NBA Rumors: Brook Lopez to play with LeBron, Luka Doncic

Former Laker Brook Lopez is linked with a return to Crypto.com Arena - this time on a team with Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

NBA Rumors: Brook Lopez to play with LeBron, Luka Doncic

Brook Lopez, LeBron James (Image via Firstsportz)

The most glaring and obvious hole in the Lakers’ roster this past season was their lack of a viable center. Without Anthony Davis, whom they traded to acquire Luka Doncic, their team was rudderless in the paint. Their inability to stop paint points or score them led to their early playoff exit, with only one win. Brook Lopez is now being sought by the Lakers front office to plug this gap, judging by the latest rumors.

Brook Lopez has played for the Milwaukee Bucks over the past seven seasons. In this duration, he’s had two deep playoff runs – 2019, and 2021. The Bucks lost to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors in the Conference Finals in 2019. They went all the way to a Larry O’Brien trophy in 2021, with Lopez playing a huge role. Lopez has always been an integral part of the Bucks’ turnaround and contention in these years.

An unnamed NBA front office executive has been speculating about Lopez’s move to LA. According to Gery Woelfel, the Lakers have already contacted him for a possible free agent signing this year.

There’ll be plenty of interest in him. I’m sure the Lakers have already talked to him.

Lopez played there after being traded by the Nets in 2017 to complete their tanking journey. Lopez’s single Lakers season was relatively uneventful; however, his fit with James has always been obvious. He is a really good paint protector, shot blocker and can hit 3-pointers on offense. Despite his declining offense in recent years, Lopez’s ability to be a versatile center will undoubtedly help the Lakers in the near future.

Brook Lopez, LeBron James and Anthony Davis could have worked together

Anthony Davis has always felt miscast as a center. The former Lakers superstar had been steadfast in asking to play alongside another big man through the course of his five-and-a-half seasons in Los Angeles. However, instead of signing a viable player at the position, Rob Pelinka opted to look at other aspects of the Lakers roster first. Although this wasn’t necessarily a bad strategy, it has left them in a spot of bother.

One of the most integral components of a modern NBA defense has always been a center who can play on both ends of the floor. A talent like Nikola Jokic can be passable on defense and still get away due to his offensive ceiling. However, even a slightly worse player in the same prototype – such as Alperen Sengun or Domantas Sabonis – has not proven to be a winning option in the postseason.

A frontcourt comprising of Lopez, Davis and James would undoubtedly have been a top front three. They have the ability to carry the offense at various points – Lopez’s post play and ability to pop alongside James would have been particularly valuable against the likes of Denver in 2023 and 2024. Nevertheless, the team can still correct a tactical failure by adding Lopez to the roster.

Both James and Luka Doncic are two of the best pick-and-roll operators ever. They would greatly enhance Lopez’s effectiveness as a scorer if he was to sign with the Lakers. Lopez could feast on open jump shots and lobs from both of them, which he has missed over the course of his 17-year career. As the all-time highest scorer of the Nets franchise, one could argue that his talents were never fully put to use in his time there.

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