Brook Lopez

[...] Legitimately good players were available for low prices. Some stand-out examples include Lopez (who took only a bi-annual exception for one year from Milwaukee, quite the pay cut from his $22,642,350 last season), O'Quinn (who did not deliberately opt out of a $4,256,250 one year player option just to sign a one year $4,449,000 but found he had little choice), Alex Len (who signed a mere two year, $8.5 million contract with the team closest to his own name despite how good he was at times last year) and Nurkic (a restricted free agent post player like Capela, who, like Capela, seemingly drew no significant-enough offers from other teams). And some got even less attention than that - after being waived by the Pacers, Al Jefferson went to China, while Lucas Nogueira has not signed at all. Which might explain why he has changed agency.[...]

Brook Lopez
C, 7’0, 275lbs, 29 years old, 9 years of experience

Becoming a high volume, decent efficiency three-point shooter was surprising yet welcome, although seeing the rebounds decline to a career low to the point that he grabs less than Michael Carter-Williams was a tough watch. On an already poor defensive rebounding Lakers team, Lopez will need to reverse this continuing trend. Posts and shoots and defends the rim, which is the extremely rare trifecta, but his pick-and-roll defence is becoming an Achilles heel. As he enters his prime, there should be good trade value there, and as more than just an expiring. Even with the 2018 free agency aspirations, extend that contract to consolidate the value of the asset, which will otherwise deteriorate quickly from that point onwards if unextended. Lopez is good. Keeping him will increase the chances of getting 2018 free agents.

Player Plan: One year remaining at $22,642,350. Eligible for both a renegotiation and extension so as to avoid free agency, which is probably a good idea. Even with 2018 cap space plans in mind, Lopez is the kind of player who adds to a team’s free agency lure.

[...] Take, for example, Brook Lopez. A post player his whole life, a player who operated from the mid-range and in both at Stanford and in his first eight NBA seasons, a player who made three total three pointers in those first eight seasons, and yet now a player with 132 made threes this season alone. [For comparison’s sake, Laimbeer hit 202 three-pointers in total in 13 seasons.]

One thing that was apparent from our vantage point was the rebounding action on every play. Or, to put it another way, the lack of rebounding action on every play. We didn't need a close seat to see who was and wasn't fighting for position and the ball. To truly appreciate the rebounding apathies of Bargnani and Brook Lopez, you have to see them in person.

[...]

Strangely, New Jersey played better as a team once Brook Lopez fouled out. It's probably a coincidence - Brook's 34 point, 14 rebound, 8 block game had kept New Jersey in the game, and his replacement, Outlaw, did little - but it was illuminating. At the very least, Brook demonstrated more hustle on this night than in the previous one. That is to say, he got over the halfcourt line for at least half of New Jersey's possessions.

(Brook is one of the best centre prospects we have had for many a year. This is proven by the way he walked into a 34/14/8 without using a huge amount of effort to do it. And he's already loafing his way to 20ppg. But he needs a little Humphries in him to realise his potential. So does Robin Lopez.)

Alexander's NBA career thus far may as well not have happened. Save for a dunk contest campaign, he's done nothing of note. Last year, for example, he made precisely one shot. That said, despite the lack of production, the fact he was drafted above Brook Lopez, the alleged internal suspension in his rookie year for a biblical relationship with a cheerleader, and the general stench of failure surrounding his career so far, he's not THIS bad. Alexander could, and should, be a contributor somewhere, and he's only 23. There's still potential there.