Milwaukee Bucks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Postponed Wizards-Pistons Game Forces Three Schedule Changes

February 6th, 2023 at 8:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA has announced three scheduling changes in the aftermath of last week’s postponed Wizards–Pistons game, according to a press release from the league.

Detroit was delayed in Dallas after losing to the Mavericks on Jan. 30. The Pistons were unable to return home until Thursday, one day after they were scheduled to play Washington.

That Wizards-Pistons game will be made up on March 7.

In order to ensure no team has to play three games in three nights, the Wizards’ March 6 home game against the Bucks has been moved to March 5. The Pistons’ home game against the Trail Blazers, which had been scheduled for March 7, will now be played on March 6.

Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo Named Players Of The Week

February 6th, 2023 at 2:42pm CST by Rory Maher

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced (via Twitter). It’s the second straight player of the week award for both players.

Lillard, who won for the Western Conference, led Portland to a 3-1 week by averaging 38.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 6.8 APG on .500/.383/.981 shooting in 39.6 MPG. The veteran point guard was recently named an All-Star for the seventh time.

Antetokounmpo, the East’s winner, led Milwaukee to a 3-0 week by averaging 41.0 PPG, 17.3 RPG and 5.7 APG on .585/.231/.649 shooting in 36.0 MPG. He had a 54-point, 18-rebound effort versus the Clippers, plus a 35-point, 15-rebound, 11-assist triple-double against Miami.

Lillard has now been named the West’s player of the week three times this season, while Antetokounmpo has won the Eastern award four times.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Mikal Bridges, Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Kawhi Leonard, while Joel Embiid, Markelle Fultz, Darius Garland, Dejounte Murray and Cam Thomas were nominated in the East.

Trade Rumors: Anunoby, Crowder, Heat, Thybulle, Wood, Russell, Plumlee

February 4th, 2023 at 10:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors will be looking for young talent rather than draft assets if they decide to trade OG Anunoby, multiple league insiders tell Christian Clark of NOLA. Toronto plans to wait until its current road trip ends on Sunday before making a decision on whether to part with Anunoby or any of its other top players.

Clark points out that the Pelicans can offer players such as Dyson Daniels, Herbert Jones and Naji Marshall, who are all on team-friendly contracts, along with a large collection of draft picks. In addition to holding all its own first-round picks over the next five years, New Orleans is owed future first-rounders from both the Lakers and Bucks.

Anunoby is one of the league’s top perimeter defenders, ranking first in both steals and deflections per game, and he shoots 39.2% on three-pointers. He can be used at shooting guard in a fully healthy lineup or he can handle either forward slot if Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson continue to battle injuries.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the league:

The Bucks have been considered a potential landing spot for Jae Crowder, but John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM tweets that the Suns are unlikely to accept Milwaukee’s latest offer of Serge Ibaka, George Hill, Jordan Nwora, and second-round draft capital. Gambadoro also doesn’t expect Phoenix to wind up with Anunoby (Twitter link).
Assuming the Heat don’t make a play for Kyrie Irving, their main focus before the deadline will be finding another power forward or center who would be worth giving up a first-round pick, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson talks to a scout from a rival team about several trade prospects and what it would take to acquire them.
The Hawks have joined the Kings as suitors for Sixers guard Matisse Thybulle, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article. Sources tell Stein there’s a significant chance of Thybulle being moved by the deadline.
The Clippers are considering Mavericks big man Christian Wood and Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell, Stein adds in the same piece. He also states that the Kings have contacted the Hornets to see if Mason Plumlee is available. Sacramento is hoping to deal Richaun Holmes and Alex Len and would like to improve its interior defense.

2023 NBA All-Star Reserves Announced

February 2nd, 2023 at 6:24pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The league has announced its 2023 All-Star reserves during a pregame broadcast on TNT, as voted on by NBA head coaches. As usual, the list of 14 selections featured some interesting surprises.

For the Eastern Conference, coaches voted in Sixers center Joel Embiid (the reigning Player of the Month in the East), Heat center Bam Adebayo, Bulls wing DeMar DeRozan, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, and Knicks forward Julius Randle.

Holiday, who is making his second overall All-star appearance this year, last earned an All-Star nod a decade ago while playing for Philadelphia.

