Milwaukee Bucks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bucks Sign, Waive Henry Ellenson

October 17th, 2024 at 8:04pm CST by Luke Adams

OCTOBER 17: Ellenson has been waived, per NBA.com’s official transaction log, putting him on track to join the Herd this fall.

OCTOBER 16: The Bucks have signed free agent big man Henry Ellenson to a non-guaranteed contract, according to RealGM’s transaction log. It’s an Exhibit 10 deal, Eric Nehm of The Athletic confirms (via Twitter).

The 18th overall pick in the 2016 draft, Ellenson appeared in 83 regular season games for the Pistons, Knicks, Nets, and Raptors from 2016-21. He hasn’t been in the league since his 10-day contract with Toronto expired in March 2021, having competed in Spain and Japan since then.

Although he hasn’t been in the NBA for a while, Ellenson is still just 27 years old and played well in the G League earlier in his career, averaging 20.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 33.9 minutes per game across 73 regular season outings.

In all likelihood, the Bucks’ signing of Ellenson is designed to secure his NBAGL rights and to ensure that he earns an Exhibit 10 bonus worth a maximum of $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with the Wisconsin Herd this season. Assuming that’s the plan, he’ll be waived in the coming days before reporting to the Herd later this month.

Milwaukee now has a full preseason roster of 21 players. The Bucks will have to get down to a maximum of 18 players (15 on standard contracts and three on two-way deals) by next Monday afternoon.

Bucks Sign, Waive Justise Winslow

October 17th, 2024 at 5:08pm CST by Rory Maher

5:08pm: The Bucks have now waived Winslow, according to the NBA’s transaction log. As noted below, this move was designed to secure Winslow’s G League rights for the upcoming season. He’ll earn a bonus as an affiliate player if he spends at least 60 days with the Wisconsin Herd.

1:30pm: The Bucks have signed free agent forward Justise Winslow to an Exhibit 10 contract, reports Jamal Collier of ESPN (Twitter link).

After spending his first five seasons in Miami — the team that drafted him 10th overall back in 2015 — Winslow has bounced around the league in recent years, suiting up for the Grizzlies, Clippers and Trail Blazers. The 28-year-old signed a 10-day contract with the Raptors last season, but he didn’t appear in an NBA game for Toronto.

Winslow’s 2023/24 debut was delayed due to ankle surgery. He spent most of last season with the Raptors 905 (Toronto’s G League affiliate), averaging 15.1 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.6 SPG and 1.0 BPG on .476/.295/.667 shooting in 22 regular season contests with the NBAGL club (27.0 MPG).

In July, Shams Charania reported that a handful of veteran free agents — including Winslow — worked out for the Bucks.

Since the Bucks have 14 players on guaranteed contracts and Andre Jackson with a significant partial guarantee, their standard roster looks pretty set. That means Winslow will almost certainly be waived and headed to the Wisconsin Herd (Milwaukee’s affiliate) to open ’24/25. Assuming Wisconsin acquires his returning player rights from the Raptors 905, Winslow could receive a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with the Herd.

The Bucks’ 21-man offseason roster is full once again following the addition of Winslow. The team released James Akinjo earlier on Thursday to make room for the newcomer.

Spurs’ McDaniels Among Wednesday’s Cuts

October 17th, 2024 at 9:37am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs waived forward Jalen McDaniels on Wednesday, according to the NBA’s transactions log.

San Antonio acquired McDaniels earlier this week from the Kings in a salary dump. The deal sent McDaniels, cash, and the Kings’ unprotected 2031 second-round pick to San Antonio in exchange for the Bulls’ top-55 protected 2025 second-round pick.

At the time of the deal, it was reported the Spurs did not intend to keep McDaniels. San Antonio will be on the hook for McDaniels’ $4.74MM expiring contract, which it absorbed using its $8MM room exception. The Spurs have one of the lowest team salaries in the NBA and still have plenty of room below the tax line after eating his contract.

We have more waiver moves from Wednesday:

The Nuggets waived Andrew Funk, Will Richardson and Charles Bediako. That trio was signed to Exhibit 10 deals last week. They’ll each earn a bonus worth $77.5K if they join Denver’s G League club, the Grand Rapids Gold, and remain with the team for at least 60 days.
The Bucks waived guard James Akinjo. He was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract in late August. The guard split time last season between the Stockton Kings and Wisconsin Herd. He’ll be eligible for $77.5K bonus if he rejoins the Herd and remains with them for at least 60 days.

