Brook Lopez speaks of a sort of return home, signing with Clippers
Las Vegas – Brook Lopez has never played for Clippers.
Yet his free agent who signs with them this summer is a sort of return home, with more links between the native of southern California and the Clippers. This begins with the president of Team Lawrence Frank.
“It was my coach when in 2008 with the new jersey networks,” said Lopez. “So it’s definitely a moment in full circle.”
Lopez was a hot name at the beginning of the free agency, linked to the Lakers (a team for which he played in the past), the Rockets and others, but signed a contract for two years of $ 17.9 million to support Ivica Zubac with the Clippers.
“Everything happened quite quickly, but looking at my options, I was just enthusiastic that the clippers have reached and were one,” said Lopez. “You know, I’ve been a great team for some time. They have a lot of great players, obviously Hall of Famers, all sorts of great young players. I have zuby [Ivica Zubac]. And there is only a great opportunity to win a championship here. “
Among the connections of Lopez with the Clippers there is Zubac – they were teammates on the Lakers a decade ago. Search Tyronn Lue, who likes great formations, to experiment with Lopez and Zuback.
“I think we complete each other very well,” said Lopez. “Obviously, we will be very large. I think we would be great defensively, dominating only the paint, sealing the paint. Then offensively, we also complete there, we spread the floor for him, give it the whole room in the paint to go crazy.”
The main role of Lopez with the Clippers will be a great backup behind Zubac, but due to his spacing of the floor – 37.3% from beyond the arch on 4.7 attempts for the game last season – will find themselves in many different lines and roles.
“We will see. I am able to many things,” said Lopez. “Obviously, I feel comfortable to spread the floor. I feel comfortable in the post. I love defending, I love being in defense. In conclusion, I just want to help the team win. Whatever they need it to do, whatever they may appropriate for my role, I will work as hard as possible to be good.”
A teammate Lopez thinks that there will be a fast chemistry with James Harden – Lopez knows where his points will come from.
“I have as many Pick-and-Rolls as possible with him,” Lopez said with a laugh. “Enter that pocket. I know he will do something good out there.”
The other role that Lopez will play with the Clippers is that of a mentor.
Clippers have some young players, in particular n. 30 Pick Yanic Konan Niederhauser, a center from Switzerland via Penn State, a center 6’10 “which moved well and showed lightning in the summer league.
Lopez is enthusiastic about being a veteran mentor.
“I was lucky enough to play with many great players during my career: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Giannis [Antetokounmpo]Vince Carter. I can continue to go down online, but in particular Kg was someone with whom I was lucky enough to play when I was a younger player in this championship and helped me to transform myself to the player who are today.
“So I think it is right to transmit the things he taught me. Help the younger guys in the same way he helped me. I would not be here if it were not for him.”
In the end, Lopez returned home to Southern California – closer to Disneyland than he stopped in his professional career – and is about to play for a franchise that was not on his radar.
“I am a boy of Cali. I grew up in the valley, north of Hollywood. Obviously, things were very different then,” said Lopez. “To see where the Clippers came now, it’s simply surprising. It’s beautiful.”
The clippers think it is also nice to have it in their training. It is a sort of return home.