No. 1 Robin Lopez
Big man Robin Lopez is now a member of the Milwaukee Bucks after signing a two-year, $9.7 million deal with the organization in 2019 free agency.
The former Bulls center will add a level of toughness to the Bucks as they look to make another run as one of the league’s hottest teams.
Last season, the Bucks experienced a lot of success, in part, to Giannis Antetokounmpo and his MVP campaign.
Lopez will join his twin brother, Brook Lopez, in holding down the front court. The Bucks turned to Ersan Ilyasova last season hoping to fill a need in the front court, but that didn’t always pan out well. In signing Lopez, the Bucks have resolved a depth issue at center.
The Lopezes have differing styles of play that are both valuable in today’s NBA. What’s interesting is much like his twin brother, Lopez has the size necessary to battle with big men like Joel Embiid and Marc Gasol.
The Bucks will most likely rely on Lopez to assume a supporting role by helping to boost defensive efficiency. Not to mention he brings a good sense of professionalism and work ethic to the locker room.
In Milwaukee, Lopez is not expected to be such a featured component of the offense night in and night out. However, he has shown ability to create flashes of his own offense to keep the opposing team’s defense honest.
If Antetokounmpo isn’t getting the calls from the referees, Lopez is one new addition to the roster that could prove to be beneficial.
The Bucks struggled in the 2019 playoffs when opposing teams found ways to shut down Anteokounmpo and his ability to get into the paint. Lopez shows a ton of toughness in his play, which is something the Bucks were lacking at times last season.
Should Antetokounmpo attack the paint as often as he did last year, it will be vital for the Bucks to hold their ground.