Clippers Add Brook Lopez On Two-Year, $18M Contract

Brook Lopez is heading back to L.A., this time with the Clippers.

The veteran center has agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal with Los Angeles, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The Clippers had been in the market for a dependable backup to Ivica Zubac, and Lopez brings experience, size, and floor spacing to the frontcourt rotation.

The deal will be funded primarily through the Clippers’ non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the move triggers a hard cap at the first tax apron, with L.A. now about $8 million below that threshold. Yossi Gozlan of Third Apron notes the team still has $5.3 million in flexibility, a number that could grow to $10.1 million if Drew Eubanks is waived.

Lopez, 36, spent the last seven seasons with Milwaukee and had another solid year from beyond the arc, shooting 37.3 percent on 4.7 attempts per game. His rebounding and rim protection numbers dipped slightly, but he remained a steady presence on a Bucks team that battled injuries and chemistry concerns throughout the season.

He now slots into a Clippers bench that recently re-signed Nicolas Batum, forming a veteran pairing capable of defending, spacing the floor, and anchoring second-unit possessions. Lopez gives the Clippers a different look than Zubac — offering stretch-five capabilities and playoff experience as the franchise continues to chase its first NBA Finals appearance.

The move leaves Milwaukee with questions up front, particularly with Damian Lillard expected to miss time and Lopez now gone. The Bucks re-signed Bobby Portis and Kevin Porter Jr. earlier in free agency, but Lopez’s departure marks a significant shift for a team trying to remain in contention.