Milwaukee Bucks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bucks Apply For Disabled Player Exception

December 16th, 2025 at 6:26pm CST by Rory Maher

The Bucks have applied for a disabled player exception in the wake of a major injury to Taurean Prince, who underwent neck surgery last month to address a herniated disk, league sources tell Eric Nehm of The Athletic (via Twitter).

Nehm’s report suggests the Bucks think Prince, who is officially out indefinitely, will miss the remainder of the season. While that may end up being the case, it hasn’t been confirmed yet, since the request has not yet been granted by the NBA.

An NBA team becomes eligible for a disabled player exception when one of its players sustains an injury that is considered more likely than not to sideline him through June 15 of that league year.

A disabled player exception doesn’t grant the team an extra roster spot, but it generates some additional cap flexibility. The exception can be used to acquire a player on an expiring contract via trade or waiver claim, or to sign a free agent to a one-year deal.

The value of the disabled player is equivalent to either the non-taxpayer mid-level exception or half of the injured player’s salary, whichever is lesser. Prince’s cap hit is $3,303,774, well below the MLE, and if the DPE is granted, it would only be worth $1,651,887.

Still, there’s no reason for Milwaukee to not apply for the disabled player exception, particularly if the team thinks Prince will miss the rest of the year. The value may be relatively modest, but it’s another potential tool for the Bucks to work with as they consider roster changes.

Jerami Grant Among Possible Targets On Bucks’ Radar

December 16th, 2025 at 1:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Echoing recent reporting from Marc Stein and Eric Nehm, Jake Fischer writes in his latest story for the Stein Line Substack that the Bucks are conveying to rival teams that they’d prefer to upgrade their roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo rather than move their superstar forward.

One rival general manager who spoke to Fischer even suggested the Bucks are giving the impression that “they’re going big-game hunting” on the trade market.

Whether Milwaukee will maintain that stance by the February 5 trade deadline remains to be seen. As Fischer writes, some teams believe they’ll eventually pivot and become sellers, and many executives around the league think it would be in the Bucks’ best long-term interests to move Antetokounmpo sooner rather than later, even if he doesn’t request a trade.

For now though, given the Bucks’ lack of tradable draft picks, Fischer suggests that if they do pursue an upgrade, it might make sense to target a player whose contract isn’t especially team-friendly, since the cost would be lower. Kings guard Zach LaVine is one player who fits that bill and has been linked to Milwaukee. According to Fischer, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant is another player who has been on the team’s radar, both this season and in past years.

Grant is earning $32MM in 2025/26 and is owed another $70.6MM for the two seasons after this one. He had a down year in ’24/25, but has bounced back this fall, with averages of 20.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on .438/.395/.863 shooting through his first 25 outings.

Grant’s value has likely rebounded to some extent as a result of his strong start, and Fischer notes that general manager Joe Cronin has long been a fan of the veteran forward. Still, his contract probably isn’t considered to have positive value, so the idea of trading for Grant and perhaps seeking a draft pick in the deal (the Blazers control a handful of future Milwaukee picks as a result of the Damian Lillard trade) could appeal to the Bucks.

Heat forward Andrew Wiggins and Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray are two other players who have piqued the Bucks’ interest in the past, according to Fischer, who hears from sources that Milwaukee “regularly” called Golden State about Wiggins before he was dealt to Miami last season and also spoke to Atlanta about Murray before he was sent to New Orleans. Murray hasn’t played yet in 2025/26 due to a torn Achilles, but the Pelicans are hopeful he could return as soon as next month, per Fischer.

Fischer identifies Lakers guard Marcus Smart and Mavericks forward P.J. Washington as two more players the Bucks have previously had interest in, but acknowledges that Los Angeles is unlikely to move one of its best defenders, while Washington isn’t trade-eligible this season after recently signing an extension in Dallas.

