Bucks Rumors

Central Notes: Kuzma, Hardaway, Haliburton, White

March 23rd, 2025 at 1:45pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma is adjusting to life on a competitive club after his years with the rebuilding Wizards, as he told Mark Medina of Sportskeeda in a recent interview.

“I haven’t found my total offensive groove,” Kuzma said. “But I’ve been able to be competitive. Defense and rebounding is something that I do really, really well. So that’s what made an impact. It’s just about being able to compete. That’s the best thing for me. And it’s something that I’m very happy to do, especially with this group of people. We’re only going to be better.”

In his 21 contests with Milwaukee so far, the 6’9″ vet is averaging 14.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 2.0 APG. He’s shooting a middling .437/.295/.671, a far cry from the shooting efficacy of beloved former Bucks wing Khris Middleton — although Kuzma provides a major athletic and defensive advantage over Middleton at this stage in their careers.

Kuzma also has a health and availability edge over Middleton, though he continues to be affected by a left ankle sprain he sustained on March 5, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

“I’ve been playing on one leg for like the last three weeks,” Kuzma said. “I think the OKC game, I felt pretty good. And then felt much better in Golden State and then felt the best I’ve felt since before that Dallas game where I sprained it.”

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Floor-spacing veteran Pistons swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. spoke with Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda at length about his new role on a rising young playoff hopeful. “Just being one of the designated shooters for the team really helps the guard play, especially with [Cade Cunningham],” Hardaway told Afseth. “It helps space the floor—not only for myself, but also for [Tobias Harris], [Malik Beasley], and a lot of other guys that came in with that. So just having that positive impact, bringing that maturity, and having multiple guys who understand what it takes to win ball games—guys who’ve been playing at a high level for many years—that’s key.”
Two-time All-Star Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton returned to the lineup Saturday against Brooklyn following lingering back issues, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). It was his first action in a week. “I’ve had back issues my whole life,” Haliburton said. “I’ve worked really hard to try to get rid of it and try to do everything we can. Sometimes my body reacts in certain ways. There was a couple of plays in the Bucks game when I got twisted in the air… It felt bad for like a week.”
Bulls guard Coby White has been on a scoring tear of late, averaging 29.4 PPG across his last 10 contests. In a conversation with Afseth of Sportskeeda, the 25-year-old unpacked his breakout season. “It was just about improving on a lot of different things,” White said. “The summer is long, especially since we didn’t make the playoffs, so I had a lot of time to work.” In 64 healthy bouts for the 31-40 Bulls, the UNC alum is averaging a career-high 20.0 PPG, plus 4.4 APG, 3.6 RPG and 1.0 SPG. He has also taken on more of a leadership role while looking to score more regularly since Chicago traded Zach LaVine to Sacramento last month.

Central Notes: Mitchell, Slumping Cavs, Cunningham, Lillard

March 22nd, 2025 at 10:06am CST by Tristan Tucker

Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell is owning responsibility for Cleveland’s current losing streak, which extended to four games on Friday in Phoenix, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes (subscription required).

“Put this on me,” Mitchell said. “When your leader ain’t doing [expletive], this is what happens. If I’m not being who I need to be then we’re not going to get to where we want to get to. So, until that happens — and it will — yeah, if you’re looking for where to point, it’s right here.”

Since the beginning of March, Mitchell is shooting 32.9% from the field and 17.9% on three-pointers, compared to 44.1% and 37.0% on the season, Fedor adds. In their four straight losses, he’s down to 18.5 PPG on 29.6% shooting.

“I’ve been like this for the past four games, and we’ve lost four straight,” Mitchell said. “I have to be better. Simple as that. We have to guard better. We have to rebound. [Expletive] all that. It’s on me. I have to be better for the group. I’ve been good for the group all year. But this is on me. There really is nowhere else to look. I will be better.“

We have more from the Central Division:

