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$18 Million Ex-NBA All-Star Turned Down Lakers for Rival Amid LeBron James Rumors

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sahil Goswami | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 8:17 AM ET

NBA Free Agency is in full swing, and things are heating up across the league—especially for the Milwaukee Bucks, who have already seen some key changes. While the Bucks made some significant additions, it has not been all good news for the Bucks.

The same can also be said for the Los Angeles Lakers. Brook Lopez, a former All-Star and key piece in Milwaukee’s 2021 championship run, has agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The 37-year-old brings his floor-spacing, rim protection, and deep playoff experience to a Clippers team already stacked with stars like Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

But the twist? Lopez was close to joining another L.A. team, the Los Angeles Lakers.

That was, until uncertainty around LeBron James’ future reportedly caused Lopez to hesitate.

"They were one of the finalists for Brook Lopez, we were all surprised they didn't get Brook Lopez," ESPN's Ramona Shelburne said on "NBA Today," per Bleacher Report.

"From what I understand, the uncertainty around LeBron James' situation—that that quote caused, that we've all been talking about for three days since the quote was issued—has factored into Brook Lopez's decision."

James' agent Rich Paul provided a surprising statement on the superstar's future ahead of NBA free agency.

“He knows the Lakers are building for the future… but he values a realistic chance of winning it all," Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania on Saturday

James has since picked up his $52.6 million player option for 2025-26, but his future with the Lakers appears far from certain.

Free agent center Brook Lopez has agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN. Clippers and Lopez's agents at Wasserman negotiate a new deal for the 2021 Bucks champion to exit Milwaukee and land in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/vmxiXtoGqu
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025

Meanwhile, the Bucks lost one of their most reliable bigs. Lopez averaged 13 points , five rebounds per game over seven seasons with the Bucks. His presence will be missed, especially by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who benefited from the spacing Lopez provided, but the team is hoping Myles Turner can help fill this void.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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