Although Fischer doesn’t mention either player specifically, at least one of forward Kyle Kuzma ($22.4MM) or new center Myles Turner ($25.3MM) would almost certainly have to be part of any significant Bucks deal not involving Giannis. Outside of Antetokounmpo ($54.1MM), they’re the only players on the roster earning more than $13.5MM this season.

Raptors Rumors: Poeltl, Davis, Gafford, Bitadze, Sabonis, More

December 16th, 2025 at 12:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have signaled to potential trade partners that they’re interested in upgrading their frontcourt, but they’re not looking to part with current center Jakob Poeltl in a potential deal, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Poeltl, who signed an extension in the offseason and will become trade-eligible on January 7, has struggled to perform at his usual level this fall — his 10.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game are his lowest marks since 2020/21, and his on/off numbers haven’t been nearly as strong as in the past. He has been battling a nagging back issue, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter video link), who confirmed during a TV appearance that Toronto would ideally like to add more frontcourt depth while hanging onto Poeltl.

Whether the Raptors look to add a minor depth piece or are prepared to roll the dice on a higher-impact (and higher-salary) player could come down to how they perform in the coming weeks, leading up to the February 5 trade deadline, Fischer writes.

According to Fischer, the Raptors and Hawks are viewed as the teams that have had the most interest in Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, with Atlanta viewed as a longer shot due to the fact that Dallas likely wouldn’t have much interest in Trae Young or Kristaps Porzingis as the centerpiece of a deal. The Hawks also have “zero intention” of including their valuable 2026 first-round pick (the most favorable of the Bucks’ and Pelicans’ selections) in an offer, Fischer adds.

While that could open up the door for the Raptors to become the frontrunner for Davis, Lewenberg – echoing earlier reporting from Michael Grange – suggests Toronto may have more interest in another Mavs big man, Daniel Gafford, and have “already checked in” on Gafford. Like Grange, Lewenberg also mentions Magic center Goga Bitadze as a possible target for the Raptors.

If the Raptors do aim higher, Davis isn’t their only potential target. Fischer hears from sources with knowledge of the team’s thinking that Toronto also has some interest in Kings center Domantas Sabonis, and adds that the Raptors would likely be among the teams inquiring on Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo if he ends up on the trade block.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

According to Lewenberg, the odds of the Raptors making an in-season deal are “pretty high.” Besides seeking frontcourt help, the team would also like to avoid being a taxpayer, Lewenberg explains. Toronto is currently operating over the tax line by less than $1MM.
If the Raptors make a “smaller-scale type of deal,” swingmen like Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick would be probable trade candidates, per Lewenberg, who notes that the club has a logjam on the wing.
Lewenberg also points out that the Raptors have all their future first-round picks available if they decide to take a bigger swing on the trade market. The only future pick Toronto has traded away is its 2031 second-rounder (the club also owes its 2026 second-rounder to Indiana, but it’s top-55 protected, so it’s unlikely to change hands).

Raptors Notes: Giannis, AD, Trade Options, Barrett, Battle

December 15th, 2025 at 7:38pm CST by Rory Maher

The Raptors are one of only seven NBA teams that fully control all of their own future first-round picks, which is why they can’t be ruled out as a potential suitor for Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, or any other star who comes available in the future, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic.

However, Koreen argues Toronto should avoid both Antetokounmpo and Davis because the Raptors still wouldn’t be good enough to contend for a title after the potential acquisition.

A deal for Antetokounmpo would likely start with the Bucks asking for Scottie Barnes and draft picks, Koreen writes, and while Barnes is probably unlikely to ever reach Antetokounmpo’s level as a perennial MVP candidate, he’s also nearly seven years younger, makes less money, and has a less extensive injury history. There’s also the significant question of whether Antetokounmpo or the Bucks would be open to the idea.

If Barnes isn’t involved, Koreen continues, the Raptors could try to offer a package of RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, Collin Murray-Boyles and picks; ignoring whether the Bucks would accept such a trade, Toronto would be left without a true center, the team’s primary position of weakness, would have less depth, and fewer ways to improve the roster going forward.