The Cavaliers‘ Friday loss represents their lowest point of the season, Fedor writes in another story (subscription required). Cleveland has given up at least 120 points three times in its last four losses and ranks in the bottom half of the league defensively this month. Meanwhile, the scorching-hot offense that overshadowed any defensive shortcomings earlier in the year has faltered as of late. Of course, the Cavaliers still hold a five-game lead over the second-place Celtics in the East, but they’ll want to right the ship in the coming weeks to regain some momentum entering the postseason.
Wednesday’s performance against the Heat was the pinnacle of Pistons star Cade Cunningham‘s young career, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic opines. Cunningham recorded team highs in points (25), rebounds (12) and assists (11) as he notched a triple-double and knocked down his first career game-winning three-pointer. The former No. 1 overall pick felt the game was a culmination of everything he has been through, including the 28 straight losses the Pistons endured last season and the injury that limited him to 12 games in his sophomore season. “It’s still early though, I feel like,” Cunningham said. “I still feel like there’s so much to do. There’s still so much that I haven’t experienced.“
Bucks star Damian Lillard missed Thursday’s game against the Lakers due to calf soreness, per NBA insider Chris Haynes, and he’ll also miss Saturday’s tilt in Sacramento, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter links). It’s the first time since late December that Lillard had to miss consecutive games. He’s averaging 24.9 points and 7.1 assists per game in his age-34 season. Guard Ryan Rollins drew the start on Thursday in Lillard’s absence.

Eastern Notes: Bucks, Okogie, Raptors, Cavs, Wizards

March 19th, 2025 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers met after Tuesday’s loss to Golden State with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, who reports (via Twitter) that the session served as an “open forum” for the Bucks stars to share ideas for how to get the team out of its recent slump.

As Haynes notes, the Bucks have lost five of their last seven games and have struggled on offense during that time, including scoring a season-low 93 points vs. Golden State in Tuesday’s defeat. Haynes describes Tuesday’s post-game meeting as “productive.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Veteran wing Josh Okogie got off to a good start in Charlotte after being traded to the Hornets in January, registering a +16.3 net rating in his first 149 minutes with the team. He has missed the past 23 games due to a left hamstring strain, but appears to be nearing a return. He was assigned to the G League on Tuesday to practice with the Greensboro Swarm before being recalled to the NBA team, per Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter links).
The Raptors have won six of their past nine games and have been buoyed during that stretch by strong performances from players on two-way or 10-day contracts, including Jared Rhoden, A.J. Lawson, and Colin Castleton. What useful information might Toronto glean from this late-season hot streak? Michael Grange of Sportsnet considers that question, exploring how the team can separate the signal from the noise.
After losing a second consecutive game in a row on Tuesday, the Cavaliers are now tied with Oklahoma City for the NBA’s best record at 56-12 and won’t have a shot at 70 wins unless they don’t lose again this season. Neither earning the league’s top seed or winning 70 regular season games is a top priority for the Cavs heading into the playoffs though, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. The team’s two primary objectives? “To be healthy and playing great basketball,” according to head coach Kenny Atkinson.
The Wizards are the latest team to cut back on minutes for their veterans, presumably in an effort to tank, writes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. Jordan Poole and Khris Middleton each played just 10:31 in Monday’s loss to Portland and didn’t appear at all in the second half, even though it wasn’t part of a back-to-back set.

Draymond Green Believes He Has Strong DPOY Case

March 19th, 2025 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors forward Draymond Green was a huge factor in Tuesday’s in over Milwaukee, racking up 10 defensive rebounds, four blocks, and two steals while serving as the primary defender on Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored just 20 points on 5-of-16 shooting.

After Golden State’s victory, Green told reporters, including Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN, that he believes he’s making a strong case for Defensive Player of the Year consideration.

“Obviously, if we keep winning and close this year out strong, most definitely,” Green said. “I look around the league and don’t see many players impacting the game on the defensive end the way I do. I don’t see many players completely throwing off an entire team’s offense the way I do. One thousand percent.

“Especially with Wemby (Victor Wembanyama) going down, seemed like he had it won. And now it is right there. So, one million percent I have a case, and I will continue to build that case for these next 13 games. Tonight was a prime example of that.”

The Bucks’ 93 points on Tuesday represented a season low for the team, Youngmisuk writes, while Antetokounmpo had his worst shooting night in over two years. According to NBA.com’s tracking data, Giannis made 0-of-7 field goal attempts when Green was his primary defender, prompting head coach Steve Kerr to refer to the forward’s performance as “incredible.”

“To hold him to five field goals, Draymond showed why he is still one of the great defenders in the world,” Kerr said. “It wasn’t just the defense; it was the leadership, the energy.”

As Green pointed out, the Defensive Player of the Year race looks wide open following Wembanyama’s season-ending injury. Evan Mobley, Dyson Daniels, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Luguentz Dort are among the frontrunners, but none of those candidates have gained the same sort of narrative momentum Wembanyama had (though betting odds favor Mobley).

Green doesn’t rank among the league’s top 20 in defensive categories like steals (1.4) or blocks (1.1) per contest, but he made it clear on Tuesday he believes his impact on a game goes far beyond box-score numbers.

