Milwaukee Bucks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Pistons, Bucks, Cavs, Collet, Haliburton

October 9th, 2024 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Pistons owner Tom Gores is pleased with the way that new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon identified three-point shooting and veteran leadership as priorities in his first summer on the job and made moves to address those areas, according to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Langdon and the Pistons’ front office signed Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley, and Paul Reed as free agents and traded for Tim Hardaway Jr.

“The core of the way we thought is we have this young group of players that need to be developed and also need to be complemented with the right players,” Gores said. “I feel really good about the veterans we’ve added. Tobias, who I’ve known for a long time, we have Beasley and Hardaway and Reed that’s come in. I feel very good about the offseason with the veterans.

“We knew these young men were good, they have a lot of potential. All of them. You see (Jaden) Ivey‘s really coming along well. But all of that said, we needed to complement them with the right thing so they could grow properly. I’m pretty excited. That’s how we approached it. We have a core that we believe in and we’ve got the veterans added in.”

The other major move that Gores signed off on during Langdon’s first offseason was the decision to part ways with Monty Williams even though the veteran head coach had five years left on the lucrative contract he signed with Detroit a year ago. Gores has no regrets about approving that coaching change after seeing the way J.B. Bickerstaff has handled the job so far.

“I think J.B.’s doing an incredible job communicating with the players and getting us organized,” Gores said. “I feel good. Everybody knows we have a lot of work to do, but we turned the page and we’re ready to go.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers shared some positive health updates on Tuesday, telling reporters – including Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – that Gary Trent Jr. will be “fine” after hyperextending his left elbow and may even play on Thursday and that Khris Middleton, who is recovering from surgeries on both ankles, could suit up for a game or two before the end of the preseason.
Bucks newcomer Taurean Prince spoke this week about the role he expects to play in Milwaukee, expressing that he believes his ability to play power forward “can serve the team very, very well.” Eric Nehm of The Athletic has the details.
Vincent Collet, the former head coach of the French men’s basketball national team, is reuniting with Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, according to reporting from L’Equipe (hat tip to Eurohoops). After Atkinson worked under Collet as an assistant coach for the French team over the summer, Collet will reportedly serve as a consultant for Atkinson and the Cavs this season.
Speaking to James Boyd of The Athletic, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton discussed what he learned from his summer experience with Team USA and explained why he’s so excited about the continuity Indiana has established heading into the 2024/25 season. “We have the same coaching staff, let alone the same group of guys,” Haliburton said. “So, this is really refreshing, really exciting, because it’s less about teaching and more of the detail work and complex stuff and getting to those (stages) quicker. That’s been so refreshing and so fun for me, and I think that’s gonna make us so good moving forward.”

And-Ones: G League Trades, Charania, Breakout Candidates, More

October 8th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of teams have acquired the G League rights for players who are in camp with them on Exhibit 10 contracts.

The Wisconsin Herd (Bucks) sent Marquese Chriss‘ rights and a 2025 first-round pick to the Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans) in exchange for Liam Robbins‘ rights (Twitter link), while the Raptors 905 are receiving Jared Rhoden‘s rights from the College Park Skyhawks (Hawks) in exchange for the rights to Omari Moore and a 2025 first-rounder (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of Sportsnet).

Robbins is currently on Milwaukee’s preseason roster, while Rhoden is under contract with Toronto.

In other G League trade news, the Austin Spurs announced (via Twitter) that they’ve sent the returning rights for Yauhen Massalski to the San Diego Clippers in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick, while the Cleveland Charge (Cavaliers) acquired Elijah Hughes‘ rights from the Wisconsin Herd (Bucks) in exchange for the rights to Sam Merrill and a 2025 second-rounder.