Davis would certainly cost less to acquire from an asset standpoint, considering he’s older, less impactful, and has a longer injury history than Antetokounmpo, Koreen notes. But the trade would still require giving up two starters to make the money work, hurting the Raptors’ depth, and although Davis is obviously a major upgrade over Poeltl, he doesn’t like to play center and they share a couple of weaknesses (contract situations and injuries), Koreen observes.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca covers similar ground, writing that Davis would probably make more sense to pursue from a cost-acquisition standpoint, but noting that there are logical reasons why a deal might not appeal to Toronto, Dallas or Davis. While it remains to be seen whether or not the Raptors will target a major move, they will certainly be active ahead of the February 5 deadline — they’re currently less than $1MM above the luxury tax line and will undoubtedly dip below that threshold in some fashion, per Grange.
As for potential trade targets, Grange suggests the Raptors try packaging some combination of Ochai Agbaji and other salaries to find a backup center who is also capable of filling in as a starter when Poeltl is unavailable, as Sandro Mamukelashvili is more of a “face-up power forward” than a true big man. The Raptors have expressed some interest in Davis’ teammate Daniel Gafford in the past, according to Grange, who says the “most enticing” hypothetical trade target might be Magic center Goga Bitadze. Grange lists five other big men the Raptors could consider as well.
Barrett, who has been sidelined since November 24 due to a right knee sprain, will return to basketball activities sometime this week, the Raptors announced on Monday (Twitter link via Grange). Barrett received a PRP injection to promote healing in his knee last week. The Toronto native is the team’s third-leading scorer.
Second-year sharpshooter Jamison Battle, who sprained his left ankle on Dec. 5 and missed the past two games, was active for Monday’s contest at Miami, tweets Zulfi Sheikh of Sportsnet. Battle is only averaging 8.1 minutes per game across 17 appearances, but he has been highly efficient offensively in a very small sample size; he is 12-for-15 on twos (80%) and 13-for-22 on threes (59.1%).

Bucks Not Ready To Wave White Flag, Could Make Major Move

December 15th, 2025 at 1:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bucks are floundering but they’re not ready to wave the white flag, The Athletic’s Eric Nehm reports. In fact, Nehm hears the Bucks have told teams they are looking to add to their roster in hopes of fortifying their struggling team.

Milwaukee is 11-16 and Giannis Antetokounmpo is currently sidelined by a calf strain. While speculation has been rampant that Antetokounmpo will eventually ask to be moved, the Bucks are considering making a significant addition that might convince him to stay. Antetokounmpo is signed through the 2027/28 season but the final year of the contract includes a player option.

Milwaukee, of course, made big news during the offseason by waiving and stretching Damian Lillard‘s contract over a five-year period in order to sign one of the top free agents on the market, center Myles Turner.

The Bucks are currently $11.5MM+ below the luxury tax line, according to Spotrac, and $19.5MM below the first tax apron, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks — that wiggle room could prove vital in order to make such a move. Milwaukee has a dearth of wings, especially with Taurean Prince currently out with a neck injury, and an overload of guards at 6’5” and under. The Bucks have already been named as one of the teams eying the Kings’ Zach LaVine.

Their most logical path for an upgrade, according to Nehm, would be to take on more money from a team looking to shed salary. That could entail swapping players with similar cap hits and taking on a longer-term contract or acquiring a player who carries a bigger cap hit this season from a team with luxury tax issues or tax apron concerns.

Complicating matters prior to this season’s trade deadline is that the Bucks have only one first-round pick to dangle (either 2031 or 2032).

