Brook Lopez Elevated to Clippers' Starting Center After Zubac Trade, Records Double‑Double in Loss
Brook Lopez has moved from veteran backup to the Los Angeles Clippers' de facto starting center after the trade that sent Ivica Zubac away at the deadline. The 37-year-old produced 16 points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes during Friday's 125-122 loss, a sign of his larger role down the stretch.
Development details — Brook Lopez's new role
Lopez stepped into a heavier workload following Zubac's ankle issues in December and the subsequent trade at the deadline that sent Zubac to Indiana. He played 35 minutes in the most recent game, finishing with 16 points (7-of-12 FG, 1-of-3 3PT, 1-of-1 FT), 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals, marking his third double‑double of the season.
Since the deadline, his per-game lines have shown an uptick: 11. 0 points, 5. 0 rebounds, 2. 0 blocks and 1. 2 steals in 32. 4 minutes, while shooting 49. 1% from the field and 36. 4% from three-point range. The front office decision to move Zubac has effectively promoted Lopez into a starting role for the remainder of the season, a position the coaching staff will rely on in the Clippers' push toward the playoffs.
Context and escalation
Lopez was signed last summer to serve as a veteran backup to Zubac, and he had a mixed stretch on the bench early in the year, at times falling out of the rotation with rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser functioning as the first center off the bench. That dynamic shifted after Zubac suffered an ankle injury in December and ultimately left the roster in the deadline trade.
Coaching assessments and roster moves escalated Lopez's opportunity. He previously started several games when Zubac was injured, and his comfort in varied roles — including a decade as a regular starter earlier in his career — positioned him to absorb the minutes. What makes this notable is how quickly the change in status translated to measurable production: increased minutes and consistent defensive contributions, including multiple blocks and steals, have accompanied the role change.
Immediate impact
The immediate consequence has been a heavier offensive and defensive burden on Lopez. In Friday's 125-122 loss to the Lakers, the Clippers leaned on Lopez particularly after Kawhi Leonard exited with stiffness in his left ankle and Bennedict Mathurin fouled out of the game. Lopez was also pressed into action when John Collins left a different contest with a head injury in the second quarter, illustrating how injuries and roster shifts have spurred his elevated usage.
Lopez's presence has altered matchups: he logged a notable performance against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets earlier in the season, holding Jokic to 9-of-22 shooting, forcing six turnovers and delivering a clutch block in the final 30 seconds that helped seal a one-point win. That game exemplified how Lopez's minutes translate into both defensive impact and late-game value.
Forward outlook
With Ivica Zubac traded at the deadline and Lopez now viewed as the starting center, the Clippers will pivot toward relying on his experience for the remainder of the campaign. The club will be counting on him as it pursues a playoff berth, and his continued production will shape roster decisions this summer: Lopez is on a team option, and his current stretch of play has prompted discussions about his place in the roster picture moving forward.
Naturally, the coming weeks will test whether Lopez can sustain the post-deadline averages — 11. 0 points and 5. 0 rebounds in roughly 32. 4 minutes — and whether the Clippers can translate his individual contributions into more wins. For now, the club has moved from a contingency plan to a clear reliance on a 37-year-old center whose starting assignment was unlocked by a single roster move at the trade deadline.
