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Per ESPN.com:
According to a source who spoke to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, free agency center Brook Lopez has signed a two-year, $48 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
This offseason, the Bucks were successful in keeping both Lopez and star guard Khris Middleton, retaining the foundation of the team that won the title in 2021, led by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Houston had a strong interest in re-signing Lopez, but Milwaukee was able to fend them off.
Via ESPN.com:
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who was named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year last month, headlined the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team, which the league unveiled Tuesday afternoon.
Jackson was joined on the first team by the two other finalists for the top defensive honor — Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez and Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Evan Mobley — along with Bucks guard Jrue Holiday and Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso.
Jackson’s teammate Dillon Brooks was one of five players named to the league’s All-Defensive Second Team. He was joined by Toronto Raptors forward O.G. Anunoby, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo and Boston Celtics guard Derrick White.
Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. was named the 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the NBA announced today.
This marks the first NBA Defensive Player of the Year award for Jackson Jr., who becomes the second player in franchise history to receive the honor (Marc Gasol in 2012-13). Jackson Jr. is the second-youngest player in NBA history (Dwight Howard) to be named NBA Defensive Player of the Year and becomes one of four 23-year-olds to win the award (Kawhi Leonard in 2014-15; Howard in 2007-08; Alvin Robertson in 1985-86).
The 6-foot-11 Jackson Jr., whose defense helped propel the Grizzlies to a 51-31 record (second in the Western Conference) and the team’s second straight Southwest Division championship, received 391 points (56 first-place votes) from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.
Jackson Jr. led the NBA in blocks per game (3.0) and block percentage (9.6) for the second consecutive season and tied for second in total blocks (189). He surpassed his own single-season franchise records in all three categories while also establishing career bests with 18.6 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game.
Behind Jackson Jr., Memphis led the Western Conference and ranked third in the NBA in defensive rating (110.7) and held opponents to the lowest field goal percentage (45.3%) and largest field goal percentage difference (-2.2%). Individually, when serving as the primary defender, Jackson Jr. led the NBA in field goal percentage allowed at the rim (46.9% on 454 contests) with a minimum of 20 shots defended.
Jackson Jr. also averaged 1.0 steals per game and led the NBA in combined steals and blocks per game (career-high and franchise-record 4.0). He became one of four players since the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award was instituted in the 1982-83 season to lead his team to a Top 5 defensive rating while also averaging at least 1.0 steals and 3.0 blocks, joining Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Ben Wallace.
The five-year NBA veteran was named to the 2021-22 NBA All-Defensive First Team last season. He was selected by Memphis with the fourth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft following his freshman year at Michigan State University, where he won the 2017-18 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award.
Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez (309 points, 31 first-place votes) and Cleveland’s Evan Mobley (101 points, eight first-place votes) finished second and third in the voting, respectively.
Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez underwent back surgery today in Los Angeles.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Robert Watkins with oversight by Bucks team physician Dr. William Raasch of the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network.
Lopez has been sidelined since the Bucks’ regular season opening win vs. Brooklyn on Oct. 19, where he tallied eight points, five rebounds and three blocks in 28 minutes of action.
Per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “no timeline for a potential return was provided, though Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer believes Lopez will play again at some point. Lopez, 33, had been sidelined with what was characterized as back soreness on the league injury reports since playing in the Bucks’ season opener Oct. 19. Two days later in Miami, Lopez participated in a shootaround but then was scratched from the game. Budenholzer said no specific incident occurred in Miami either.”
Lopez will continue to be listed as out. There is no estimated return date yet.
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Taking his height and position into account, Bucks center Brook Lopez has been taking an absolutely wild amount of three-pointers this season. Here’s the Chicago Tribune marveling at the spectacle:
Dirk Nowitzki owns the NBA record for 3-pointers in a season by a 7-footer, making 151 for the Mavericks way back in the 2000-01 season.
It’s a record that Bulls’ Lauri Markkanen flirted with last season before falling six short, the third-most since Nowitzki also sank 148 during the 2002-03 campaign.
Through 14 games, Bucks big man Brook Lopez is on pace to not only break Nowitzki’s record but shatter it. Freed to launch freely in new Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer’s aesthetically pleasing offensive system, Lopez would sink 240 3-pointers if he maintains his current — and ridiculous — pace.
Lopez has been taking 7.0 three point attempts per game this season, second on the team behind Khris Middleton, who takes 7.4/game.
Lopez took 4.4 three-pointers per game last season for the Lakers, and 5.2 per game in 2016-17 for the Nets. In his previous seasons, between 2008-16, he never averaged more than 0.2 three-point attempts per game.