Trading away Merrill’s returning rights won’t mean anything for the Cavaliers as long as he remains on Cleveland’s NBA roster, but if he were to be waived down the road, the Bucks’ affiliate would have first dibs on him as a G Leaguer.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Shams Charania, who has spent the past few years with The Athletic, is making the move to ESPN to replace Adrian Wojnarowski as the network’s senior NBA insider, Charania announced on Twitter. Recent reporting suggested that ESPN news-breakers currently covering other sports – including Jeff Passan (MLB) or Adam Schefter (NFL) – were among the candidates being considered to replace Wojnarowski, but Charania was always the more logical choice, given his lengthy history of major NBA scoops.
In an Insider-only story for ESPN, Jeremy Woo identifies 11 players he believes are prime breakout candidates in 2024/25. Woo’s 11 candidates fall into four groups: players who could make the leap to an All-Star level, such as Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley; players who could ascend to borderline All-Stars, like Hawks forward Jalen Johnson; players who will benefit from taking on larger roles, including Bulls guard Josh Giddey; and role players who could make bigger impacts, such as Kings guard Keon Ellis.
Kurt Helin of NBC Sports predicts the 10 players most likely to be traded in 2024/25, ranging from big names like Brandon Ingram and Zach LaVine to role players such as Bruce Brown and Jonas Valanciunas. Three of the players in Helin’s top 10 – Bojan Bogdanovic, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Cameron Johnson – are currently members of the Nets.

Central Notes: Trent Jr., Wiseman, Giddey, Vucevic

October 7th, 2024 at 5:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Gary Trent Jr.‘s preseason debut for the Bucks didn’t go well. The former Toronto guard suffered a hyperextension of his left elbow when he ran into the Pistons’ Jalen Duren, who was setting a screen late in the first half, The Athletic’s Eric Nehm notes. Trent, who made two of his three shot attempts before he exited, signed a one-year deal with Milwaukee in July.

The Bucks didn’t provide any official updates on Trent after sharing the initial diagnosis, so it remains to be seen how long the injury might sideline him for, Nehm adds.

We have more from the Central Division:

During a Pacers scrimmage game on Sunday, James Wiseman scored eight points and grabbed three rebounds in just eight minutes of action. The Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak believes Wiseman will push Isaiah Jackson for the backup center spot. Wiseman was signed to a two-year, minimum salary contract in July after playing for division rival Detroit last season.
Early in training camp, new Bulls point guard Josh Giddey has been even better than advertised in terms of his court vision and passing ability, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Getting on the same page with his teammates is the next challenge for the former Oklahoma City guard. “I’ve got where maybe there are passes I can’t make but I think I can in my head and I try to make them that are probably not there in the moment,” Giddey said. “I guess it’s just a confidence. As a passer you can’t live on the edge.”
Nikola Vucevic knows that the Bulls‘ front office has explored trades for him. The veteran center says he ignores the possibility of being dealt. ‘‘I honestly don’t think about it,’’ Vucevic told Cowley. ‘‘It’s stuff that’s out of my control. My focus is on this team and to help this team be the best team we can be. Changes and all that, that’s not my job. That’s the front office’s job.” Vucevic has two years left on his contract. The Bulls have not shown a willingness to include draft capital to shed his contract, Cowley adds.

Eastern Notes: Stewart, Raptors, Dick, Lillard, Martin

October 4th, 2024 at 11:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons‘ usage of Isaiah Stewart in recent years – and the players they’ve put around him – reflected the fact that they viewed him as a power forward rather than a center. Detroit used a lottery pick on center Jalen Duren in 2022 and encouraged Stewart to shoot more from outside. While the big man has gamely accepted that role, making a career-best 1.5 three-pointers per game last season on 38.3% shooting, he couldn’t hide his enthusiasm this week about playing more at the five, his preferred position, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.

“(New head coach) J.B. (Bickerstaff) loves my physicality and me playing strong down low, like in my early years in the league with my offensive rebounding and stuff like that,” Stewart said. “I spent a lot of time this offseason at the five and I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to getting back down in the paint, banging and doing what I do because at the end of the day, that’s what I love to do. That’s who I am.

“Playing the four, that was something that I had to work on and add to my game because I was being asked of it. Now I’m happy I get to play some five.”

As Sankofa explains, there are a few factors contributing to the Pistons’ desire to have Stewart spend more time at center this season. The arrival of power forward Tobias Harris is one. Stewart also has the ability to make more of an impact as a rebounder and rim protector if he’s spending more time in the paint.

As excited as he is about spending more time at center, the 23-year-old stressed that he’s willing to play wherever the team needs him.

