NBA Free Agency: Brook Lopez and the Thunder a Match Made in Heaven?
Although the Thunder’s active roster currently has just one opening, change is surely coming with the 2023 NBA Draft soon approaching. Oklahoma City currently has one first-round pick, a pair of second-rounders, and will likely make room to accommodate their selections.
Part of the impending roster shakeup could depend on the Thunder’s free agency plans, too. Currently, Oklahoma City is projected to have somewhere north of $25M in cap space, post-draft, and will have to make a decision on how to best utilize that money going forward.
One interesting idea on how to allocate those dollars is to sign a useful veteran to a sizable one, or two-year deal. Doing this would afford Oklahoma City to better negotiate in the trade market down the line, especially with regards to the larger contracts that are usually reserved for star players.
For example, if the Thunder decided they wanted to make a splash and go out and get Jaylen Brown, who will be earning roughly $28.5M next season, having a short-term large contract to offer up (i.e. one year, $20M) allows them the flexibility to execute a trade without having to package together smaller contracts to match Brown’s money. In simple terms, it’s another vehicle to make a trade without giving up assets you’d prefer to keep.
One player that might fit the bill is Brook Lopez.
At 35 years old, Lopez just capped off an amazing stint with the Milwaukee Bucks, averaging roughly 15.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game and shooting 37.4% on almost five attempts per game this season.
The seven-foot wonder known as “Splash Mountain” also helped the Bucks make the playoffs in each of his five years and played an integral part in helping the organization win their first NBA title since 1971.
But now, the aging center finds himself on the open, and uncertain, market ahead of the 2023-24 season. And while teams are sure to come calling for his services, the Thunder and Lopez might be a match made in heaven this offseason.
Should Lopez find his way to Oklahoma City, his skill set — defending the paint, rebounding, and making shots — and size would immediately plug a bunch of holes in the team’s frontcourt rotation that will likely be featuring a returning Chet Holmgren, the undersized Jaylin Williams, and the mercurial Aleksej Pokusevski.
And for a team that both prides themselves on the defensive side of the floor and is hungry to make the playoffs after barely missing out, Lopez, who will be entering his 15th year next season, can lend his knowledge and experience to help expedite the development of Oklahoma City’s younger players.
Lopez’s ability to match up against some of the more physical bigs in the NBA might also go a long ways towards helping Holmgren, who is slated to return next season after undergoing Lisfranc surgery, ease into his role as a rim protector. While Holmgren is a talented shot blocker, the Thunder would do well to not throw the 21-year-old at stronger, more bruising centers so quickly.
Additionally, Lopez and Holmgren lineups should work well.
Having two seven-footers who can both protect the rim, knock down outside shots, and clean the glass would be a difficult matchup for opposing teams. The two would give head coach Mark Daigneault the ability to roll out a five-out offense while sacrificing very little, if anything at all, on the defensive side of the floor.
Ultimately, Lopez’s short-term fit just sounds like a homerun on paper, especially if the Thunder can’t find a better answer in the draft. But if things go south, for whatever reason, the front office can decide to move on from the champion center with no real repercussions and might even be able to negotiate a buyout or use his contract as a giant trade filler to go star hunting.
Want to join the discussion? Like SI Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
