The Warriors wanted a stretch center, but former Stanford star Brook Lopez isn’t the team’s answer.
Everyone in the NBA has known that the Golden State Warriors hope to land a proven veteran center who can provide rim protection and stretch the floor this offseason. Without much spending flexibility, the Dubs have primarily been tied to older veterans at the “ring chasing” stage in their career twilight. With all those factors in play, speculation about a potential union with longtime Milwaukee Bucks center (and former Stanford star) Brook Lopez has been prominent. However, Lopez has agreed to a two-year, $18 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to Shams Charania.
Lopez, who starred at Stanford from 2006-2008 after attending high school in Fresno, is heading into his 18th NBA season. The one-time champion has been a perennial starting center in the league since he was drafted by the Nets. Last season, his seventh in Milwaukee, he averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game (80 games) on .509/.373/.826 shooting. However, for the first time in his career, Lopez was forced into a much smaller postseason role. He struggled mightily and played just 14 minutes per game in the Bucks first-round series loss to the Pacers.
The Clippers were able to offer Lopez $9 million per season using a portion of the $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception (NTMLE), which is significantly larger than the taxpayer mid-level exception at Golden State’s disposal. While Lopez has long ties to Northern California, he was also born in North Hollywood and will now team up with James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Ivica Zubac with the Warriors division rivals.