Robin Lopez hit the free agent market after a productive season with the Washington Wizards, largely in a role where he came off the bench and gave the team a veteran presence on its second unit. On Tuesday, we learned where Lopez is headed to next, and really, he could not be heading to a better spot.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the NBA’s most well-documented lover of all things Disney, will sign a contract with the Orlando Magic. It’s not a long-term deal, as Lopez is reportedly set to make $5 million for the 2021-22 season before hitting unrestricted free agency again.
Free agent C Robin Lopez has agreed to a one-year deal with the Orlando Magic, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 3, 2021
$5M on the one-year deal, per source. https://t.co/XbQIoY2ROp
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 3, 2021
Going through all the times that Lopez has expressed his love of Disney would take 10,000 or so words. Instead, here is a collection of some of the high points, like the time he used Goofy in a special Disney edition of the board game Clue…
…or the time he got his hands on the jacket Dick Van Dyke wore in Mary Poppins.
Might be a size larger than Dick Van Dyke, still worth it #DickVanDykeWoreThis #MaryPoppins #Disney #ThatsTheJacket pic.twitter.com/v6gVDTUekW
— Robin Lopez (@rolopez42) February 4, 2015
Back in 2019, Lopez famously (and unknowingly) purchased rare items that were stolen from Disney, and more recently, he’s used his Twitter account to get into debates about Disney movies.
Just because I was arguing about it with somebody*
Lilo & Stitch or Tangled is the best Disney animated feature post 2000 right? With Zootopia in 3rd place…
*Brook, obviously
(Corrected to just Disney because I’m a moron)
— Robin Lopez (@rolopez42) July 22, 2020
Since we’re riling each other up right now and I want to have some fun:
There is no Disney animated feature better than The Muppet Movie (1979). Maybe even no live action Disney flick.
— Robin Lopez (@rolopez42) July 22, 2020
As for his favorite moment in a Disney park, Lopez and his twin brother, Brook, appeared in a video to lay this all out — Robin told a story about going to Animal Kingdom and riding a roller coaster a lot.
Anyway, the basketball fit is a good one — the Magic have a ton of young dudes, and Lopez gives them a veteran frontcourt presence to help shepherd guys like Wendell Carter Jr and Chuma Okeke. But ultimately, anything that gets Robin Lopez to Disney more frequently is something we can get behind 100 percent.