“I don’t mind at all playing the four, because it’s something I can do,” Stewart said. “I can knock down the 3-point shot, I can space the floor, but we all know it’s something that’s new to me. … The four, it ain’t nothing wrong with it. But me, I love to bang. I love to be physical. I love to set the tone. I love to set great screens for my teammates. I like playing the five. But I don’t mind at all playing the four. I can do both.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

While Bruce Brown would’ve been an option to start at shooting guard for the Raptors if he were healthy, Michael Grange of Sportsnet views second-year sharpshooter Gradey Dick as the most logical candidate for that spot. As Grange outlines, besides looking like a good fit for spacing purposes, Dick is Toronto’s most recent lottery pick and has the potential to raise the club’s long-term ceiling if he develops into a reliable starter.
In interviews with Alex Squadron of SLAM and Melissa Rohlin of FOX Sports, Bucks point guard Damian Lillard spoke about why he’s optimistic about the upcoming season in Milwaukee after going through what he called the “toughest year of my life” on both a personal and professional level last season. “I think a lot of times people talk about revenge seasons, it’s like they’re going out for blood with everybody else,” Lillard told Rohlin. “But I think it’s the revenge of something I need to go take back for me, not for anybody else. I know what went into last season. And I know what goes into me being my best. That’s all I’m focusing on.”
Hornets forward Cody Martin sustained a laceration on his thumb and sprained his right wrist while attempting to block a shot at the rim in training camp, the team announced today (via Twitter). It doesn’t sound like either injury is considered serious – he’s listed as day-to-day – but Martin has been ruled out of Charlotte’s preseason opener.

And-Ones: G League Trades, Flagg, 2025 Draft, Howard, Parsons, More

October 4th, 2024 at 7:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rip City Remix – the Trail Blazers‘ G League affiliate – have completed a series of trades involving players who have signed Exhibit 10 contracts with NBA teams this fall, according to a press release from the team.

The Remix acquired Henri Drell‘s returning rights in a three-team trade with the Texas Legends and Windy City Bulls, sending the returning rights for Jazian Gortman, Anthony Duruji, and Jakub Urbaniak to the Mavericks‘ affiliate in the deal. Rip City also acquired David Muoka‘s returning rights from the Long Island Nets in exchange for George Conditt‘s rights and a 2025 second-round pick.

Both Drell and Muoka signed Exhibit 10 deals with Portland ahead of training camp and were recently waived. Now that the Remix control both players’ G League rights, it’s safe to assume they’ll report to the Blazers’ affiliate and will receive Exhibit 10 bonuses (worth as much as $77.5K) as long as they spend at least 60 days with Rip City.

The Remix also received the returning rights for Aleem Ford – along with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 G League draft and a 2025 international draft pick – from the Wisconsin Herd in exchange for Terence Davis‘ and Isiaih Mosley‘s returning rights. Davis recently signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Bucks, so it looks like he’ll ultimately land with the Herd.

Finally, Portland’s affiliate finalized a fourth trade that sent Antoine Davis‘ rights to the Stockton Kings in exchange for the rights to Stanley Johnson and Jayce Johnson, along with a pair of draft picks (Twitter link). None of those players have signed Exhibit 10 deals this fall, but it appears Sacramento’s affiliate plans to have Davis on its roster this season, given the handful of pieces it traded to get him.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Duke freshman Cooper Flagg told Jonathan Givony of ESPN that it’s “absolutely not” a foregone conclusion that he’ll be the No. 1 pick in next June’s draft, a position that was echoed by Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer. “Of course he has to prove it,” Scheyer said. “I’ve seen guys who have been projected (No. 1), that have gone there, and then guys that are projected that don’t go because you assume it’s gonna happen. … I believe in Cooper at the end of the day. But again, we got a long way to go before we start thinking about that.”
In a separate Insider-only story for ESPN, Givony shared some takeaways from his recent visits to Rutgers, Duke, UNC, and UConn, four college programs who figure to be well represented in the first round of next year’s NBA draft. Within his section on Rutgers, Givony notes that multiple NBA scouts have told him they have Dylan Harper ranked atop their draft boards ahead of the NCAA season.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report provides his 2024/25 win-loss predictions for all 30 NBA teams, while John Hollinger of The Athletic names the Nuggets, Grizzlies, Clippers, Hornets, and Wizards as five clubs he expects to fall short of their preseason over/under projections.
Georgia businessman Calvin Darden Jr. was found guilty on Friday of fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, and two separate conspiracy counts for his role in defrauding former NBA players Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons out of a combined $8MM in 2021. Brian Windhorst of ESPN has the details on the case.
Long Phi Pham, one of the gamblers who took part in a scheme to have former Raptors big man Jontay Porter exit games early for betting purposes last season, pleaded guilty this week to conspiring to commit wire fraud, reports Jennifer Peltz of The Associated Press. Pham, whose sentencing is scheduled for April 25, could face anything from a no-jail punishment to up to 20 years in prison.

