The Golden State Warriors will be one of countless teams monitoring the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo after the Milwaukee Bucks suffered their third-consecutive first-round playoff exit on Tuesday against the Indiana Pacers.
Yet even if the Warriors don't have enough to ultimately land Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster trade, they could still benefit from a situation where the 2x MVP departs Milwaukee for a rival team.
If Antetokounmpo does get traded or is available on the market at all, it could spell the end for other veteran players at the Bucks. One of those is long-time starting center Brook Lopez who will have control of his own future anyway as an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Brook Lopez has been a dream option for the Warriors previously
When Lopez was last a free agent two years ago, Monte Poole and Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area discussed him as a dream player for Golden State to target. Having ultimately re-signed on a two-year, $48 million contract with Milwaukee, the 37-year-old has understandably shown signs of aging and being a less effective player than he once was.
Most recently Lopez was benched for Game 5 against the Pacers on Tuesday, having averaged just 14.8 minutes during the series after averaging nearly 32 and starting all 80 of his games during the regular season.
Any team that acquires Lopez this offseason shouldn't do so thinking he can average 30 minutes per game going forward, but that doesn't mean he can't be a valuable addition to a team like the Warriors who have so often lacked a true shooting center.
Golden State have unearthed one in the form of Quinten Post this season, yet the rookie is still inexperienced and could perhaps benefit from Lopez's tutelage given he was compared to the 17-year veteran in his pre-draft profile.
Lopez still averaged 13 points, five rebounds and 1.9 blocks this season, shooting a healthy 37.3% from 3-point range on 4.7 attempts per game. While his lack of mobility can often become a hindrance defensively, having a 7'1" frame as a presence in the paint would be a nice change from the often undersized big men the Warriors have utilized in the past.
Perhaps Golden State think they're fine simply developing Post into that Lopez-type player, but it could still be valuable based on the price. It will be interesting to see where Lopez's value lies in free agency, with little doubt that he'll be headed elsewhere if there's an inkling that Antetokounmpo will be on the move.