“You got some people that have a vote on the East Coast that probably see us play four times a year,” Green said. “And if you look at the stats, you be like, ‘Oh, Draymond averages one steal and a block.’ Those numbers don’t jump off the page at you. But you watch me play and then ask the opposing coach what did I do to (their) offense? It’s a different story.

“This award is widely based off statistics, and those statistics don’t always tell the story … But I want another one, and I ain’t retired yet. I still got a chance.”

In order to ensure he qualifies for award consideration, Green will have to play 20-plus minutes in at least 11 of the Warriors’ 13 remaining regular season games.

Bucks’ Jericho Sims Undergoes Thumb Surgery, Out Four Weeks

March 17th, 2025 at 6:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bucks reserve center Jericho Sims underwent surgery on Monday morning to repair a torn ligament on his right thumb, according to a team press release (Twitter link). He is expected to be sidelined for approximately four weeks with a likely return for the playoffs, the statement adds.

Sims suffered the thumb injury on Saturday against the Pacers, but had initially planned to play through it. He finished the game against Indiana and suited up on Sunday against Oklahoma City, playing 12 scoreless minutes with four rebounds.

However, head coach Doc Rivers had indicated before Sunday’s game that the injury wasn’t a minor one and that surgery was one of the treatment options under consideration.

Sims, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, has played 14 games off the bench since the Bucks acquired him in a deadline deal. He’s averaging 2.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15.0 minutes per game with his new team, having earned a rotation role in large part due to Bobby Portis‘ 25-game suspension.

Milwaukee acquired Sims in the four-team deal that sent Khris Middleton to Washington. The former second-round pick out of Texas spent the first three and a half years of his career with the Knicks.

Tyler Smith and Pete Nance could see more playing time the rest of the regular season, as the Bucks are thin at the five spot until Portis’ suspension ends.

Jericho Sims Playing Through Thumb Injury, Surgery A Consideration

March 16th, 2025 at 9:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Bucks backup big man Jericho Sims suffered a right thumb injury on Saturday against the Pacers, but will play through it, at least for the time being. After suffering the injury, which is the team is calling a sprain, he finished the game against Indiana and suited up on Sunday against Oklahoma City.

However, according to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm (Twitter link), when asked on Sunday if Sims will be able to comfortably play through the injury, head coach Doc Rivers replied, “No. It’s a pretty good injury. Probably decisions will have to be made.”

Asked if that means surgery is an option, Rivers continued, “Yeah, it’s a consideration, for sure.”

Milwaukee acquired Sims in the four-team deal that re-routed Khris Middleton to Washington. The big man, who sees rotation minutes off the bench for the Bucks, scored four points and 11 rebounds on Thursday, though most of those numbers were compiled before his injury. In 13 games with Milwaukee entering Sunday, Sims is averaging 2.6 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per night.

Sims got in the first quarter against the Thunder, sporting a brace on his thumb. While the exact plan for Sims is still unclear, given Rivers’ pregame comments, it’s possible the Bucks are evaluating his ability to play through the injury before considering a potential surgery. It’s not uncommon for players to undergo necessary procedures in the offseason if they’re not urgent.

The former second-round pick out of Texas spent the first three and a half years of his career with the Knicks. He’s currently the fourth big in the Bucks’ rotation. If he is to miss any time due to the injury, the Bucks will need to get creative with options to replace his minutes. Tyler Smith and Pete Nance are the only other players on the roster listed 6’10” or above.

Bucks Notes: Giannis, Porter, Sims, Kuzma, Bridgeman

March 16th, 2025 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The battle to be named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player this season has turned into a two-man race, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic considered the heavy favorites to earn the honor. But two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has been arguably just as productive this year as he was in the two seasons he won the award (2018-20), a fact that Bucks head coach Doc Rivers highlighted following Saturday’s victory over Indiana.

“It’s funny, I was talking to one of the better coaches in the league and he brought it up,” Rivers said, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “He said, ‘How the hell is no one talking about Giannis? He is doing different stuff. His assists keep going up. I mean, I don’t know what the guy has to do.'”

Across his two MVP seasons, Antetokounmpo averaged 28.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game, with a 56.6% shooting percentage. Through 54 games this season, the star forward has put up 30.6 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 5.9 APG, and 1.2 BPG on 60.5% shooting.

“I’m not going to campaign (for him to be named MVP),” Rivers continued. “I’m not going to do that, but he is a forgotten guy with what he’s doing for our basketball team.”