Doc Rivers Urges Gary Trent Jr. To "Let It Fly"

October 16th, 2024 at 5:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

Gary Trent Jr. looks ready to become the Bucks‘ next successful shooting guard, observes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Several shooters have benefited from the open space that comes from playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, and coach Doc Rivers is urging Trent to be ready to fire away. “If you have an open look, put it up,” Trent replied when asked about Rivers’ advice. “He communicated that to me and everybody on the team as well. Everybody has a certain green light, obviously with a certain amount of control and a certain thinking process, but other than that, it’s free flowing. Telling you to go out there, play hard, let it fly and let it fly. Just make sure it’s a good shot.”

Bucks’ Terence Davis, Cavs’ Zhaire Smith Waived

October 15th, 2024 at 6:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bucks have waived guard Terence Davis, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets.

Davis was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract on Oct. 3. He played three G League games last season with the Rip City Remix and then suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. Davis faced long odds trying to make the Bucks’ roster and now he’ll likely return to the G League. As Nehm points out, the Wisconsin Herd acquired his returning player rights earlier this month.

Davis, 27, last played in the NBA for Sacramento in 2022/23, averaging 6.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 64 games. He began his NBA career in Toronto in 2019 and was dealt to the Kings at the 2021 trade deadline.

If Davis spends at least 60 days with the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s G League affiliate, he’ll be eligible for a bonus of up to $77.5K.

In another waiver move involving a Central Division team, the Cavaliers have waived Zhaire Smith, according to the NBA transactions log.

Smith signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Cleveland late last month. The former No. 16 overall pick spent most of last season with the Cleveland Charge in the G League, briefly earning an NBA call-up on a 10-day contract with the Cavaliers in February.

In 47 Showcase Cup and regular season games for the Cavs’ NBAGL affiliate, the 6’4″ guard averaged 13.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 33.0 minutes per contest. Like Davis, he’ll be eligible for a bonus up to $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with the Charge.

Bucks’ Khris Middleton Talks Health, 2024/25 Goals, More

October 14th, 2024 at 8:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Health issues have forced Khris Middleton to the sidelines for 76 of 164 possible games over the last two regular seasons, and the Bucks forward has yet to make his preseason debut after undergoing offseason surgeries on both his ankles. While he hasn’t played in 70 or more regular season games since 2018/19, Middleton is hopeful about his chances of doing so this season, as he tells Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

“Having a successful season out there is playing damn near 82 games,” Middleton said. “Understanding that there may be a couple games where you can’t go because you got kneed to the thigh or something like a bad ankle sprain, those types of things, you miss one or two games. But not playing only 60 games. Anything below 70, 75 games, no, I do not consider that a successful season for me.”

Given the time he’s missed over the past two seasons and the fact that he’s 33 years old with 12 NBA seasons under his belt, Middleton will have to prove that he’s still capable recapturing his All-Star form over a full, healthy season. He welcomes the idea of shedding the “injury-prone” label that some critics have assigned him in recent years, which he referred to as “frustrating.”

“I think when you say injury-prone, that goes to how you take care of your body,” Middleton said. “And I take a lot of pride in taking care of my body since day one that I’ve been here. So, no, I don’t think I’m injury-prone at all. I’ve just had unfortunate incidents that have happened on the basketball court, which is a wrong place, bad time type of thing.”

Here are a few more highlights from Middleton’s conversation with Nehm, which is worth checking out in full:

On why the Bucks weren’t firing on all cylinders last season after acquiring Damian Lillard:

“I think last year we ran into problems with guys who were trying to run to the same spot because that’s what they’re used to and accustomed to. And that happens. It’s natural. It’s human tendency. This year, we have to get in the habit of knowing no matter what, we have to have these five spots filled so that everything works organically around us and guys have room to operate and do what they need to do.”

On his goals for the 2024/25 season:

“To me, it’s simple. Just be the best version of myself I can be. If that means I’m scoring 10 points and we’re winning every single game, that’s a great year for me. Whatever it takes to win. To me, that’s a great season. I learned early in my career, we win, everything takes care of itself.”

On the NBA’s general managers picking the Bucks to finish fifth in the East:

“I really could give two sh–s about it. It doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t need motivation from outside sources or outside whatever. It comes from within. It comes from wanting to be the best player or the best team. So that stuff — expectations from the outside or outside noise — really doesn’t bother me. The only expectation that matters is inside our locker room.”

