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Bucks Notes: Losing Streak, Giannis, Lillard, Middleton

November 1st, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Rory Maher

The Bucks lost their fourth straight game on Thursday night in dispiriting fashion. Facing a Memphis team playing on the second of a back-to-back with six players sidelined, including starters Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart, the Bucks — who had two days off and a practice leading into contest — struggled once again to make outside shots and to get back for transition defense following those misfires, writes Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was one of the few bright spots for the Bucks, finishing with 37 points (on 17-of-22 shooting), 11 rebounds and four assists. The Bucks were even with Memphis during Antetokounmpo’s 34 minutes, and were outscored by 24 points in the 14 minutes he didn’t play. He said the early-season struggles have been “frustrating.”

“Losing, it’s frustrating,” Antetokounmpo said. “But we are doing the right things. Like (Wednesday) night we arrived in Memphis and we came together as a team, watched film. Not as eight, nine guys that play. We watched film, we talk about, like what can we do better? What we’re not doing as good, let’s keep one another accountable. We’re doing the right thing.

“Coming (Thursday) in shootaround and talking about it, talking about our offense, talking about our defense. Everybody is doing the right thing. I see it in everybody’s eyes. They’re willing to do the right thing to win games and sometimes it’s not going to go your way.

“This is part of the season it’s not going our way. But, losing two, losing three, losing four, losing five, losing six in row; losing one, it’s always frustrating. But, again, my dad used to say, ‘Why do (you) whine if you’re not going to give up?’ So I’m not going to give up.”

Here’s more on the Bucks:

  • Damian Lillard will be looking to move past a woeful night in Memphis, Owczarski notes, as the star point guard finished with just four points (tied for a career low) on 1-of-12 shooting. He was also repeatedly targeted by the Grizzlies on defense, tweets NBA analyst Zach Lowe. Lillard said he’s still trying to figure out how to make his mark in his second season with Milwaukee. “It’s hard, because I mean my entire career I’ve always been somebody who, like, if I can do one thing I can take over. I can take over a game,” Lillard said, per Owczarski. “I think I’ve joined a new team and my situation is different and I understand that it’s different, so I have to try to find a way to not just go back to what I’ve always done because it’s probably not always necessary. Or probably not necessary at all. So I think that’s probably the most difficult part is when things seem like it’s getting out of control or the going is getting tough, I’m able to put my hands on it a little bit more. I think just not really being in that role is a little bit more difficult. It’s more of a process to figure out for me.”
  • According to Owczarski, while head coach Doc Rivers was pleased with the team’s “spirit,” he was not happy with the transition or perimeter defense, with Ja Morant (26 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists) proving to be a major problem. “… The defensive transition was still awful tonight,” Rivers said as part of a larger quote. “And, so that’s on me. Like, everything’s on me until we get it right. We’ve got to fix this.”
  • Although he has yet to play 5-on-5, which Rivers has said is necessary before he can make his 2024/25 debut, veteran wing Khris Middleton told Eric Nehm of The Athletic he hasn’t experienced any injury setbacks following offseason surgeries on both ankles. “I feel good, just not good enough to play that’s all,” Middleton said. “That’s really all I can say at this point. And just working to get back on the court. I’m feeling better and better each day just not good enough to play yet.“
  • Lowe (Twitter links) and Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports are among the analysts raising red flags following Milwaukee’s poor start, though both acknowledge it’s still very early, with plenty of time for the Bucks to turn things around.
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Bucks Declining 2025/26 Option On MarJon Beauchamp

October 31st, 2024 at 1:23pm CST by Rory Maher

The Bucks are declining their fourth-year team option on wing MarJon Beauchamp, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

As our tracker shows, October 31 is the deadline for teams to make decisions on 2025/26 rookie scale team options.

The No. 24 overall pick of the 2022 draft, Beauchamp has yet to establish himself as a reliable rotation player over the course of two-plus seasons. Beauchamp, who turned 24 years old earlier this month, will be an unrestricted free agent next summer after Milwaukee declined next season’s option, which was valued at $4,781,276.