Doc Rivers Disappointing With Effort After Loss In Brooklyn

December 15th, 2025 at 9:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bucks may be at a crisis point following Sunday’s 45-point loss at Brooklyn, suggests Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Players had talked about needing to build momentum following Thursday’s win over Boston, but they turned in one of their worst performances of the season and are barely holding on to the East’s final play-in spot. “That was disappointing, probably one of the more disappointing games I’ve ever been involved in with the way we performed and competed,” coach Doc Rivers said. “And we wanted to blame everybody but ourselves. We’re blaming the refs. We’re looking at each other. No one wanted to play hard. We got a lot of soul-searching to do.”

Stein’s Latest: Antetokounmpo, Lakers, Porzingis, Johnson, Spencer

December 14th, 2025 at 8:05pm CST by Eli Cohen

Not much has changed on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade front, Marc Stein writes in his latest article for the Stein Line (Substack link). However, according to Stein, there have been some indications which teams would – and wouldn’t – become players for Antetokounmpo should the Bucks, who lost by 45 points to the Nets on Sunday, make him available.

Teams are waiting for signals from the Bucks that they are open for business, but those signals have yet to come, according to Stein, who hears there have actually been whispers that Milwaukee will actually go the opposite way and look to reinforce the roster around its superstar forward.

If Antetokounmpo does end up on the trade block, some of the teams best positioned to pursue him may not enter the mix. Stein suggests there’s a “growing belief” that the Spurs, Rockets, and Thunder are happy with their current cores and won’t be looking to break them up to try to land the two-time MVP.

We have more from Stein:

The Lakers‘ loss to the Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs in the NBA Cup quarterfinals helped emphasize L.A.’s dire need for perimeter on-ball defenders, Stein writes. “I think being able to contain the basketball is probably the most difficult thing for our team right now,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said after that game. According to Stein’s sources, the Lakers are hoping to target three-and-D players at the trade deadline, but the player pool – beyond Kings guard Keon Ellis – is relatively limited for now. Stein also notes that Los Angeles’ preferences in any deal would be to bring in a player on a similar age timeline as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, who are 26 and 27, respectively.
Any major moves made by the Hawks during this trade deadline are expected to include Kristaps Porzingis‘ $30.7MM expiring deal, Stein reports. However, he notes the recent announcement that Porzingis would miss the next two weeks due to an unspecified illness could complicate a potential deal, given the similar health problems that limited the Latvian big man during the 2025 playoffs.
Jalen Johnson is expected to be off-limits in any trade talks for the Hawks. Johnson posted his fourth-straight triple-double on Sunday night, which Stein notes (via Twitter) ties Nikola Jokic for the longest streak this season. Johnson has been instrumental in keeping Atlanta competitive with Trae Young having been limited to just five games this season due to a knee injury. The Hawks have posted a 12-9 record without Young, and Johnson has averaged 23.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game in that span.
Warriors guard Pat Spencer is viewed as a near lock to have his two-way contract converted to a guaranteed deal, Stein writes. Entering Sunday, Spencer has been active for all 26 Golden State games, meaning he’s over halfway to his 50-game limit. The third-year guard is posting career-highs across the board, averaging 7.7 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.6 rebounds in 16.4 minutes per game on .457/.424/.900 shooting splits. The Warriors currently have a full 15-man roster and are only operating about $264K below their hard cap, so they’ll need to make another move before they’re able to convert Spencer.

Concerns About Aprons, Depth Making Teams Warier Of Highly Paid Vets

December 12th, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

As teams around the NBA weigh potential trades or signings that would add a maximum-salary (or near-max) veteran to their roster, they’ve become increasingly wary of navigating the tax aprons, as well as maintaining enough flexibility to build a deep roster, according to executives who spoke to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps.

“There are two major shifts happening,” a Western Conference general manager explained to Windhorst. “We have everyone being very mindful of the aprons and carefully slotting their players to fit. Then you have the nature of the game, where you need deep rosters to play this volume of games at the speed the league is playing.”

Stars are still considered vital to building a championship-caliber roster, Windhorst writes, but front offices are more concerned than ever about the potential availability of a player who will be earning upwards of 30-35% of the salary cap, as well as the cost of acquiring and retaining that player, in terms of either salary, draft picks, or both.