Central Notes: Rondo, Tyson, Okoro, Jerome, Duren, White

October 3rd, 2024 at 9:12pm CST by Tristan Tucker

When Rajon Rondo got married this summer, his first NBA coach Doc Rivers was one of the attendees, Baxter Holmes of ESPN writes. Rivers motivated and encouraged Rondo to get into the coaching sphere this season.

That’s exactly what Rondo is doing, as he’s serving as a guest coach for the Bucks during training camp. According to Holmes, Rondo will remain with the Bucks through the rest of the season in an unspecified role. Rondo has said he “absolutely” hopes to be a head coach some day.

“There’s a lot of factors that go into coaching,” Rondo said. “You just can’t say, I’m going to be a coach, and then everything works out and that’s how it happens. So certain personalities have to mesh, [and there’s] a lot of sacrifice. There are certain things that I’m learning. The morning meetings, the amount of hours you’re spending watching film, it’s a lot.”

Rondo declined to say whether he received any other offers from teams. However, it was reported in June that he was high on the list of preferred staff members for new Lakers coach J.J. Redick.

We have more from the Central Division:

Cavaliers rookie Jaylon Tyson — the No. 20 overall pick this year — is making a strong first impression in training camp so far, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “Our rook has impressed me,” Max Strus said. “He plays basketball the right way. He’s mature in the way he carries himself. He’s not out here asking for the ball or trying to do too much. He’s just trying to get in where he fits in. As a rookie, that’s not easy to do always. It’s impressive to see that. It’s refreshing to have a rookie come in and do that.” All three Cavs players who were asked for their immediate standout named Tyson, who has shown a little bit of everything, including rebounding, defense, and shooting. While Cleveland has a deep rotation, there’s a chance Tyson will make an impact right away.
Isaac Okoro admitted that he considered taking the Cavaliers‘ one-year, $11.8MM qualifying offer in order to hit unrestricted free agency next year. He eventually signed a three-year contract that includes $33MM in guaranteed money. “In my head I was like, ‘Nah, I think Cleveland wants me and I want to be here.’ I wanted to be here,” Okoro said. Fedor writes in a separate piece that head coach Kenny Atkinson is considering an expanded role for Okoro, who will be expected to screen more often and diversify his game.
In the same piece, members of the Cavaliers continue to point to Ty Jerome as a standout player in camp, per Fedor. “Ty has been one of the best players in camp in my opinion,” Darius Garland said. Jerome could be a surprise member of the rotation due to the fact that he was previously coached by Atkinson in Golden State and the front office likes him.
Jalen Duren served as an effective rim-runner and shot-blocker during his first two seasons as a member of the Pistons. However, according to Omari Sankofa II of Detroit Free Press, Detroit is hoping to unlock other aspects of Duren’s game — namely his play-making. He has been working on those skills in camp, and with just three true play-makers on the roster, Duren might be leaned on sooner rather than later. “I think we’re going to let him play with the ball some,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Whether he defensively rebounds the ball and has the ability to bring it up the floor some, whether he catches it on the elbow and we play split action and he can make those reads. So I think just trying to diversify where he touches it, and then we’ll keep building from there.“
DeMar DeRozan left the Bulls for the Kings this offseason, but he’s still giving advice to Most Improved Player runner-up Coby White, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. White is aiming to limit the number of off nights he has as a scorer after breaking through last year. “It’s got to be an every night thing. … I’ve got to build on this,” White said. “That’s what I talked to DeMar a lot about, how he prepares for every moment.“

Terence Davis Signs Exhibit 10 Contract With Bucks

October 3rd, 2024 at 12:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

OCTOBER 3: Davis’ deal with the Bucks is now official, per RealGM’s transaction log.