In 104 career regular season games, including 12 starts, Beauchamp has averaged 4.7 points and 2.1 rebounds on .431/.353/.716 shooting in 12.7 minutes per contest.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, the Bucks still have $170MM in salary committed to their roster next season, and three players — Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton — hold player options for 2025/26. Declining Beauchamp’s option will save money against the luxury tax in ’25/26.

Two reports from Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report — one in February and one a few days before the ’24/25 season began — stated the Bucks were willing to trade Beauchamp, so it’s not a total surprise that his option was declined. Still, it’s certainly a noteworthy development, particularly for a team that has needed athletic wings for a few seasons.

Whichever team Beauchamp finishes this season with will be limited to offering him up to the value of the declined option in free agency. Rival teams could exceed that figure if he has a breakout third season, though that seems fairly unlikely at the moment.

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Central Notes: Rivers, Middleton, LaVine, Harris, Reed

October 30th, 2024 at 11:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers may have missed out on a chance to lead the Celtics to more championships, but he told Steve Bulpett of Heavy that he doesn’t regret his decision to accept an offer from the Clippers in 2013. According to Bulpett, the team was “fairly pleading” for Rivers to stay and oversee a rebuilding project after trading Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn, but Rivers was attracted by the money and the chance to coach a team filled with stars in Los Angeles.

“I thought about it that first year with the Clippers, like, ‘Uh, I may have made a mistake,’” Rivers said. “But after that, I didn’t really think about it at all. … One thing I’ve never done is I never look back. I just don’t. I’ve never done that.”

Rivers said he was confident that Boston would rebuild quickly, which it did, largely from the draft picks the team received in the deal with the Nets. Rivers wasn’t able to get the Clippers past the second round of the playoffs before his time with the organization ended in 2020. He spent three years coaching in Philadelphia, then took the Milwaukee job midway through last season. Although he hasn’t come close to winning a title since leaving the Celtics, Rivers takes pride in what he’s accomplished.

“Everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve won,” he said. “I got fired in Philly, and we were .653 in the three years I was there, you know what I mean? So, like, I’m fine with my legacy. I’m eighth in (career) wins, fourth in playoff wins, so I’ve got a great legacy. But I want more. That’s why I’m still doing it.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • There’s still no timeline for Khris Middleton to return, but Rivers was encouraged by what he saw at today’s practice, per Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. “He did a lot today,” Rivers said as the Bucks held their first full practice session since the season began. “A whole lot. Stayed out on the floor with our guys. So, he’s getting close.” Middleton still hasn’t been cleared to practice in a five-on-five setting, which likely needs to happen before he can return to action.
  • X-rays were negative on Bulls guard Zach LaVine‘s left shoulder after a collision in tonight’s game, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). LaVine said he got treatment on the shoulder during the game, and he hopes to be ready for Friday’s contest at Brooklyn. He called it a “subluxation,” and Johnson expects him to be listed on the team’s injury report with a shoulder sprain.
  • Tonight marked a homecoming for a pair of former Sixers who joined the Pistons this summer. Tobias Harris, who signed as a free agent after five-and-a-half years in Philadelphia, wasn’t surprised to get a mixed reaction from the crowd, relays Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). “I think the fans here get a bad rep as far as their passion,” he said. “I’ve played in different cities and this is one of the cities where you can get booed by fans, but you’ll be out at a restaurant and they’ll put a baby in your hands for a photo.” Paul Reed, who got claimed by Detroit after the Sixers waived him in July, was happy to be back in Philadelphia for a night, per Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). “The city gave me a lot, I ain’t gonna lie,” he said. “A lot of trust. A lot of love. A lot of passion. So I really love Philly. I definitely felt some type of way when I left. But it is what it is. That’s the business.”
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Bucks Notes: Cap Relief, Giannis, Rondo, Celtics Loss, G League

October 29th, 2024 at 8:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bucks, under second apron restrictions this season, will have a lot more financial flexibility beginning next offseason, according to Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Even with the contracts of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard still on the books, there’s a good chance Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis will decline their player options with the salary cap rising. Brook Lopez, who is making $23MM this season, will be an unrestricted free agent.

