, he averaged 13 points, five rebounds, and 1.9 blocks while shooting 37.3% from 3-point range. But those numbers dropped precipitously in the playoffs, as his minutes dipped to a career low 14.8 and he shot just 26% from downtown.
The playoffs reveal how valuable a spacing five can be in opening driving lanes for an offense. Myles Turner and Chet Holmgren are two floor-spacing centers battling it out in the NBA Finals. The Lakers witnessed it firsthand in their series loss against big man Naz Reid and the Wolves, who burned them from the outside in crunch time.
LA has been searching for a big shooting five ever since letting Lopez walk in 2018. Even with the playoff struggles this season, Lopez is a proven big man sniper. He changes the geometry of the floor against defenses, stretching them out well behind the 3-point line.
Look below as he sets the ball screen for a pick-and-pop, a proper counter against drop coverage.
This is valuable not only when he’s involved in the action but also when used as a spacer. When the Bucks set up a five-out offense, they position Lopez in the corner or on the wing to create driving lanes as shown below.
Lopez would instantly become the best spacing and pick and pop five the team has had during the LeBron James era and arguably the best one Luka Dončić has played with since his partnership with Kristaps Porzingis.
The 3-point shooting is no doubt a reliable option, but Dončić thrives and prefers to have a lob threat as a ball screen pairing. The vertical spacing component of a big man is something the Lakers prioritized in the rescinded trade for Mark Williams, an area Lopez at this age is no longer as effective.
Lopez shot just 8-22 overall from the field in the postseason with 15 attempts coming from outside the arc. In the five-game series loss to the Pacers, the seven-footer had a total of two dunks and five free throws. Even during his prime years, Lopez was never mistaken for the fastest player on the floor, but the athletic decline is evident and it’s something the Lakers need to consider.
As a driver, Lopez likes to lumber through the paint with big strides. When catching the ball open in the paint, he still converts on floaters and has a nice touch at the basket. Going into this 18th year, and with multiple playoff series under his belt, the elevator just doesn’t go to the same floors as it used to.
His lobs are few and far between, allowing teams to recover and catch up to him in the paint. Watch below as Giannis Antetokounmpo attempts to throw a lob to the cutting Lopez, which is easily broken up by the Pacers defense.
On the defensive end, Lopez has consistently been one of the top defensive big men in the league. As he has aged and the league shifts to more switchable schemes, his lack of versatility has begun to be exploited.
This was especially apparent in the playoffs and played a critical role in his minutes being halved compared to the regular season as Milwaukee preferred to go to smaller lineups. The Pacers took full advantage of his drop coverage, as shown below.
Andrew Nembhard engages Lopez on the ball screen, putting him in no man’s land. He refuses to switch but is pulled enough out of the paint for Turner to backdoor for a dunk.
When Lopez did concede and switch on screens, Indiana attacked his foot speed, as Tyrese Haliburton does in the clip below.
The Lakers likely have Dončić, James and Austin Reaves all playing big minutes next season. Lopez is in no way a bad defensive center, but LA would need a more versatile option at that spot or another player to fill in the athletic gaps.
Per NBA’s tracking data, the Bucks had a -18 net rating with Lopez on the floor in the playoffs. It’s not entirely his fault as the surrounding roster wasn’t ideal, but it reveals his struggles when facing a team able to exploit his weaknesses.
Lopez isn’t a perfect player or fit for the Lakers’ style. However, the team isn’t in a position to be picky with free-agent centers. The available pool of players isn’t deep with options and Lopez is as proven as you will find within their price range.
Reuniting the California native for a minimum contract would be ideal. Anything more makes roster-building tricky.