Randle will receive a $1.2MM salary bonus as a result of being named an All-Star this season, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Marks adds (via Twitter) that Holiday will get a $324K bonus. And as long as he appears in at least 65 contests this year, Brown will earn a $1.55MM bonus after having qualified for the All-Star game, Marks tweets.

Among the most notable omissions in the East were a handful of point guards: the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, the Hawks’ Trae Young, the Cavaliers’ Darius Garland, and the Sixers’ James Harden. Miami swingman Jimmy Butler also missed out. Young, Harden and Butler all made the cut last season.

In the Western Conference, Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, Kings center Domantas Sabonis, Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Clippers forward Paul George, Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, and Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. were selected as reserves.

Being named to the All-Star team again this year will earn Sabonis a $1.3MM bonus, per Marks (Twitter link).

Lakers center Anthony Davis, Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Suns guard Devin Booker, and Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon were among the Western Conference snubs.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Markkanen and Jackson are the lone first-time All-Stars among these 14 picks.

All-Star weekend tips off on February 17 in Salt Lake City. Los Angeles power forward LeBron James and Milwaukee power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, the captains of their respective conferences, will draft their teams ahead of the 2023 All-Star Game on Sunday, February 19.

Haynes’ Latest: Hyland, Hornets, Anunoby, Reddish, Barton

February 2nd, 2023 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets are among the teams to register some interest in Nuggets guard Bones Hyland, Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report stated during the latest episode of his #thisleague UNCUT podcast with Marc Stein.

Haynes, following up on his TNT report on Hyland from Tuesday, reiterated that the second-year guard would be open to a trade that sets him up for a larger role elsewhere. There has been “friction” between Hyland and Denver’s coaching staff, Haynes notes, adding that the Nuggets have confidence in rookie Christian Braun to take on some of Hyland’s minutes if a trade happens.

Echoing previous reports, Haynes also confirms that the Timberwolves are among the teams with interest in Hyland, but expresses some skepticism that the Nuggets would want to send the former first-round pick to Minnesota, since there’s still some resentment from Denver’s ownership group about how Tim Connelly‘s move to the Wolves played out.

Here are a few more items of interest from the podcast:

Based on rumblings he has heard, Haynes believes that Raptors forward OG Anunoby would “embrace a change of scenery,” even if he hasn’t explicitly asked to be traded. Haynes also suggests that neither the Grizzlies nor the Pelicans want their Southwest rival to land Anunoby, which is a factor to keep in mind if Toronto seriously considers moving him.
The Cavaliers, who have been in the market for help at the small forward position, are among the potential trade suitors to watch for Knicks forward Cam Reddish, according to Haynes. Dylan Windler‘s expiring $4MM contract would be a logical salary-matching piece in a Reddish trade if the Knicks are simply seeking a second-round pick, though that’s just my speculation.
Things haven’t worked out well for Will Barton with the Wizards so far, Haynes notes, reporting that the veteran guard would be open to a change of scenery. Haynes identifies the Nets and Bucks as two teams worth keeping an eye on. It’s unclear whether Washington will find a trade for Barton or if he might emerge as a buyout candidate after the February 9 deadline.

Suns Notes: Booker, Crowder, Wainright, Trade Options

February 1st, 2023 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns guard Devin Booker has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game vs. Atlanta, but it shouldn’t be long before he’s back on the court, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link), who hears from a source that Booker will return “soon” from the left groin strain that has sidelined him since Christmas Day.

After hosting the Hawks today, the Suns will embark on a five-game road trip that begins Friday in Boston. It remains to be seen whether Booker will be ready for the start of that trip, but it sounds like there’s a very good chance he’ll play at some point before the team returns to Phoenix on February 14.

Booker was reevaluated on Wednesday, with the Suns announcing that the star guard continues to make progress in his on-court activity and will have his status updated on a game-to-game basis going forward (Twitter link via Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports).