“I’d like to say it’s by design,” Bucks co-owner and governor Wes Edens said. “We’ve worked pretty hard to be in the position we’re in. I think we have one of the most competitive teams. I think we have a very good chance to really contend and maybe win a championship (this season) and we have a real chance for continuity and continuance beyond this. That’s the goal.”

We have more on the Bucks:

  • Antetokounmpo was outspoken after Sunday’s 13-point loss to the rebuilding Nets, saying the team is searching for an identity. “Right now, we don’t have an identity. Like, how are we going to win the game?” he said, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “Are we going to defend for 48 minutes? Are we going to move the ball for 48 minutes? Are we going to attack and play fast for 48 minutes — or 36 minutes and slow down in the last 12? We gotta find an identity. We don’t have that right now.”
  • Rajon Rondo is working with the club on a part-time basis under head coach Doc Rivers, who explained Rondo’s status. “He’s got a son, it’s not that he didn’t want to be a coach,” Rivers told Brian Robb of MassLive.com. “He’s got a son that’s a really talented player and he’s working with him. We’re crafting out a schedule right now to try to give him enough time to be there and to be with us.”
  • Their third consecutive loss, this time to the Celtics on Monday, was a reminder that swapping out Jrue Holiday for Lillard hasn’t worked out for Milwaukee, Robb notes. The Bucks led at halftime but were outscored by 11 in the third quarter and couldn’t mount a meaningful rally. “I don’t like moral victories, but I just thought that’s what we can be — at least for three quarters,” Rivers said, per Nehm. “I thought we kind of ran out of gas a little bit. Didn’t get a lot of help tonight from our bench, so we extended minutes.”
  • The Wisconsin Herd, their NBA G League club, has announced its camp roster. James Akinjo, Terence Davis, Henry Ellenson and Justise Winslow are among the notable names with NBA experience on the list.
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Damian Lillard Talks About Communication With Giannis Antetokounmpo

October 28th, 2024 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill
  • Appearing on the Knuckleheads podcast (video link), Bucks guard Damian Lillard said he and Giannis Antetokounmpo need to be able to communicate openly on the court to reach a championship level. “Me and him got to be able to hold each other accountable, and that don’t mean yelling at each other all the time,” Lillard explained. “It just means, like, I got to be able to say something to you, and you got to be able to say something to me at all times.”
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Central Notes: Jackson, Mitchell, Buzelis, Pistons

October 27th, 2024 at 9:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Bucks guard Andre Jackson crashed his car into the porch of an apartment in downtown Milwaukee on Saturday, according to Mary Spicuzza and Drake Bentley of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. An official from the Milwaukee Fire Department said there was property damage but no reported injuries.

The Bucks didn’t share the full details of the incident, but did confirm in a statement that Jackson was unhurt: “Andre was involved in a single-vehicle accident after (Saturday) morning’s team workout. Andre was alone in his car. Fortunately, no one was injured and he didn’t require medical attention. Andre will be joining the team in New York for (Sunday)’s game.”

The 36th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Jackson appeared in 57 games last season but isn’t part of the Bucks’ regular rotation as he enters his second season on a partially guaranteed contract. He saw just one minute of garbage-time action in the team’s first two regular season contests and played the final 3:26 of Sunday’s loss in Brooklyn with the game out of reach.

Here’s more from around the Central:

