Brook Lopez sees twin towers role with Ivica

LAS VEGAS — The Clippers crew Brook Lopez grew up watching as a younger child in Southern California isn’t that similar franchise anymore.

These Clippers are about placing a profitable product on the court and about placing collectively the correct expertise to win video games — and that is what offered Lopez on signing with them.

“It’s crazy to see, but it’s very cool — seeing the climb, the ascent,” Lopez stated Monday afternoon at a information convention hours before the Clippers and Lakers performed each different in an NBA Summer League sport at Nevada Las Vegas. “I’m a Cali boy. I grew up in the Valley, in North Hollywood. Obviously things were very different back then and to see where the Clippers have come now, it’s just astonishing, it’s beautiful. I’m glad to be a part of it and hopefully I can help take them even further up.”

Lopez determined not to return to the Bucks after seven seasons in Milwaukee and opted not to signal with the Lakers, becoming a member of the Clippers on a two-year, $18-million deal.

He preferred the thought of enjoying with Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Ivica Zubac, a former teammate when they performed on the Lakers in 2017-18, and for Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. Lopez also had a connection with Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations. Frank was the coach of the New Jersey Nets when Lopez was there.

“Looking at my options, I was just thrilled the Clippers reached out and were one of them,” Lopez stated. “They’ve been a great team for quite a while now. They have a ton of great players, obviously Hall of Famers, All-Stars, great young players. My guy Zubi! And there is a great chance to win a championship here.”

Over the course of his profession, Lopez has been a beginning middle. He performed in 80 video games final season with the Bucks, averaging 31.8 minutes per sport. And he was still productive at 37, averaging 13 factors, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 blocks, while capturing 50.9% from the ground and 37.3% from three-point vary.

But Zubac has emerged as one of the highest facilities in the NBA, even making the NBA’s All-Defensive second crew.

Out of the 1,105 regular-season video games Lopez has performed, he has began in 1,064. With the Clippers, however, he’ll probably come off the bench.

“I’m just trying to come in and help the team win,” Lopez stated. “Whatever that may look like, that’s what I’m here to do. Wherever my minutes may come from when I’m on the court, the beginning of the game, middle of the game, end of the game, I’m trying to be out there trying to help my team win and beat the other team on the court.”

Because he can stretch the ground with his outdoors capturing, the 7-foot-1 Lopez can see a world in which he and 7-0 Zubac are on the court enjoying collectively.

“I think we complement each other extremely well,” Lopez stated. “Obviously, we’ll be very big. I think we’ll be great defensively, just dominating the paint, sealing the paint off. And then offensively, we complement each other there as well. I’ll spread the floor for him, give him all the room in the paint to go wild.”

When the Bucks visited the Clippers final season, Lopez obtained to see the Intuit Dome.

He was impressed by the world that Clippers proprietor Steve Ballmer constructed and that also performed a role in his determination.

“He texted me right away, (saying) how excited he was to have me on the team,” Lopez stated. “I told him the same thing back. I’m excited to win and I think that’s what we’re all here for and it’s going to be so much fun.”