- The Bucks are off to a bit of a slow start this season, but newly-acquired wing Grayson Allen has been a bright spot, averaging 15.4 PPG and 3.9 RPG on .445/.419/.950 shooting in 12 starts (29.3 MPG). Eric Nehm of The Athletic takes a closer look at the impact Allen is having and the chemistry he’s developing with Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Knicks will be looking to pick up a win in Milwaukee on Friday night, but Julius Randle views the Bucks as a success story worth emulating, as Fred Katz of The Athletic details. Milwaukee won a title in Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s eighth season, having patiently built a championship-caliber roster around its star player without making any major splashes on the free agent market.
“It was beautiful to watch simply because the aspect of, they built it from the ground up,” Randle said. “They didn’t put a super team together or whatever it was. These guys were in the mud every day grinding the thing out. They took some lumps along the way there trying to figure it out.”
While the Knicks lack a bona fide superstar on the level of Antetokounmpo, Randle likes the idea of building the roster “organically” and believes that it an eventual breakthrough would be more rewarding.
“(The Bucks) did something that’s very unique, especially in today’s league, as far as building something like that and not putting a bunch of players together,” he said. “They really built it.”
Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:
- Responding to news that Owen Phillips is joining the Knicks‘ coaching analytics team, Seth Partnow of The Athletic notes (via Twitter) that the franchise has gone from one of the league’s smallest analytics departments to one of the largest under president of basketball operations Leon Rose.
- Knicks center Nerlens Noel missed the first six games of the season with what was termed “knee soreness,” but he told reporters today that it was more of a hamstring issue, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.
- The Nets have assigned Nicolas Claxton to the G League as he works his way back from an illness. According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link), Claxton still isn’t ready to play and will just be training and ramping up during his time with Long Island.
- While Claxton probably won’t play in any games for Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, a handful of the team’s rookies are expected to be regulars for the Long Island Nets this season. Chris Milholen of NetsDaily takes a closer look at the Nets‘ developmental plans for Cameron Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe, Kessler Edwards, and David Duke.
Pat Connaughton can become a free agent next summer but he’s very comfortable playing for the Bucks, Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes. Connaughton feels his versatility is valued by the defending champions.
“I mean, that’s kind of what I’ve hung my hat on my whole career,” he said. “Obviously, high school and college is a different level of basketball than the NBA, but while stats in high school and college piled up for me, it was really about finding ways to win games and I would play any position that was needed. And I think the NBA is the NBA, it’s harder to crack that role. But I found a home here, I found a place where it’s valued and I’ve tried to find ways to impact winning throughout each and every single game.”
Connaughton holds a $5.73MM player option on his contract for next season.
We have more from the Central Division:
- All minutes restrictions regarding Pistons rookie guard Cade Cunningham have been lifted, the Detroit Free Press’ Omari Sankofa II tweets. The top pick in the draft missed the first four games due to an ankle injury and sat out the second game of a back-to-back this weekend. He’s now cleared to play on back-to-back nights. The Pistons face Brooklyn on Friday after playing Philadelphia on Thursday.
- Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro worked out on the court before the team left for Toronto and joined it on the trip over the border, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets. There’s still no official word on his availability for Friday’s game against the Raptors, since he needs to be cleared by the medical staff. Okoro appeared in four games before suffering a left hamstring strain.
- Sixers coach Doc Rivers offered high praise for Bulls center Tony Bradley, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times relays. “He was one of our favorites last year,’’ Rivers said of the former Sixer. “I think it takes a lot of players, and sometimes they never figure it out, what they can do in their role. If they can buy into that and do it great they can have a long career.” Bradley signed a two-year, veteran’s minimum contract with Chicago this summer.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s left knee, which he hyperextended in last season’s playoffs, is still bothering him, he acknowledged on Tuesday night (Twitter link via Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Antetokounmpo is playing through it for now, but the Bucks will likely do their best to manage his workload over the course of the season.
New Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has proven to be a comforting presence on this Chicago roster thanks to his expert late-game play and overall leadership, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
“I think having a guy like DeMar out there, he plays with a pace and a tempo and a poise,” Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said of DeRozan’s on-court contributions. ‘‘He’s a guy that has experienced a lot individually with the way his career has been and also has experienced a lot of winning, so he has been in a lot of different situations.’’
“I’ve been in a lot of games being down big on the road, seeing things happen that’s possible,’’ DeRozan said. ‘‘For me, it’s just keeping that calm, not getting rattled and sharing whatever experience I can to kind of keep us together, as well.’’