OCTOBER 2: Free agent shooting guard Terence Davis will join the Bucks on an Exhibit 10 contract, sources tell Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Davis is hoping to return to the NBA after playing three G League games last season with the Rip City Remix and then suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. He had a workout with Milwaukee in August.

Davis, 27, last played 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. He has specialized in providing scoring off the bench during his four NBA seasons.

The Bucks have 14 players with fully guaranteed contracts, along with Andre Jackson, who has a $946K guarantee on this season’s $1.89MM deal, so Davis faces long odds to earn a roster spot. If he gets waived and 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.

The Bucks currently have 20 players in camp, one short of the offseason limit, so Davis can be signed without a corresponding move.

Bucks Notes: Lillard, Giannis, Free Agent Signings, Middleton

October 2nd, 2024 at 8:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

After the Bucks traded for Damian Lillard late in September of 2023, there were only a few days for him and Giannis Antetokounmpo to get acquainted before the start of training camp. There’s hope that a year of playing together will help the two stars push the team back into title contention, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

“I think now we’re in a very, very good place,” Antetokounmpo said. “Before, we never had a player like him. It’s just something that slowly, slowly with time you understand. It’s definitely hard when I’m 29 and he’s 34 at this moment of our careers to kind of change the habits you’ve created, but if you want to win, you have to do so. I think we both — me, him and the rest of our team — are willing to do whatever it takes to win.”

After Milwaukee’s first-round playoff exit, Antetokounmpo told reporters that he planned to travel to Portland during the offseason to spend some time with Lillard. Antetokounmpo’s summer was filled with recovering from a left calf strain that forced him to miss the playoff series, representing Greece in the Olympics, and getting married. The Portland trip never happened, but Lillard told reporters at media day that their level of communication is fine.

“I think subconsciously, we are who we are because of how stubborn we are and how much we believe in what we believe,” Lillard said. “And I’ve never played with a player of his level. He’s never played with a point guard like me. So I think it just took time for it to get to this point where I’m going to say what I need to say to you and it doesn’t have to be negative or like I’m coming at you, but I can say it, know that you’re going to take it as what I think the best thing is and vice versa.”

There’s more from Milwaukee:

One of Doc Rivers’ first ideas after taking over as head coach in late January was to have his players travel somewhere for this week’s training camp, Nehm adds. They’re at the University of California-Irvine in an effort to build team unity. “I think it’s important that they’ll be riding in the car together to and from practice, going to dinners, spending time,” Rivers said. “I wish it was longer, honestly. … But from a team standpoint, the longer they’re together, (the better). It’s nice that our first game is on the road, so it kind of extends it, you know? No families. No friends around. Just us. I think that’s good for our team.”
General manager Jon Horst believes the Bucks’ reputation around the league helped them attract Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince and Delon Wright, who all came to Milwaukee on veteran’s minimum contracts, per Jim Owczarski of the Journal Sentinel. “It’s really a credit to those players for choosing us,” Horst said. “They weren’t short of options, and in most cases, honestly, they chose less money to come play for us for a chance to win and for a chance to really compete and improve their careers.”
For a team that’s used to being part of the Christmas Day showcase, it was surprising to see the Bucks left off this year’s schedule, notes Jamal Collier of ESPN. The snub was a topic of conversation as players gathered for media day. “I think, somewhat, we’ve been overlooked,” Khris Middleton said. “We should have had a Christmas Day game, I believe. But the NBA felt different. I don’t need that as extra motivation … but disappointed a little bit.”
Middleton continues to make progress following offseason surgery on both ankles, Owczarski tweets. “Everybody’s healthy. Nobody’s limited,” Rivers said after the second day of camp. “Khris did a lot, nothing live, but he did everything else. He even did a couple little live drills. He kind of slipped in there on us, so all good there.”

Northwest Notes: Towns, Westbrook, Jazz, Trail Blazers

September 28th, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves were facing significant financial losses for the foreseeable future if they had kept the current roster together, league sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN. The need to unload Karl-Anthony Towns‘ contract is Minnesota’s primary motivation for agreeing to the trade that will send him to the Knicks.

