Chicago Bulls: Evaluating The Acquired New York Knicks
Robin Lopez
Not to be confused with twin brother Brook Lopez who plays for the Brooklyn Nets, the 28-year-old Robin Lopez had only been with the Knicks for the last year.
Having averaged 8.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks over his career, Lopez is an interesting pickup.
Coming out of Stanford University, the center was drafted in 2008 by the Phoenix Suns as the No.15 overall pick (only 14 spots below Rose that same summer).
As a freshman in college, Lopez broke the school record for blocked shots by a first-year player with 73 on the season, recording the second-highest single-season total overall. Over his two years at Stanford, Lopez averaged 8.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks a game.
He remained in Phoenix until 2012 and made a pretty significant run while there.
Coincidentally, he got the first start of his career against the Bulls, but as a rookie did not see a lot of time on the court: Lopez played in 60 games (starting in seven) but saw an average of 10.2 minutes, recording 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per matchup.
Lopez was set to get a bigger role on the team; however, when Shaquille O’Neal was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the end of the 2008-09 season. But unfortunately, due to multiple injuries, Lopez more or less became a bench player.
In his four seasons with the Suns, he started only 94 games and averaged 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds a contest, on 14.5 minutes of play.
Things changed when he got to the New Orleans Hornets though.
Traded over in July, Lopez went on to play a high level of basketball. In fact, even though he only spent a year with the Hornets, it is his best season to date.
In 2012-13, he played and started 82 games, averaging 11.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, while playing 26.0 minutes.
But fortunately, he kept up the good work after signing with the Portland Trailblazers on a trade, too.
During his first year there, he did break his hand which cost him some time. But even so, from 2013-15, Lopez put up an average of 10.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks a contest, on 29.8 minutes per game.
Which brings us to his time in New York. A seemingly fan-favorite, Lopez signed with the Knicks last summer.
He wavered between having some great games, like when he totaled 26 points and 12 rebounds in 36 minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and some head-scratching nights like when he put up just five points and five rebounds in 30 minutes against the Denver Nuggets.
But that seems to describe Lopez best: inconsistent. While he is by no means a terrible acquisition, he certainly does not hold a candle to say Pau Gasol or Joakim Noah. However, there is always the chance that he will thrive better under newbie head coach Fred Hoiberg.
Or at the very least he will be more willing to play Hoiball than some of the other guys. And his salary is not extravagant, as he is set to make about $13.8 million on average.
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