The 32-year-old DeRozan, who joined Chicago on a lucrative three-year, $81.9MM contract, is the team’s leading scorer at present, averaging 25.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 4.0 APG, with a fantastic shooting line of .493/.412/.870. The 41.2% three-point shooting percentage may not last forever: a career 28.3% shooter from deep, DeRozan has never finished an NBA season connecting on better than 33.8% of his three-point looks. Nevertheless, should he keep up this output and the Bulls keep winning thanks to the scoring of the small forward and his perimeter running mate Zach LaVine, DeRozan may be in line for his fifth All-Star appearance this season.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- 2021 second-round Bulls draft selection Ayo Dosunmu, taken with the No. 38 pick out of the University of Illinois, is impressing his hometown team, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “He’s got a certain kind of makeup that I think is really special,” Chicago head coach Billy Donovan noted. “He just is fearless.” In Chicago’s latest outing Monday, the 6’5″ rookie shooting guard poured in 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting, and appears to have carved a legitimate spot in Chicago’s rotation with his energetic defense.
- Bucks swingman Khris Middleton has entered the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, per Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Middleton also missed game action for Milwaukee over the weekend due to what appeared to be a non-COVID-19 illness, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). “We thought he had a head cold or some type of non-COVID illness,” head coach Mike Budenholzer said. “And then (he) didn’t feel good again the next day. And got tested and has come back positive (for COVID-19).”
- Tomorrow, Pacers point guard Malcolm Brogdon and swingman Caris LeVert are scheduled to play together for the first time since an April 29 home loss to the Nets, writes David Woods of the Indianapolis Star. Brogdon is recovering from inflamed tissue around his hamstring while LeVert is recuperating from a stress fracture in his back. “There’s not going to be many backcourts as good as us,” Brogdon said.
- The Bucks will visit the White House on November 8, becoming the first team to do so since 2016, Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com reports. Milwaukee will celebrate winning the 2020/21 NBA championship — its first since 1971.
- Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer doesn’t expect Brook Lopez or Jrue Holiday to play this weekend, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (via Twitter). In a follow-up tweet, Nehm relays that Bobby Portis will miss tomorrow’s game as well (reconditioning).
After signing a minimum-salary deal with the Bucks in the offseason, Semi Ojeleye has had his debut with his new team pushed back by a calf injury that he suffered early in training camp. Ojeleye didn’t think it would keep him out long, but he was ultimately on the shelf for nearly a month and is finally set to return to action, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter links).
“Honestly, I was thinking I was going to get back in the next couple days, the next couple days, the next couple days and then it kind of took a little longer than I hoped, but it was all in God’s time and now it’s time to go,” Ojeleye said on Wednesday. He’s expected to be active for tonight’s Bucks game vs. Minnesota.
- The Bucks believe last year’s title could be the first of many, per Jamal Collier of ESPN. With Giannis Antetokounmpo in his prime and a strong supporting cast in place, Milwaukee may be the team to beat for several years. “We definitely have a lot more confidence in ourselves,” Khris Middleton said. “It’s natural, we should. We are the champs. We’ve been through every type of situation you could go through. So at the same time, you know what to expect. There’s no need to worry about failing because you know what you need to do.”
Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2021 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s offseason moves and look ahead to what the 2021/22 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Milwaukee Bucks.
Free agent signings:
Note: Exhibit 9 and 10 deals aren’t included here.
- Bobby Portis: Two years, $8.91MM. Second-year player option. Re-signed using Non-Bird rights.
- George Hill: Two years, $8MM. Signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.
- Thanasis Antetokounmpo: Two years, minimum salary. Second-year player option. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
- Rodney Hood: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Semi Ojeleye: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Justin Robinson: Two-way contract.
Trades:
- Acquired the draft rights to Sandro Mamukelashvili (No. 54 pick), the draft rights to Georgios Kalaitzakis (No. 60 pick), either the Pacers’, Cavaliers, or Jazz’s 2024 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable), and either the Pacers’ or the Heat’s 2026 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable) from the Pacers in exchange for the draft rights to Isaiah Todd (No. 31 pick).
- Note: If the Cavaliers’ and Jazz’s 2024 second-round picks are the two most favorable of the three, the Bucks would acquire the least favorable of those two picks.
