Free agent center Brook Lopez has agreed to a two-year, $18-million deal with the LA Clippers, sources tell ESPN.
Lopez was a player of interest for teams entering free agency and will join the Clippers to bolster a front line that already includes emerging starting center Ivica Zubac.
Zubac averaged a career-high 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds to go with 1.1 blocks last season. Lopez will give the Clippers a 7-foot-1 center with championship experience and a big that will stretch the floor for head coach Ty Lue.
Lopez averaged 13 points, 5.0 rebounds and 37.3% shooting from behind the arc. And Lopez will give defensive assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy a rim protector who averaged 1.9 blocks last season.
Lopez, who will be reunited with his former Nets head coach Lawrence Frank — the Clippers president of basketball operations, also gives point guard James Harden and star forward Kawhi Leonard another weapon to find on the floor and a big man who can help bang with opposing big men in the Western Conference.
The Clippers lost in seven games in the first round to the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic and they have been busy this week, agreeing to a new two-year $81.5 million deal with Harden, who declined his $36.3 million player option, sources told ESPN.
The second year of Harden’s deal has a player option and is partially guaranteed, giving the Clippers flexibility in the future and keeping Harden and Leonard on a similar timeline.
Leonard has two years remaining on his contract. The Clippers also intend to sign veteran forward Nic Batum to a two-year, $11.5-million deal to return, sources told ESPN.