“The max-level guys who make tons of money can’t play as many minutes as they could before, so they become less valuable,” an Eastern Conference executive told Bontemps. “You can’t be committing that much of your money to guys who won’t play at all or cannot sustain the same number of games and minutes.”

“You just can’t paper over a guy on your roster that isn’t delivering value at the highest levels,” another Eastern exec added, per Bontemps. “You can manage missing the lower-end guys, but the long-term salaries making $30, $40, $50 million? There’s no getting over that. Those guys bury you in this system.”

Windhorst recently broached this topic in an episode of The Hoop Collective podcast, expressing some skepticism that there will be teams willing to make massive offers for Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, in today’s ESPN article, Windhorst acknowledges that Antetokounmpo – a two-time MVP who is on the wrong side of 30, is on a super-max contract, and will likely warrant another huge extension in the near future – is among the potential exceptions, writing that the “old rules” still apply to a player of that caliber.

“I don’t think you’d see 29 teams make an offer like if, say, Victor (Wembanyama) was available, but there would be plenty of interest (in Antetokounmpo) and probably two to three teams would be willing to go all-in right now,” an East executive told ESPN. “Every player has risk, and he’d have some risk, but this is one you don’t have to work too hard to talk yourself into.”

Conversely, Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, whose 2025/26 salary is identical to Antetokounmpo’s and who is a year-and-a-half older, is the sort of player whose market would be less robust due to concerns about his availability and the percentage of a team’s cap he’d take up, says Bontemps.

“For a guy like Anthony Davis,” a Western Conference executive said, “it’s hard to justify them getting a 35 percent max when they aren’t playing a ton of minutes and games.”

Execs around the NBA may view Philadelphia as a cautionary tale. The Sixers are paying Joel Embiid and Paul George a combined $107MM this season — they’ve appeared in nine and eight games, respectively, and haven’t performed at their usual level.

Bontemps also points to Kings center Domantas Sabonis, Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen as examples of players whose recent pay raises might make some teams less inclined to give up significant hauls for them if they were available. Sabonis will make $94MM in the two seasons after this one; Jackson has a four-year, $205MM extension starting in 2026; and Markkanen will make nearly $50MM annually through 2028/29.

“On their last contracts, they had good value,” an executive said of that trio. “(Now) they are all at a whole new threshold, where you look at them totally differently.”

While front offices may be proceeding with an abundance of caution on certain trade targets, that doesn’t mean that every star who ends up on the trade block will be available at a discount. Even for players with red flags, there could always be one team willing to make a more aggressive offer than what 28 others would consider rational. Still, Windhorst and Bontemps suggest this evolving league-wide sentiment is a factor that could impact the NBA’s trade market going forward.

“The aprons are causing people to think and act differently,” a scout told ESPN. “But there will always be teams that decide to strike while the irons are hot. … It’s an even bigger risk-reward calculation than it has ever been.”

Central Notes: Giannis, Bucks, Cavs, Pistons, Duren

December 12th, 2025 at 12:33pm CST by Luke Adams

While trade speculation surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo has picked up again this month, a number of rival executives around the NBA believe there may not be resolution on the Bucks star until the offseason, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The outlook on Antetokounmpo could change if he makes an explicit trade request ahead of the February 5 deadline, Amick acknowledges, but he notes that teams would be better positioned to make a blockbuster deal during the summer, when they have more cap and roster flexibility and there’s less mystery surrounding draft picks.

Asked this week about the rumors swirling around his teammate, Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. referred to them as “false information,” per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link).

“At the end of the day, everyone needs to wait until Giannis says something,” Porter said. “Because all this is just he say, she say, and I guarantee when we start winning as we go 8-0, 9-0, you won’t see nothing about the Bucks. You won’t see, ‘Oh, the Bucks are 8-0, 9-0, they’re flourishing and Giannis is…’ We’re not going to see any of that positive news. So at least for me, this is the last time I’m going to answer anything false.”

