While the 76ers remain overly conservative in their approach with regard to Joel Embiid, the former MVP is definitely in much better and healthier shape this season compared to recent years. Be that as it may, Philadelphia still has a jarring problem off the bench as to his primary backup, and that should prompt the front office to keep looking for ways to upgrade the backup center position. Well, if the stars align, Brook Lopez could end up being available as a buyout target.
Lopez, who is still with the Clippers despite the franchise's massive fire sale of their veterans from last season, is positioned as a buyout candidate this season. The veteran big man is in the final year of his contract, and with LA struggling right out of the gates, it is pretty obvious that a buyout could be in play for both parties. In that case, the 76ers should come calling right away.
The 76ers could target Brook Lopez if the Clippers buy him out
Once one of the premier three-and-D big men in the NBA, Lopez has significantly waned given his advanced age. However, he still packs value in spurts as a floor-spacing center who can thrive as a rim protector in more conventional defensive coverages and as someone who can pull opposing big men away from the basket on defense.
Lopez is closing in on his 39th birthday, but he is not exactly washed. In fact, he is currently turning in impressive numbers for the Clippers off the bench, averaging 12.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and one block per outing on 53.7 percent shooting from the field and a 44.4 percent success rate from beyond the arc.
The 76ers will eventually have the legroom to bring in someone like Lopez, so if the Clippers do the obvious and initiate a buyout scenario, Mike Gansey and his crew should get to his camp right away. After all, the backup center position is a vulnerable point for the team at this moment, especially since their supposed options to man the role are either injured or not reliable enough to deploy on a nightly basis.
Lopez, who has won a championship and has nearly 1,200 regular-season games under his belt, is a battle-tested veteran in the playoffs who will not falter in high-stake contests especially since he will be a bench operator anyway. Philly is already thriving on the defensive end, but they do need his ability to space the floor and deter shots at the rim, a combination which is nearly nonexistent on this team right now.
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