I’ll never be a big fan of centers acting like shooting guards, but the Bucks are 10-4 so far this season and their offense has been one of the most effective in the NBA. You can’t argue with success.
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The Brooklyn Nets have re-signed center Brook Lopez and forward Thaddeus Young to multi-year contracts, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.
“We are very pleased to welcome Brook and Thaddeus back the Brooklyn Nets,” said King. “Brook is one of the premier big men in this league, while Thad proved to be a perfect complement to Brook last year after he was acquired from Minnesota. Being able to re-sign both of our free agent targets allows us to provide the continuity in our frontcourt that we were looking for going into the upcoming season.”
According to the Bergen Record, “Lopez, 27, could have signed a deal as long as five years, but he committed to stay in Brooklyn for three years and $60 million.”
Also from the Bergen Record: “Young, 27, signed four-year deal worth $50 million, with a player option in the final season.”
Lopez, 27, is the longest tenured Net, having spent his entire seven-year career with the franchise after being selected with the 10th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. In 414 career games (379 starts), Lopez has registered averages of 17.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 32.5 minutes per game. He currently ranks 4th on the Nets’ all-time scoring list (7,404 points), 6th in rebounds (3,029), 4th in field goals made (2,898), 2nd in blocked shots (724) and 8th in minutes played (13,439). An All-Star in 2013, the Panorama City, Calif. native played some of the best basketball of his career after the All-Star break this past season, posting averages of 19.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 32.0 minutes per game. Lopez’s season peaked during a two-week stretch in late March and early April when he captured back-to-back Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors, becoming the first Net in more than a decade to accomplish the feat. Lopez has also elevated his game in the postseason, recording averages of 21.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 38.2 minutes per game in 13 career playoff contests.
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Young, 27, returns to the Nets after joining the team by way of a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 19, 2015. In 28 games (20 starts) with the Nets, Young finished second on the team in points per game (13.8) and rebounds (5.9) and first in steals (1.4) in 29.6 minutes per game. He shot .495 from the field and .380 from three-point range while forming a strong frontcourt duo with Brook Lopez. In the 28 games Young appeared in, the Nets averaged 102.1 points per game, shooting .457 from the field and .353 from three-point range. In the 54 games he didn’t appear in, the Nets averaged 95.9 points per game, shooting .448 from the field and .321 from behind the arc. Young was originally selected with the 12th pick of the 2007 NBA Draft by Nets GM King when he was the President and GM of the Philadelphia 76ers. In 592 career games (362 starts) with the 76ers (2007-14), Timberwolves (2014-15) and Nets (2015), Young holds NBA averages of 13.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.3 minutes per game. In 36 career postseason contests, Young has averaged 9.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.8 steals in 27.3 minutes per game.
Bucks reportedly have interest in Brook Lopez
Here’s ESPN NY reporting on Bucks free agency, which reportedly will include Nets center Brook Lopez as a target:
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The Milwaukee Bucks intend to pursue Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez this summer, according to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein. Lopez, 27, is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent.
Nets general manager Billy King has said retaining Lopez and forward Thaddeus Young is his No. 1 priority this offseason. The Nets can ill-afford to lose Lopez because they don’t have the salary-cap means to replace him in free agency.
Because the Nets hold Lopez’s Bird rights, they are the only team that can offer Lopez a five-year, max contract.
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The Brook Lopez health circus continues. Fortunately, this time, it’s a minor bump in the road — hopefully.
The Brooklyn Nets center sustained a mild right midfoot sprain in the first quarter of the Nets’ preseason contest against the Sacramento Kings on October 15th, Nets General Manager Billy King announced.
Statement from Nets Medical Director Dr. Riley Williams III:
“Brook Lopez experienced right foot soreness after being stepped on during the pre-season game against the Kings Wednesday night. X-ray and CT scan studies done Thursday in New York reveal no fractures or bone injuries. Brook has been diagnosed with a mild midfoot sprain and is likely to be out for approximately 10-14 days.”
Here’s the New York Post with additional insight on the injury to Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez:
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When Alan Anderson woke up Saturday morning, he got a text message from a friend saying Brook Lopez was “out” and didn’t know what to think.
“I thought they meant outside, like out somewhere,” Anderson said after Sunday’s practice, shaking his head. “Then I saw it on the screen and called the trainers and said, ‘This can’t be right.’ But they said it’s right.”
The news Lopez was lost for the season after suffering a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot during Friday night’s loss in Philadelphia caught everyone by surprise. The center played the final 10 minutes of regulation and overtime after initially getting hurt when he got tangled up with Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young midway through the fourth quarter.
“No one knew,” Nets coach Jason Kidd said. “That just shows how tough Brook is.”