Milwaukee Bucks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bucks Sign Javin DeLaurier To 10-Day Contract

December 23rd, 2021 at 2:36pm CST by Luke Adams

2:36pm: The Bucks have officially signed DeLaurier, the team announced today in a press release.

1:32pm: The Bucks intend to promote Javin DeLaurier from their G League affiliate, having agreed to sign him to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception, agent Gary Durrant tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

DeLaurier, a 6’10” forward/center, spent four seasons at Duke prior to going undrafted in 2020. He appeared in seven G League games for the Greensboro Swarm – Charlotte’s affiliate – last season and has played 12 games for the Wisconsin Herd in 2021/22.

In 16.6 minutes per game for Milwaukee’s NBAGL squad this season, DeLaurier has averaged 7.8 PPG and 6.8 RPG while shooting 60.0% from the floor.

The Bucks have three players currently in the health and safety protocols, but have yet to sign a replacement player using the hardship exception. DeLaurier’s 10-day deal, which will pay him $53,176, won’t count against Milwaukee’s team salary for cap or tax purposes.

DeMarcus Cousins Finds Rhythm In Win Over Rockets

December 23rd, 2021 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, Bucks center DeMarcus Cousins admitted he was still struggling to find his rhythm while getting “limited practice time (and) limited preparation” between games, as Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. Cousins, who signed with Milwaukee last month, logged a season-high 28 minutes on Wednesday and had his best game of the year, putting up 18 points and eight assists in a win over Houston.

Wesley Matthews Exits Health And Safety Protocols

December 22nd, 2021 at 8:41am CST by Luke Adams

Bucks wing Wesley Matthews is no longer listed in the health and safety protocols, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. Milwaukee still has three players in the protocols, including Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Portis Placed Under Protocols

December 16th, 2021 at 5:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Forward Bobby Portis is the latest Bucks player to be placed under the league’s health and safety protocols, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donte DiVincenzo and Wesley Matthews are already listed out for Friday’s game against the Pelicans for the same reason. Brook Lopez and Semi Ojeleye are injured and Thanasis Antetokounmpo is listed as doubtful due to a right soleus strain. That will leave the Bucks with 10 players if there are no more developments.

Middleton Could Return Friday

December 15th, 2021 at 9:25pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer is hopeful that two-time All-Star Khris Middleton could return as soon as Friday, Eric Nehm of The Athletic relays (Twitter link). Middleton suffered a hyperextended knee on Monday and warmed up prior to Wednesday’s game.

Donte DiVincenzo’s Return Delayed As He Enters COVID-19 Protocols

December 14th, 2021 at 10:48pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Bucks shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo, who had been set to make his season debut on Wednesday against the Pacers, will be instead sidelined a while longer, having being placed in the NBA’s health and safety coronavirus protocols, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

DiVincenzo has been sidelined since undergoing ankle surgery in June during Milwaukee’s title run, but had been planning to play in his first game of the 2021/22 NBA season for the Bucks tomorrow.

The 6’4″ guard is the third Bucks player to enter the league’s COVID-19 protocols today, along with All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and reserve wing Wesley Matthews. Despite some early-season adversity caused by several injury absences (including DiVincenzo’s), the Bucks had appeared to right the ship lately, reaching an 18-11 record thus far.

The Bucks added shooting guard Grayson Allen via trade in the offseason to supplement the anticipated early-season absence of DiVincenzo. While Allen received an incentive-laden two-year contract extension worth up to $19.5MM in October, DiVincenzo didn’t reach an agreement on a rookie scale contract extension with the Bucks in time for the regular season deadline and is poised to become a restricted free agent this summer. The longer the team thrives with Allen, the more expendable DiVincenzo could become in the 2022 offseason.

Middleton Suffers Hyperextension Of Left Knee

December 13th, 2021 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Khris Middleton suffered a hyperextended left knee on Monday but Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer is optimistic the injury isn’t significant, Tim Bontemps of ESPN tweets. “We’ll know more (Tuesday), but I think there’s some hope that it’s not serious,” he said. “But you’ve got to weigh it and give it time.”

Hill Won't Play Both Ends Of Back-To-Backs

December 13th, 2021 at 7:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bucks guard George Hill will not play on consecutive days in the near future, Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. Hill is returning from a hyperextended right knee and sat out the team’s game against Boston on Monday. Hill played the front end of the back-to-back on Sunday, going scoreless in 14 minutes against the Knicks.

Donte DiVincenzo Likely To Return In Reserve Role

December 12th, 2021 at 10:45am CST by Arthur Hill

When Donte DiVincenzo makes his season debut this week, he will return to a Bucks team that has changed since DiVincenzo suffered an ankle injury in the playoffs, notes Brian Sampson of Forbes. The offseason addition of Grayson Allen, who has become a starter in the backcourt and has provided a shooting upgrade, will likely push DiVincenzo into a reserve role, but he remains valuable because of his defense and rebounding.

Bucks’ DiVincenzo To Make Season Debut On Wednesday

December 11th, 2021 at 10:28am CST by Dana Gauruder

Donte DiVincenzo will make his season debut on Wednesday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

DiVincenzo was a fixture in the Bucks’ starting lineup last season while averaging 10.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.1 APG. He suffered a torn ligament in his left ankle during the third game of Milwaukee’s first-round sweep of Miami and underwent surgery in June.

He’s been rehabbing with the G League’s Wisconsin Herd recently while preparing for his return to action.

The Bucks didn’t sign DiVincenzo to a rookie scale extension before the season, so he’ll be a restricted free agent next summer.

DiVincenzo will provide an immediate boost to the Bucks’ backcourt. Grayson Allen has become Jrue Holiday‘s backcourt partner in DiVincenzo’s absence and is averaging 13.0 PPG. Key reserve George Hill has been sidelined the past week with a knee issue.

The Bucks are finishing up a road swing in New York and Boston before returning home to play Indiana on Wednesday.