Brook Lopez is the longest tenured player on the Brooklyn Nets roster and arguably their best player at this point, so it’s no surprise that bringing him back is a priority for the franchise. Lopez left $17 million on the table when he opted out of a player option for one more year on his previous deal but the only reason he did it was because he knew there was much more money waiting for him on the open market once he became an unrestricted free agent. There will certainly be no shortage of potential suitors, so here is a look at the five best landing spots for Lopez as a UFA this summer.
5. Boston Celtics
The Celtics are supposedly keen on landing Kevin Love but if they need a Plan B for their starting center spot, it could be Lopez that fills that hole. Boston made the playoffs despite several holes in its roster a year ago and the addition of a veteran big man with high offensive upside would represent a major step in the right direction. Lopez would represent a key cog in the franchise’s plans moving forward and he would be an excellent fit under head coach Brad Stevens with the Celtics.
4. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks roster will be pillaged with Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll both potentially on their way out but Lopez represents an intriguing option for them in free agency. Atlanta’s backcourt is set with Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver and Dennis Schroder but Al Horford could easily be moved to the power forward spot vacated by Millsap and allow Lopez to slide right in to their starting five. Even with Lopez on board, the Hawks won’t be considered the top NBA title contender in the Eastern Conference but they are definitely further along than the Nets at this point.
3. Miami Heat
The Heat are always an intriguing option thanks to Pat Riley’s ability to acquire top talent either via the draft or free agency. After trading for Goran Dragic and then drafting Justice Winslow, it look as though Miami is a lot closer to contending than it might have seemed a year ago. The return of Chris Bosh will be extremely important after he missed almost all of last season with a medical issue but with Wade opting out, the Heat all of the sudden have some money to play with. If they could land Lopez, it would be a major coup for a team that would be able to put a starting five of Lopez, Bosh, Winslow, Luol Deng and Dragic on the floor.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder are still the frontrunners to bring back Enes Kanter after he showcased his skills with the team over the second half of last season but he was a pretty big defensive liability. It certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if they looked at another veteran center with a unique offensive skill set in Lopez. Oklahoma City will try to get a deal done with Kanter but if they lose him, look for Lopez to become one of their next targets as he would be a perfect fit for the Thunder as a versatile big man that can run with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and also do a better job of protecting the rim.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Consider this thinking outside of the box but what would be the next best option for the Cavaliers if Kevin Love decides to pack up and take his talents to Boston or Los Angeles? Cleveland doesn’t appear to have a Plan B in place but if they miss out on Love, they could find a way to lure Lopez in as their starting center. Remember, they’re about to max out both Love and Tristan Thompson, who can’t really play side-by-side. Wouldn’t it make more sense to pay Lopez, who can play beside Thompson? And plus, Love proved already that he’s not a great fit for the scheme.
