The Los Angeles Lakers are interested in signing center Brook Lopez once free agency starts, according to NBA insider Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
Lopez becomes an unrestricted free agent on June 30. The Milwaukee Bucks star played for the Lakers in 2017-18.
“Among the players L.A. has interest in signing with the non-tax midlevel are Denver Nuggets forward Bruce Brown and Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez, sources told ESPN,” McMenamin said.
The Lakers waived big man Mo Bamba and decided not to pick up the $16.5 million contract option for shooting guard Malik Beasley. The moves will put the franchise on track to remain below the $172 million luxury tax cap threshold for 2023-24 and allow them to use the full $12.4 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception this summer.
Los Angeles plans to stay in touch with the representatives of both Bamba and Beasley as free agency unfolds and could bring back one or both players on different contract structures. The purple and gold lost to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals in four games.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Brook Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Lopez would help the Lakers on offense and defense. He averaged 15.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 2.5 blocks for the Bucks in 78 games this past season while shooting 53.1% from the floor, 37.4% from beyond the arc and 78.4% from the free-throw line. Lopez made 136 3-pointers, continuing his late-career trend of being a terrific floor spacer.
A Stanford product, Lopez has career averages of 16.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.8 blocks with the Brooklyn Nets, Lakers and Bucks. The Lakers and Houston Rockets are expected to aggressively pursue Lopez, but the one-time champion may stay in Milwaukee, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Brook Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
“In related news, league sources say that Milwaukee is indeed in a promising position when it comes to re-signing both Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez,” Stein wrote. “My sense is that a new deal for Middleton is all but assured at this point, while word is Lopez — despite Houston’s well-chronicled interest and the presumed threat to a Rockets bid would carry — is likewise leaning toward a Bucks return.”
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