Report: Bucks Could Trade Brook Lopez

Lopez will make $23 million next season in the final year of his contract. 

O’Connor proposed that the Bucks trade Lopez to the Toronto Raptors for Bruce Brown. 

“There are rumblings that the Bucks would like to play a more versatile style of defense next season, which raises the question of whether Brook Lopez has a future there,” O’Connor wrote. “Trading Brook Lopez for Brown is a perfect match of salaries, and then the Raptors could flip Lopez elsewhere. The amount of screening and cutting Brown could do in support of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard would be glorious to watch.”

The Bucks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in six games. 

Lopez appeared in 79 games for the Bucks this season. He averaged 12.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.5 steals and 2.4 blocks while shooting 48.5% from the field, 36.6% from beyond the arc and 82.1% from the free-throw line. 

A one-time All-Star, Lopez helped the Bucks win the 2021 NBA title over the Phoenix Suns. He has career averages of 16.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.9 blocks with the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Bucks. 

According to NBA insider Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Raptors are expected to trade Brown this offseason. 

Brown has a team option worth $23 million for next season.

“Toronto is expected to exercise Bruce Brown’s $23 million team option and use him as a trade chip entering the offseason, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto reported. 

The Raptors acquired Brown from the Indiana Pacers in the blockbuster Pascal Siakam trade. Brown appeared in 34 games with Toronto. He averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocks. 

Brown helped the Denver Nuggets win the 2023 NBA championship over the Miami Heat.

A Miami product, Brown finished this season with averages of 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.3 blocks in 67 games with the Pacers and Raptors while shooting 47.8% from the field, 32.3% from beyond the arc and 82.4% from the free-throw line.