Here’s more on the Bucks:

The Pacers won four of five regular season games over Milwaukee a year ago, then knocked the Bucks out of the playoffs in the first round. The two teams currently hold the fourth and fifth spots in the East and could meet in the first round again this spring, so the Bucks recognized the importance of Saturday’s victory, which gave them the tiebreaker edge over Indiana, as well as a one-game lead in the standings. “Obviously, we wanted to get the tiebreaker,” Damian Lillard said, according to Nehm. “And a team that we’ve played so many times over the last two seasons, you know it’s going to be a physical game. It’s gonna be a competitive game … but we were able to pull it out, so that’s what really counts.”
In a separate story for The Athletic, Nehm takes a look at how trade-deadline additions Kevin Porter and Jericho Sims are impacting the Bucks, writing that getting Porter’s ball-control issues in check is a priority. Entering Saturday’s game, the guard had committed multiple turnovers in nine consecutive games despite averaging just 15.6 minutes per night. “That’s non-negotiable,” Rivers said. “Especially late in the season, you just can’t turn the ball over. He knows that, but he’s still doing it right now. But we still want him to be aggressive.” Porter had 16 points and four assists with no turnovers in 19 minutes of action on Saturday.
Of course, the Bucks’ biggest deadline addition was Kyle Kuzma. Jamal Collier of ESPN explores what Kuzma has brought to the team and why general manager Jon Horst believes that the forward’s versatility will make Antetokounmpo and Lillard more dangerous.
As outlined in a report from The Associated Press, the Bucks are wearing patches on their jerseys for the rest of the season to honor Junior Bridgeman, the team’s minority owner and former player who died this past week.

Central Notes: T. Jones, Giannis, Haliburton, Atkinson

March 12th, 2025 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

As an undersized pure point guard who rarely takes three-pointers, Tre Jones doesn’t really fit the Bulls‘ blueprint, but he has impressed the team since being acquired from San Antonio in last month’s Zach LaVine trade, averaging 9.6 points and 3.7 assists per game on .538/.429/.905 shooting in his first 13 outings with Chicago.

“He’s got the ‘it’ factor,” head coach Billy Donovan said of Jones, per Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. “He really does. He’s just a winner. … You can look at size and length for his position and he probably doesn’t have any of those things. But he’s got really good speed. He’s really tough. He’s got a high IQ. He understands competition. He can really stay in the moment and compete.”

Jones played well for San Antonio in 2022/23 and ’23/24 as the Spurs’ primary point guard, putting up averages of 11.4 PPG and 6.4 APG on 48.0% shooting across those two years. But he took a back seat to Chris Paul this season and saw his playing time and production crater before he was dealt to the Bulls at the deadline.

Now, as he nears the end of his current contract, Jones is looking more like his old self, increasing his value ahead of free agency — and potentially making a case for Chicago to retain him, though that will likely depend on the team’s other offseason roster decisions.

“I know he’s going into free agency and we’ll see how that plays out,” Donovan said. “But when you talk about a guy you want to have for 82 nights — and I’m not saying he’s always perfect — but he understands competition. He understands what goes into it. That’s what you want.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

As we outlined last week, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is taking and making mid-range shots at a higher rate this season than he ever has before. Jamal Collier of ESPN digs deeper into that trend, noting that Antetokounmpo wanted to develop a reliable mid-range game in part to reduce the physical pounding his body was taking when he was relying more on playing inside and getting to the basket. “I’m in my thirties, obviously, (and) I believe that I have four (to) six years, still, of good basketball to give, but I got to be smarter,” Antetokounmpo said. “I got to be smarter in the way I play.”
The Pacers went 0-3 with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined due to a hip injury in the past week, culminating with head coach Rick Carlisle, frustrated by how his starters were playing, pulling all five of them at once in the third quarter of Monday’s loss in Chicago, as Dustin Dopriak of The Indianapolis Star details. So it was good news for Indiana that Haliburton was back in action on Tuesday vs. the division-rival Bucks. The star point guard capped his return by completing a ridiculous four-point play in the game’s final seconds to steal a win for the Pacers (Twitter video link). ESPN has the story.
In a subscriber-only story for The New York Post, Brian Lewis takes a look at how Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has grown as a coach since he was “unceremoniously” pushed out the door by the Nets in 2020. “When you’re a first-time coach, you’re searching. You have your thoughts and ideas, but you’re searching for that identity,” said Atkinson, the favorite to be named Coach of the Year this season. “I think later on in Brooklyn as we got to that playoff that third year, I started to know. That’s when I really started (to think), ‘OK, I can coach in this league. I know what I’m doing. I kind of know what our identity is.’ Then the second time around, I was much more comfortable just coming in.”