  • The Cavaliers are off to a 3-0 start, but all three victories have come against projected lottery teams, prompting star guard Donovan Mitchell to deliver a “passionate and pointed” post-game message to his teammates after Saturday’s win to remind them not to get too comfortable with their early-season success, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). “We took care of business. We did what we’re supposed to do for these three games,” Mitchell said. “But now, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (vs. the Knicks, Lakers, Magic, and Bucks), that’s where we really see what we’re made of as a group and if our habits continue through with tougher opponents and tougher games.”
  • Playing time has been hard to come by for rookie Matas Buzelis in the Bulls‘ first three games, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Although Buzelis has gotten onto the floor in every game, he hasn’t played more than nine minutes or made more than a single field goal in any of those three appearances. “With the number of guys we have there at that (forward) position, I want to help Matas develop and grow, but I also want to make sure there’s groups out there that will function together,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “So for us, I think it’s still a work in progress with some of the rotations.” As Cowley notes, if Buzelis’ playing time continues to be sporadic, it might make sense to send him on a G League assignment once the NBAGL’s season begins.
  • Despite their 0-3 record so far, the Pistons aren’t concerned about a repeat of last season’s 2-29 start, says Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. The team has seen some encouraging signs of progress in its losses to three talented teams (Indiana, Cleveland, and Boston). “We might be 0-3, but I feel like we’re right there,” Malik Beasley said after Saturday’s loss to the Celtics. “I’m not just saying that because I’m here. I’ve been through struggles in the NBA. We’re right there. The chemistry is really good, the camaraderie is really good and we still have our energy. We’re going to get on this flight (Sunday) and get ready for Miami.”
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Rookie Scale Option Decisions Due On Thursday

October 27th, 2024 at 5:29pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s transaction wire has been pretty quiet since the regular season got underway on Tuesday, but we can still expect one last flurry of moves in October. The deadline for teams to exercise their 2025/26 team options on rookie scale contracts arrives on Thursday (October 31), and several of those decisions have yet to be reported or announced.

Unlike player or team options on veteran contracts, third- and fourth-year options on rookie scale contracts for former first-round picks must be exercised a year in advance. For instance, when the Thunder picked up Chet Holmgren‘s fourth-year option on Wednesday, they were locking in his salary for the 2025/26 season — his ’24/25 salary became guaranteed last October when the team exercised his third-year option.

As our tracker shows, 35 options have been picked up so far, but a number of teams still have decisions to make on players who were first-round picks in 2022 and 2023. Some of those remaining option decisions are no-brainers — the Hornets haven’t yet exercised Brandon Miller‘s $11.97MM option for 2025/26, but there’s no doubt they’ll do so.

Other decisions are less cut-and-dried. For example, the Bucks must decide whether they want to pick up MarJon Beauchamp‘s $4.78MM fourth-year option for ’25/26. Given Milwaukee’s position relative to the luxury tax line and the fact that Beauchamp has yet to secure a regular rotation spot, the Bucks may not want to lock in that cap hit.

Here’s the list of the 23 option decisions that have yet to be officially finalized:

Atlanta Hawks

Brooklyn Nets

Charlotte Hornets

Detroit Pistons

Golden State Warriors

Houston Rockets

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Memphis Grizzlies

Milwaukee Bucks

Toronto Raptors

Washington Wizards

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Gary Trent Jr. Impresses With Defense; Khris Middleton To Miss Another Game

October 26th, 2024 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill
  • The Bucks were impressed by Gary Trent Jr.‘s defensive effort in his debut with the team, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Trent was used as the primary defender on Tyrese Maxey, who had to carry the offense for the short-handed Sixers. “It’s hard guarding one of the quickest players in the NBA, full court, always being in front, navigating screens, putting your body on the line, and that’s what he did tonight and he was incredible,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “(Maxey) took a lot of shots. He made a lot of shots. He missed a lot of shots, but I think (Trent) was there for every one of them and he did an incredible job. He’s probably tired.”
  • Three-time All-Star forward Khris Middleton will miss the Bucks‘ game Sunday in Brooklyn as he continues his recovery from two offseason ankle surgeries, Nehm tweets. Middleton is considered day-to-day.
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Trade Rumors: Kuminga, Nets, Sixers, Murphy, Springer, Tucker

October 25th, 2024 at 5:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Jonathan Kuminga was believed to be seeking a maximum-salary or near-max contract ahead of Monday’s rookie scale extension deadline, which is why he and the Warriors didn’t agree to terms on a deal, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report said today on the B/R App. However, Fischer believes Golden State will be comfortable paying Kuminga big money if he shows this season that his impressive stretch from January to March was no fluke and continues to take strides toward stardom.

“The Warriors will be happy to pay Jonathan Kuminga that top dollar if that sample size is stretched out over the entire course of the 2024/25 season,” Fischer said.