We have more from around the Central:

The Bucks, who vowed during their four-day layoff to remain competitive and get back in the playoff picture with Antetokounmpo inactive, backed up those comments on Thursday with a 116-101 win over Boston. After scoring 31 points in that game, Kyle Kuzma said the 11-15 team still has plenty of work to do, according to Nehm. “We gotta do it again,” Kuzma said. “This all does not mean anything if we come out soft (the next game). If we come out not playing hard, then we’re two steps back. … Be aggressive, both ends.”
The Cavaliers have had five days off since losing to Golden State last Saturday, but that hiatus was hardly a vacation. As Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required) details, the team – which is off to an underwhelming 14-11 start – held an “uncomfortable” film session on Tuesday in which head coach Kenny Atkinson didn’t hold back his criticism. “He just called us out,” forward De’Andre Hunter said. “He broke down exactly what we needed to do, exactly what we haven’t been good at. We watched it. As a whole team, it’s not the easiest thing to see when you’re not doing well, but we saw a lot of that. It was definitely a tough, tough, hard film session. But I think we needed it. I think it’s gonna help us in the long run.”
In a mailbag for Pistons.com, Keith Langlois explores whether there’s room in the Pistons‘ rotation for Marcus Sasser, considers what Jaden Ivey‘s role will look like going forward, and explains why he’s dubious about the idea that Detroit would make a real play for Anthony Davis this season.
Esfandiar Baraheni of The Athletic (video link) breaks down film to explain how center Jalen Duren has emerged as the Pistons‘ second star ahead of his restricted free agency in 2026.

Central Notes: Davis, Prince, Jackson, Robinson-Earl

December 11th, 2025 at 7:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons have been mentioned as a possible suitor for Anthony Davis but The Detroit Free Press’ Omari Sankofa II (subscription required) doubts Detroit will make a deal for the Mavericks big man.

According to Sankofa’s sources, the Pistons haven’t had discussions with the Mavericks regarding a trade for Davis. Moreover, it appears unlikely the Pistons will be among the teams looking to acquire him.

Sankofa notes Davis’ age, salary and injury history make him an awkward fit on a team loaded with young players. He also points out that the front office isn’t eager to make the roster both older and more expensive, especially with restricted free agent Jalen Duren potentially signing a huge new deal in the summer.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

It has been nearly a month since Bucks forward Taurean Prince underwent neck surgery. He spoke about the procedure for the first time on Thursday following a shootaround. “It was definitely a tough process, definitely tough getting the news,” he said, per Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “The only way to hoop again would be to get the surgery. So, that was my mindset from the jump. And really just taking everything in and knowing how serious of a situation it was, so just being thankful that I’m still here to speak and be able to have an opportunity to hoop again. I’m gonna play again, for sure.” Prince, who holds a $3.81MM option on his contract for next season, is still unable to do any physical activity but is looking forward to eventually returning to action. “I still feel like I got a lot in the tank,” he said. “I’m only 31. God blessed me with these talents so I feel like I should exert ‘em till the end. And after that I’ll have plenty of life to live and plenty of time to be a great husband and a great dad.”
Pacers guard Quenton Jackson is playing for the G League’s Noblesville Boom tonight and then will rejoin the NBA team in Philadelphia on Friday, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star tweets. Jackson hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since he suffered a hamstring strain on Nov. 3. Jackson’s ramp up to action is going well, coach Rick Carlisle told Dopirak. Jackson is listed as questionable for Friday’s contest.
Veteran forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is pondering his options after he was waived by the Pacers on Wednesday, Carlisle told Dopirak (Twitter link). One of those options is for Robinson-Earl to join the Boom in the G League. Robinson-Earl averaged 4.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in 17 appearances (17.6 MPG) for Indiana but fell out of the team’s rotation this month.