Milwaukee Bucks: 3 candidates for a breakout season in 2018-19
2. Brook Lopez
It may be bizarre to see Brook Lopez show up on a list like this. Yet what Lopez is experiencing from across the league is a case of amnesia over what he can offer. After one year of lowered production on a Los Angeles Lakers team not playing for anything, front offices and fans are writing Lopez off as a star center. Sports Illustrated‘s recently released Top 100 NBA Players had Lopez ranked just 99th. When Lopez hit the open market this summer, the Bucks won the bidding at a mere $3.5 million for one season.
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It’s trendy to want a young center who is brimming with potential, but Lopez has already delivered on his potential. Two seasons ago he averaged 20.5 points per game for the Brooklyn Nets, and before last season Lopez put up at least 17 points per game in eight straight seasons. Among players 7’0″ or taller, he ranks second to just Karl-Anthony Towns in points scored over the past three seasons.
Lopez will fit this Milwaukee roster like a glove, providing the consistent spacing from the 5 that the Bucks could not give to Antetokounmpo the past few seasons. John Henson was consistent in not spacing the floor, and Thon Maker was inconsistent about everything in his game. Lopez ranks sixth among the aforementioned seven-footers in made 3-pointers.
With Jabari Parker out of town, there will be offensive touches to spread around, and Lopez can show his offensive repertoire while being stout, if unspectacular on defense. If the Bucks are pressing into the top tiers of the Eastern Conference and Lopez is putting up numbers in line with his career averages, he will not only be recognized as a high-quality player, but he will earn a significant pay raise next summer as well.