Middleton Might Play Thursday

October 13th, 2024 at 1:23pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers is skeptical that Khris Middleton will suit up for Monday’s preseason contest vs. Chicago, but Thursday’s finale in Dallas remains a possibility, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “We’re still hopeful, probably not Chicago…So we’re hopeful in Dallas,” Rivers said. “And if not, we’re not that concerned by it.” Middleton, a three-time All-Star who was instrumental to Milwaukee’s championship run in 2021, is recovering from offseason surgeries on both ankles.

Pacific Notes: Huerter, Monk, A. Williams, Redick, Rivers, Ham

October 11th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Kings wing Kevin Huerter, who underwent left shoulder surgery in the spring due to a torn labrum, has been cleared for full contact work, the team announced (Twitter link via Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee).

While it’s obviously great news that Huerter is getting closer to a return, he’ll still have to clear the Kings’ return-to-play protocol before he suits up in an official game, per the team.

Huerter, whose name has popped up in several trade rumors over the past year-plus, is coming off a down 2023/24 season in which he averaged career lows in multiple statistics, including minutes per game (24.4) and three-point percentage (36.1%). He’s under contract through ’25/26.

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Kings guard Malik Monk exited Wednesday’s preseason contest early due to personal reasons. He remains away from the team and will miss Friday’s preseason contest vs. Golden State, but sources tell Anderson that the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up is “not expected to miss an extended period of time” (Twitter links).
Third-year guard Alondes Williams, who is on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Clippers, impressed several of his veteran teammates with his strong performance in Tuesday’s preseason game vs. Brooklyn, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic. Williams finished with 10 points (on 4-of-7 shooting), six rebounds, seven assists and a steal in 16 minutes off the bench. If he keeps it up, it’s possible the 25-year-old could earn a promotion — Exhibit 10 deals can be converted to two-way contracts, and the Clips have a two-way opening.
JJ Redick had some pointed criticism for Bucks coach Doc Rivers, his former head coach with the Clippers, last season while he was working as an analyst for ESPN. Asked about the status of their relationship before Thursday’s preseason game, the new Lakers head coach didn’t offer many details, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I don’t carry beef with people,” Redick said. “And I’m not going to get into the history of Doc and I’s relationship right now. And I probably won’t ever. He’s fine in my book.”
At his media availability on Wednesday, Rivers was critical of the Lakers‘ decision to fire Darvin Ham, who is now his top assistant in Milwaukee (YouTube link). “I’m not going to get into the whole thing that happened there, but he took a team to a Western Finals, and then the following year, he won the in-season tournament, which they say we should have a lot of value on, and then they release him,” Rivers said (hat tip to Paul Terrazzano Jr. of TalkBasket.net). “It literally makes no sense, but it happens. It happens to all of us. It’s part of what we do.”

Bucks Notes: Giannis, Portis, Johnson, Robbins, Buckner

October 11th, 2024 at 6:28pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was dominant in his preseason debut on Thursday vs. the Lakers, observes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. As Nehm writes, Antetokounmpo sat out Milwaukee’s preseason opener on Sunday, so Thursday marked his first NBA action since he injured his left calf in April, prematurely ending his 2023/24 season.

The two-time MVP was back to normal Thursday, recording 20 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in 20 minutes. One of those blocks — a chase-down of LeBron James — made the highlight reels. It was an encouraging sign for Milwaukee, which has had disappointing first-round playoff exits in each of the past two seasons, in part due to Antetokounmpo’s untimely injuries.

Here’s more on the Bucks:

