Brook Lopez Trade Rumors Addressed by Bucks GM: ‘Zero Intentions’ of Making Deal

Mike Chiari@@mikechiariFeatured Columnist IVJuly 27, 2024

Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images

Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst insisted Friday that trading veteran center Brook Lopez is not in his plans this offseason.

Speaking to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Horst downplayed the possibility of a deal, saying:

“First of all, rumors and chatter are what makes the league so interesting and so fun, so people are always going to speculate and talk about it. And I typically don’t talk about any of this stuff with the media, but I will say, because Brook is so core to who we are, we have zero intentions of trading Brook.

“Of course he has value around the league. That’s a credit to him. But we’ve not engaged in any real conversations about trading Brook. There are teams that have a lot of value and interest in him. It’s my job to take calls, receive calls, have conversations, but Brook has been and will continue to be core to who we are.”

The 36-year-old Lopez has spent the past six seasons with the Bucks following a nine-year stint with the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets and one season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

While Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the star of the show during Lopez’s time in Milwaukee, the one-time All-Star has undoubtedly been a key part of the team’s success.

In 389 regular-season games with the Bucks, Lopez is averaging 13.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 1.8 three-pointers made and 1.2 assists, while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from beyond the arc.

The 7-footer also made the NBA All-Defensive First Team and Second Team one time each, finished second in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2023 and helped the Bucks win a championship in 2021.

Lopez has also been highly durable over the past two seasons, missing a total of just seven games.

He continued to play at a high level last season, averaging 12.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, 1.9 three-pointers made and 1.6 assists per game, although Milwaukee had a disappointing campaign, getting eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs.

Giannis missing the playoffs due to injury was a big reason why, but it still left observers to question if the Bucks will be able to compete with the likes of the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference next season.

If the Bucks do indeed decide to keep Lopez, they will enter the 2024-25 season with a core of Giannis, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and Lopez, which is undoubtedly among the best quartets in the league if everyone can stay healthy.

However, that figures to be a major challenge since all four of them will be 30 or older during the season, which suggests the Bucks could benefit from a youth infusion.