Robin Lopez is the New York Knicks' new starting center, as first reported by Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. The two sides agreed to a reported four-year, $54 million deal.
Yahoo Sports reported that this was contingent on DeAndre Jordan signing elsewhere. Jordan ended up accepting a maximum contract offer from the Dallas Mavericks. Lopez announced the news himself on Twitter:
Excited to be part of the #Knicks legacy! It's going to be like "On the Town" but w/way more box outs & dunks #ModeledMyGameAfterGeneKelly
— Robin Lopez (@rolopez42) July 3, 2015
Lopez, obviously, does not have the star power of Jordan. He's a solid, defensive-minded center, though, and the Knicks desperately needed one after trading Tyson Chandler about a year ago. While his presence doesn't mean New York will suddenly turn into a playoff team, that's a fair price for him in this market.
One question: How will Lopez function in the triangle? He doesn't have range on his jump shot, and he is only an average passer for a big man. It's a questionable fit offensively.
Another question: Does this mean we can get a Lopez Brothers reality show? With Brook Lopez set to re-sign with the Brooklyn Nets, it seems possible. That would be great.
