Veteran big man signs with Los Angeles, but not the team people expected

It's a surprise signing by the Clippers, who already had Ivica Zubac manning the pivot, where he made the All-Defensive second team in 2024-25. But Lopez brings a different dimension to the center position than Zubac. Lopez made 139 three-pointers last year, at a 37.3% clip. Zubac has attempted only 12 threes in his nine-year NBA career.

But Lopez should be an excellent addition to the Clippers, whose lack of three-point shooting was a big weakness. They were seventh in the NBA in three-point percentage, but only 29th in attempts. Adding Lopez, even for 18-20 minutes per game, gives them far more spacing and options with their lineups.

There's another bonus for Lopez heading to L.A. He and his twin brother Robin are massive fans of Disney, The elder Lopez twin (Brook is one minute older) even owns a house on the grounds of Walt Disney World in Florida. That's why the sweet-shooting Lopez is nicknamed "Splash Mountain."

Now he can go to the original Disneyland in California, where he grew up. The Intuit Dome is the closest thing in the NBA to an amusement park, and while Lopez is clearly still a kid at heart, he'll also play with players his own age in James Harden and Kawhi Leonard.

He may or may not have wished upon a star, but Lopez and the Clippers both may see their dreams come true.