- Acquired Grayson Allen and cash ($1MM) from the Grizzlies in exchange for Sam Merrill, either the Pacers’, Cavaliers, or Jazz’s 2024 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable), and either the Pacers’ or the Heat’s 2026 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable).
- Note: If the Cavaliers’ and Jazz’s 2024 second-round picks are the two most favorable of the three, the Grizzlies would acquire the least favorable of those two picks.
Draft picks:
- 2-54: Sandro Mamukelashvili
- Signed to two-year, two-way contract.
- 2-60: Georgios Kalaitzakis
- Signed to three-year, minimum-salary contract. First year partially guaranteed. Second and third years non-guaranteed. Signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.
Contract extensions:
- Grayson Allen: Two years, $17,000,000 (base value). Includes $2.55MM in incentives. Starts in 2022/23.
Departing players:
- Elijah Bryant
- Mamadi Diakite
- Bryn Forbes
- Justin Jackson
- Sam Merrill
- Jeff Teague
- Axel Toupane
- P.J. Tucker
Other offseason news:
- Signed head coach Mike Budenholzer to three-year contract extension.
- Signed general manager Jon Horst to a long-term contract extension.
Salary cap situation:
- Remained over the cap and above the tax line.
- Carrying approximately $155.5MM in salary.
- $964,742 of taxpayer mid-level exception still available ($4,925,258 used on George Hill and Georgios Kalaitzakis).
- Three traded player exceptions available, including one worth $1.62MM.
The Bucks’ offseason:
Following a half-century climb to return to the NBA mountaintop, the Bucks have a new – and just as difficult – challenge: How do they stay on top? For the most part, Milwaukee chose to stick with a winning formula.
The Bucks have the same starting five, including the Big Three of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday. They also re-signed key frontcourt reserve and fan favorite Bobby Portis to a team-friendly two-year deal.
The biggest offseason acquisition, Grizzlies swingman Grayson Allen, was something of a surprise. The Bucks didn’t have to give up much to acquire Allen, who started 38 of 50 regular-season games for Memphis last season. He’ll give the team another perimeter threat (38.0% on 3-point attempts) and a dependable free throw shooter (83.2%). He essentially replaces Bryn Forbes, who knocked down 45.2% of his 3-point tries during his lone season in Milwaukee.
The Bucks thought enough of Allen to hand him a tw0-year extension that can be worth up to $19.55MM. That deal, finalized right before the October 18 deadline, gave the Bucks some coverage in case they don’t re-sign Donte DiVincenzo as a restricted free agent next summer.
Milwaukee didn’t show much interest in re-signing 36-year-old P.J. Tucker, even though Tucker averaged 29.6 MPG during the championship run. The Bucks instead chose to add Semi Ojeleye, who’s 10 years younger than Tucker. Ojeleye was a rotation player with Boston for the last four seasons, and while he won’t contribute much offensively, he’s a versatile defender.
George Hill is back for a second stint with the organization. The 35-year-old Hill will back up Holiday after the Bucks chose not to re-sign Jeff Teague. The club also took a flyer on swingman Rodney Hood, a 36.7% 3-point shooter whose career has been sidetracked by injuries, most notably an Achilles tear in December 2019.
GM Jon Horst and head coach Mike Budenholzer were rewarded with long-term extensions for a job well done.
The Bucks’ season:
The Bucks caught some breaks during their postseason run and had the talent and toughness to take advantage of their good fortune.
If Kevin Durant hadn’t stepped on the 3-point line in Game 7 at the end of regulation, the Bucks would have gone home after the conference semifinals and Budenholzer would probably have been seeking other employment. Milwaukee also got favorable matchups in the final two rounds, downing a pair of upstart contenders without significant playoff experience – the Hawks and Suns – in the Eastern Finals and NBA Finals.
There’s no reason for Milwaukee to be anything but a major contender to win it all again. The team has a two-time MVP in the prime of his career flanked by two All-Star caliber veterans. The chemistry of the first unit is undeniable and the Bucks’ continuity will make it nearly impossible to rattle them when they enter the postseason this spring.
Still, there are some questions, namely whether the second unit has enough answers to keep the starters from getting gassed by the end of the 82-game grind. As a taxpaying team, the Bucks don’t have a lot of leeway to make in-season adjustments. They may need to explore the buyout market after the trade deadline to fortify the bench.
Provided they stay generally healthy, the Bucks will provide their fans with plenty more thrills this season, and perhaps another long and rewarding journey to the Finals.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post. Luke Adams contributed to this post.