Bucks Legend, Part Owner Junior Bridgeman Passes Away

March 11th, 2025 at 5:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

6:25pm: Commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement on Bridgeman’s passing:

“I am devastated to learn of the sudden passing of Junior Bridgeman. Junior was the ultimate entrepreneur who built on his impactful 12-year NBA playing career by becoming a highly respected and successful business leader. He served as a mentor to generations of NBA players and athletes across sports who were eager to learn from him about what it takes to thrive in the business world.

“Junior was a dedicated member of the NBA family for 50 years – most recently as a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, an investor in NBA Africa and as a player who set the standard for representing the league and our game with class and dignity. We express our heartfelt condolences to Junior’s wife, Doris, their children, Eden, Justin and Ryan, the Bucks organization, and his many friends and admirers in the basketball community.”

5:57pm: Bucks legend and minority owner Junior Bridgeman died after suffering a medical emergency in Louisville on Tuesday, WHAS11.com reports.

Bridgeman, 71, was speaking during an event at the Galt House in downtown Louisville when he collapsed. He was heard telling someone he thought he was having a heart attack.

Bridgeman was a collegiate star at Louisville, leading the Cardinals to the 1975 national championship game. He had a lengthy NBA career, spanning from 1975-87. The Lakers selected him with the eighth overall pick of the draft but he was traded weeks later in the deal that brought Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Los Angeles.

A sixth man for most of his career, Bridgeman averaged 13.6 points in 849 games. Bridgeman spent most of his career with Milwaukee but also had a two-year stint with the Clippers.

Bridgeman became an extremely successful businessman after his playing career, amassing a reported net worth of over $600MM. Bridgeman purchased a 10% stake in the Bucks franchise last September. He paid approximately $340MM for his minority share.

The Bucks organization issued the following statement:

“The Milwaukee Bucks are shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Bucks legend and owner Junior Bridgeman. Junior’s retired No. 2 jersey hangs in Fiserv Forum, serving as a constant remembrance of his outstanding play on the court and his impact on the Bucks’ success. His hard work and perseverance led him to become one of the nation’s top business leaders and, last September, Junior’s professional life came full circle when he returned to the Bucks family as an owner. His memory will always be an inspiration to the Bucks organization. We are heartbroken by Junior’s passing and we send our deepest condolences to his wife, Doris, his children, Eden, Justin, and Ryan, his entire family and all those close to him.”

Hoops Rumors sends its condolences to the Bridgeman family.

And-Ones: Ellis, Butler Jr., Stretch-Run Goals, Harper, Bailey

March 9th, 2025 at 5:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Indiana Mad Ants, the Pacers’ NBA G League affiliate, acquired the rights to Boogie Ellis from the Stockton Kings in a three-team trade, Sacramento radio reporter Sean Cunningham tweets.

The rookie guard out of USC has made 19 G League appearances this season, including three starts. Ellis averaged 10.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 21.7 minutes per game for Stockton. He participated in Sacramento’s training camp after going undrafted but was waived before the start of the season.

The Mad Ants traded Kyle Mangas to the Austin Spurs, who dealt the returning player rights of Matt Lewis and their 2026 first-round pick to the Stockton Kings.

We have more from around the basketball world:

In more G League news, the Wisconsin Herd (Bucks) acquired the rights to John Butler Jr. from the Capital City Go-Go (Wizards), Milwaukee’s affiliate tweets. The Go-Go received a 2026 first round and 2026 second round pick and the rights to Darryl Morsell. Butler, who started his NBA career with Portland, had a two-way contract with Washington for part of last season. He also participated in Washington’s camp this season but was waived prior to the opener. Butler made 34 appearances, including 10 starts, with the Go-Go this season. He scored 12 points in his first outing with Washington’s affiliate.
What are the stretch-run goals for each NBA team the remainder of this season? The Athletic received input from its various beat writers on that topic. For Cleveland, it’s going for 70 wins. For the Knicks, it’s integrating Mitchell Robinson into the lineup. For Milwaukee, it’s getting home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
While Rutgers had a mediocre season, the Scarlet Knights have two of the premier lottery picks in Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo polled NBA executives on the duo. Harper drew comparisons to All-Star Cade Cunningham, while Bailey was likened to Brandon Miller. Bailey might be the top offensive prospect in the draft and have the highest ceiling of any prospect, according to one executive.

Load More Posts