Big man Bobby Portis continued to his scorching-hot shooting Thursday, Nehm notes. Portis, who finished third in Sixth Man of the Year for the second straight season in ’23/24, has scored 39 points in 28 preseason minutes, including 9-of-10 from three-point range. “My biggest thing this summer was to get in the gym and just work,” Portis said as part of a larger quote. “I worked every f—ing day of my life this summer, like a madman, bro. I just want my work to show on the court. So hopefully, it just translates in preseason. But I’m just playing with confidence and going out there and being who I am. I put a lot of work into my craft.”
Rookie guard AJ Johnson struggled in his preseason debut Sunday vs. Detroit, but he played with a much better rhythm Thursday, Nehm adds in the same story. “The biggest thing with him, man, is just trying to tell him just to slow down,” Portis said of Johnson. “Obviously, when you first get into the league, you’re kind of playing ultra-fast and you don’t know that the game can be just slow. It takes some minutes to find your rhythm, find your pace on how you want to play it at your speed. Everybody has their own speed on the court, right? So I think his biggest thing is trying to find the speed that he needs to play at to be effective and to be a pro.”
Center Liam Robbins, who was born in Wisconsin and grew up a Bucks fan, missed part of his final college season with a right leg fracture, which required surgery. A second surgery was needed in January after an issue with a plate that was inserted in his leg, but he says he’s fully healthy now and has no limitations, according to Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “(Sunday) was my first game in like a year and a half so to get back out there, I definitely had a little bit of nerves getting back out there,” Robbins said. “I was really excited. Obviously not perfect by any means but just to get back out there and have the opportunity, just very grateful and count my blessings for sure.” Robbins, who has recorded five blocks in 22 preseason minutes, is on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Bucks.
Nehm of The Athletic details how head coach Doc Rivers recruited assistant Greg Buckner over the summer to spearhead Milwaukee’s defense. Buckner, who played 10 NBA seasons with five different teams from 1999-2009, has spent the past four seasons as an assistant with Cleveland, but Rivers pounced on the opportunity to speak to him when the Cavs fired J.B. Bickerstaff, Buckner’s close friend. The Bucks finished just 19th in the league in defensive rating last season, but they’re hoping Buckner will help turn that number around.

And-Ones: 2025 Draft Big Board, Tanking, NBAGL Trade

October 10th, 2024 at 7:01pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Now through June 2025, writers across the globe will eagerly anticipate an exciting upcoming draft class headlined by Duke forward Cooper Flagg, alongside other top talents. Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN recently paired to provide an early look at the top 100 prospects before the college season tips off (Insider link).

Flagg ranked first, but Rutgers guards Ace Bailey (No. 2) and Dylan Harper (No. 3) aren’t far behind. Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe (No. 4) and France’s Nolan Traore (No. 5) remain among the top options as well, while Duke’s Kon Knueppel (No. 6) is an early riser after an impressive offseason and preseason.

UNC’s Drake Powell, Duke’s Khaman Maluach, Spanish guard Hugo Gonzalez and UConn’s Liam McNeeley round out the remainder of the top 10.

Collin Murray-Boyles is the draft’s highest-ranked returner after making the decision to come back to South Carolina, with the ESPN duo ranking him at 12.

We have more from around the basketball world:

The top five of Sam Vecenie’s recent mock draft for The Athletic matches ESPN’s big board to a tee, with Brooklyn being slated to be the ones to land Flagg’s services in June’s draft. However, Vecenie’s mock draft deviates from there, with Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis coming off the board at No. 6 due to his ball and scoring skills. Vecenie mocks Georgia’s Asa Newell to the Hornets at No. 7 and Ratiopharm Ulm’s Ben Saraf at No. 8 to the Raptors, while ESPN has those players at No. 31 and No. 16, respectively.
With such a talented draft class on deck, The Athletic’s John Hollinger suspects teams will return to tanking in 2024/25. While some teams greatly underperformed in 2023/24, as in any year, there wasn’t as much incentive to lose since there wasn’t a consensus top pick like in next year’s draft. Hollinger likens the 2025 class to the 2018 class that produced the likes of Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson and Trae Young in terms of the depth of talent. Hollinger’s story addresses this, but I’d contend that while teams may be blown away by the talent of the 2025 class, the Hawks had a better record than nine teams but still landed the No. 1 overall pick. Meanwhile, the Pistons had their worst season in franchise history but didn’t pick until No. 5.
The Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s G League affiliate, executed a six-team trade on Wednesday, per the team (Twitter link). Several picks swapped hands, but for simplicity’s sake, we’ll focus on the player rights that were moved. The Vipers acquired the returning player rights to Jermaine Samuels, who is currently in camp with the Rockets. The Valley Suns acquired Cassius Stanley‘s rights, the Indiana Mad Ants (Pacers) received Dakota Mathias‘s rights, the Memphis Hustle (Grizzlies) got both Malachi Smith and Devin Cannady‘s rights, the Mexico City Capitanes obtained Loudon Love, and Gary Clark‘s rights were re-routed to the Wisconsin Herd (Bucks). Mathias was already signed and waived by the Pacers, so this is an indication he’ll play for the Mad Ants this season as an affiliate player. It remains to be seen whether Stanley, Smith, Cannady or Clark will sign camp deals to be later waived and set up as affiliates. The Capitanes aren’t an NBA team’s direct affiliate, so while Love could still sign anywhere as an NBA free agent, his rights being moved aren’t directly correlated with him potentially being an affiliate player.