Still, Fischer noted that Kuminga isn’t necessarily a lock to remain with the Warriors long-term and suggested two potential suitors worth keeping an eye on for the fourth-year forward (video clip).

One is no surprise: Brooklyn is currently the only team projected to have maximum-salary cap room and Fischer says Kuminga has “come up” in past trade talks between the Nets and Warriors. The Nets aren’t necessarily specifically targeting the 22-year-old, Fischer clarifies, but their cap situation makes them a potential threat when Kuminga reaches restricted free agency, especially since general manager Sean Marks has shown a willingness in the past to sign RFAs to lucrative offer sheets.

The other team worth watching, according to Fischer, is the Sixers, who would only have a chance to acquire Kuminga on the trade market. Philadelphia has conveyed a willingness to give up draft capital to add another impact player, Fischer explains, and could use KJ Martin‘s pseudo-expiring contract as a salary-matching piece.

That sort of deal may not appeal to the Warriors, and acquiring Kuminga and then paying him in free agency would result in a massive payroll in 2025/26 and beyond for the 76ers, who already have three players on maximum-salary contracts. But Fischer suggests Philadelphia has “a lot of willingness” to go deep into luxury tax territory for the right opportunity to “cement (their) title window.”

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

  • According to Fischer, Trey Murphy was another player believed to be on the Nets‘ and Sixers‘ radars as a potential free agent and trade target, respectively, but he’s off the table after signing a four-year, $112MM extension with the Pelicans.
  • After identifying Celtics guard Jaden Springer as a trade candidate last week, Fischer reiterated that point in his rumor round-up on Friday, noting that moving Springer at or before the February trade deadline would create tax savings for Boston and would open up a roster spot for Lonnie Walker or another player. Fischer added that the Celtics recently called a number of teams to gauge Springer’s trade value.
  • The Sixers, Heat, Bucks, and Suns are among the teams that have spoken to P.J. Tucker‘s representation about a possible trade, sources tell Kelly Iko and Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link). As we relayed on Thursday, the Clippers have granted Tucker’s agent Andre Buck permission to talk to potential trade partners to try to find his client a new home, but the veteran forward’s $11.54MM cap hit will make it difficult to find a deal that works for L.A.
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Central Notes: Lillard, Nembhard, Thompson

October 23rd, 2024 at 5:51pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Bucks All-Star point guard Damian Lillard is gearing up for his second season in Milwaukee, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. The 6’2″ vet had a disappointing start to his tenure with the team in 2023/24.

The 34-year-old, on the cusp of his 13th season officially tipping off Wednesday, reflected on his reputation around the league and spoke about how winning a title alongside All-NBA Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo could affect his legacy.

“You would think if I won it, there would be nothing that they could say, but I think people know how f—ing good I am,” Lillard said. “People know — at least the people who know what they’re watching — or I wouldn’t have been on the 75th anniversary team. If you’re talking about fans and people that are on TV just randomly saying their opinion, it’s like, ‘All right.’”

There’s more out of the Central Division:

  • Versatile Pacers combo guard Andrew Nembhard, who signed an extension with the team this offseason, has been happy to slot in as an jack-of-all-trades role player in Indiana, toggling between the bench and the starting lineup throughout his two seasons thus far, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscriber link). “He’s our Swiss Army knife. He can play point guard when Ty [Tyrese Haliburton] is getting pressured,” reserve guard T.J. McConnell said. “He can be the two. He can even be the three and he can guard any position. He’s been incredible and he continues to get better.”
  • Second-year Pistons wing Ausar Thompson has been ruled out for the club’s 2024/25 regular season opener Wednesday night as he continues his comeback from a blood clot that ended his rookie season prematurely, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Detroit is still waiting for official clearance from the league regarding when Thompson will be permitted to return to action, Sankofa tweets. The 6’7″ swingman appeared in 63 contests for Detroit, averaging 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
  • In case you missed it, the Bulls opted not to sign newly acquired point guard Josh Giddey to a contract extension in time for the preseason deadline. He will become a restricted free agent next summer.
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