Towns will earn $49.2MM this season as his four-year, $220MM extension kicks in. Windhorst points out that the front office gave him that deal in 2022 when it looked like he had established himself as the franchise cornerstone. That designation now belongs to Anthony Edwards, who increased the value of his own maximum-salary extension by $41MM by making the All-NBA team last season. Throw in Rudy Gobert, who will make $43.8MM this season and is almost certain to pick up his $46.7MM player option for 2025/26, and that’s already the core of a very expensive roster.

The financial uncertainties are accompanied by a dispute over who will ultimately own the team. Sources tell Windhorst that the group headed by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez has become confident it will prevail in the arbitration hearings set to begin November 4. They have lined up more than $900MM in escrow, Windhorst adds, with the support of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and ex-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Lore and Rodriguez plan to present more than $200MM in working capital, according to Windhorst’s sources, providing evidence that they can cover the final payment to current owner Glen Taylor and still handle the team’s projected deficits.

Windhorst points out that even if Lore and Rodriguez prevail in arbitration, they aren’t guaranteed to get the team. That will be decided in a vote by the NBA’s Board of Governors, many of whom may still be loyal to Taylor. Windhorst expects lawsuits to be filed no matter what the final decision is.

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

New Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook suggested to reporters that he was misused by the Clippers last season, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “To be honest, it was unique,” Westbrook said. “They just didn’t put me in a position to make it unique. I was in a position where I was playing not my position. And being able to be here, and coach (Michael) Malone allowing me to be able to use my speed, use my transition skill to be able to make other guys better, makes the game easy for everybody surrounding me. That’s what I love to do best.” Malone has raved about Westbrook’s work ethic and the example he sets for his young teammates, Durando adds.
The Jazz were prepared for a major acquisition this summer, but they couldn’t find any suitable opportunities, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. “You guys have seen how things evolve in an offseason,” general manager Justin Zanik told reporters. “In this organization, we are extremely aggressive with pursuing any and all means necessary to make this a championship-caliber roster. When those opportunities come up, we’re ready for it. There weren’t any.”
The quality of Milwaukee’s picks toward the end of this decade will determine how much value the Trail Blazers got in exchange for Damian Lillard, Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian states on the one-year anniversary of the trade. Portland has swap rights for the Bucks‘ first-round selections in 2028 and 2030, and will receive the most and least favorable among their own pick, Boston’s, and Milwaukee’s in 2029.

Bucks Notes: Middleton, Lillard, Giannis, Wolf

September 28th, 2024 at 6:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

With training camp about to open, Bucks swingman Khris Middleton still hasn’t received medical clearance for 5-on-5 action, sources tell basketball reporter Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Middleton is “progressing nicely” after offseason surgical procedures on both ankles, Haynes adds, but the team plans to be careful with him in camp.

Middleton had been bothered by pain in his left ankle since spraining it in February, so he underwent arthroscopic surgery to fix the issue. He also had an arthroscopic procedure performed on his right ankle, which he sprained during the playoff loss to Indiana.

Middleton, 33, was limited to 55 games last season, averaging 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists per night. He played just 33 games the year before, and the Bucks will need him to have a strong bounce-back season to have a chance to compete for a title.

There’s more from Milwaukee:

In a recent appearance on Marshawn Lynch’s “Get Got” podcast, Damian Lillard reflected on the surprise of being traded to the Bucks last September after spending the summer expecting to be headed to Miami (hat tip to The Sports Rush). “I’m in a great situation, but when I had my mind thinking I was going, you know, one place and then I ended up going somewhere else, it changed that experience for me,” Lillard said, adding that he doesn’t have any regrets about how the situation played out.
On the one-year anniversary of the three-team Lillard trade, Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel looks at how it affected the Bucks, Trail Blazers and Suns to see if a clear winner has emerged.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo offered pointers to incoming Rutgers freshmen and projected 2025 lottery picks Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper on Friday during a workout arranged by Nike (Twitter link).
The Bucks organization is mourning the loss of Joe Wolf, who served as an assistant coach with the G League’s Wisconsin Herd. Wolf unexpectedly passed away this week. “Throughout his life, Joe touched many lives and was a highly respected, adored and dedicated coach and player across the NBA,” the team said in a statement. “His well-regarded talent was instrumental for the Bucks and Herd over eight years with the organization, including as a player and coach.” Wolf, 59, was a standout at North Carolina and played for seven teams during his 11-year NBA career.