The Milwaukee Bucks could be parting ways with one of their key contributors from their championship-contending years over the last half-decade.
Center Brook Lopez's future with the team is uncertain, nearly six years since joining as a free agent in 2018.
According to league insider Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer, the Bucks are looking to play a more versatile style of defense next season, which could cause the 36-year-old to fall out of the rotation.
The 7-foot-1 big man will enter the final year of his contract in 2024-25, where he is set to make $23 million.
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Lopez had a solid campaign last season, with numbers on par with his overall tenure in Milwaukee. The California native averaged 12.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game in 79 games, as the team was eliminated in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs by the Indiana Pacers in six games.
Brook Lopez's late career turnaround
Lopez's tenure with Milwaukee has been marked by a sensational resurgence on the defensive end of the court and an increased volume of three-point shooting.
The former Stanford Cardinal made his first All-NBA Defensive Team in 2020, earning Second-Team honors 12 years after his NBA debut.
During the 2022-23 season, Lopez was named to the All-NBA Defensive First Team and led the league in total blocks with 193 rejections all year, a massive turnaround compared to the early years of his career.
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