Here’s more on the Suns:

As expected, Suns forward Jae Crowder met with the Bucks for a day this week after Phoenix granted him permission to do so, Rankin reports for The Arizona Republic. Rankin doesn’t have any additional details on the meeting, which took place at an “undisclosed location,” but it’s notable that the Bucks got the chance to talk directly to Crowder, who has been repeatedly cited as a Milwaukee trade target throughout the season.
In an interesting story for The Athletic, Alex Schiffer of The Athletic details Ish Wainright‘s winding road to the NBA, which included a stint as an undrafted free agent for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills in 2018 before he returned to basketball. Wainright, who occupies one of the Suns’ two-way contract slots, has appeared in 24 of the club’s last 25 games.
In a pair of trade deadline primer stories for GoPHNX.com, Gerald Bourguet examines some realistic targets for the Suns, such as John Collins, D’Angelo Russell, and Gary Trent Jr., and considers some outside-the-box options, including scenarios where Deandre Ayton is dealt.

And-Ones: Napier, All-Star Bonuses, Trade Proposals, Biggest Needs

January 31st, 2023 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA guard Shabazz Napier has signed with Olimpia Milano for the remainder of the season, according to a team press release. Coach Ettore Messina said Napier will be thrown into the fray immediately against Baskonia, Allesandro Maggi of Sportando relays.

“Shabazz Napier had just one team practice, but we will use him, hoping for some minutes in a position where we need them badly,” he said.

Napier last appeared in the NBA during the 2019/20 season, when he played a combined 56 games for Minnesota and Washington.

We have more from the basketball world:

Several NBA players could cash in if they’re selected as All-Star reserves, Bobby Marks of ESPN notes. Among that group, the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown will earn a $1.5MM bonus if he’s chosen and also appears in 65 regular season games (he has missed six games so far). The Bucks’ Jrue Holiday will collect $324K if he’s chosen, while the Kings’ Domantas Sabonis will receive $1.3MM if he’s selected. The Knicks’ Julius Randle will get an additional $1.2MM if he gets the nod.
What are some of the bold moves that playoff contenders could make to improve their chances of success? The Ringer’s Michael Pina explores potential trades that could make the Suns, Clippers, Thunder, Lakers and Pelicans better.
The Bulls and Hawks need 3-point shooting. The Nuggets need defensive help and the Warriors require a stretch wing. The Athletic’s staff runs down the biggest need for every team as the trade deadline approaches.

Giannis Has Full Faith In Horst

January 30th, 2023 at 9:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has full faith in general manager Jon Horst’s decision-making as the trade deadline approaches, he told Eric Nehm of The Athletic in a wide-ranging interview.

Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo Named Players Of The Week

January 30th, 2023 at 2:56pm CST by Rory Maher

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced (Twitter link).

Lillard averaged 42.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.3 steals on .632/.514/.920 shooting in leading Portland to a 2-1 record last week. The Western Conference winner’s highlight performance was Wednesday’s victory over Utah, when the star point guard put up 60 points, seven boards, eight assists and three steals on an absurd .724/.600/.900 shooting line.

Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, led Milwaukee to a 4-0 week by averaging 38.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.0 steal on .624/.467/.580 shooting. It’s the third Eastern Conference player of the week honor this season for the 2021 Finals MVP.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Anthony Edwards, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James, while Bam Adebayo, Kyle Kuzma and Julius Randle were nominated in the East.

Suns Grant Bucks Permission To Meet With Jae Crowder

January 30th, 2023 at 8:30am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bucks, who have been among the most active teams trying to acquire Jae Crowder, have received permission from the Suns to meet with the veteran forward, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Sources tell Charania that Milwaukee is believed to be the only team that has been singled out for a one-on-one meeting.

The teams have involved in serious trade talks regarding Crowder for several months, Charania adds, with current proposals involving Jordan Nwora, George Hill, Serge Ibaka and second-round draft picks. They’ve been trying to find a third team willing to give the Suns a forward capable of playing rotation minutes, but have been unsuccessful so far.

Crowder hasn’t played at all this season after deciding not to report to training camp due to unhappiness about his projected role with Phoenix. He’s making $10.2MM in the final year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Several other teams remain interested in acquiring Crowder before the February 9 trade deadline, Charania adds, naming the Heat and Hawks among the possible suitors. He notes that Atlanta has won six of its last nine games, and new head of basketball operations Landry Fields is being patient in regard to trade negotiations.