Milwaukee Bucks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Draft Notes: Withdrawals, Pro Days, Turell, Minott

May 13th, 2022 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

UAB senior guard Jordan Walker, San Francisco senior guard Khalil Shabazz, and Auburn sophomore big man Johni Broome are among the players who have indicated that they’ll withdraw from the 2022 NBA draft class and return to college for at least one more year, according to a series of announcements.

None of the three were considered great bets to be drafted in 2022, so they’ll look to improve their stock in 2022/23 before potentially returning pro a year from now. Walker and Shabazz will have exhausted their NCAA eligibility at that point, while Broome – who recently announced that he’ll transfer to Auburn from Morehead State – will have the option of remaining in school.

Early entrants in this year’s draft have until the end of the day on June 1 to withdraw their names if they want to retain their NCAA eligibility. The NBA’s official withdrawal deadline is June 13.

Here’s more on the 2022 draft:

Earlier this week, the NBA sent teams a list of 17 Pro Days that will be run by agencies at next week’s draft combine in Chicago, per Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). Shaedon Sharpe, Keegan Murray, Dyson Daniels, and Jeremy Sochan will be among the many prospects in attendance at those various agency-run Pro Days, Givony adds.
Yeshiva swingman Ryan Turell, a Division III star, has been forced to withdraw from next week’s NBA G League Elite Camp after suffering a minor injury in a workout, sources tell Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com (Twitter link).
Memphis wing Josh Minott has worked out for the Nets, Grizzlies, and Bucks early in the pre-draft process, a league source tells Zagoria (Twitter link).
Jeremy Woo of SI.com identifies five of his favorite under-the-radar prospects in the 2022 draft class, including NC State guard Terquavion Smith and UConn forward Tyrese Martin.

Khris Middleton Making Progress, But Not Ready To Play

May 11th, 2022 at 7:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks guard Khris Middleton is making progress in his recovery from an MCL sprain in his left knee, but he’s not ready to start playing again, tweets Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. Coach Mike Budenholzer, who expressed hope last week that Middleton might be able to return at some point during Milwaukee’s second-round series with the Celtics, told reporters today that Middleton has been able to do “a little” on the court, but there’s nothing significant to update.

Hall Of Famer Bob Lanier Passes Away At Age 73

May 10th, 2022 at 11:48pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Former Pistons and Bucks big man Bob Lanier has passed away at the age of 73, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). A cause of death was not disclosed as of this writing.

A 6’11” center, Lanier was selected with the top pick in the 1970 NBA draft by the Pistons, following three All-American seasons at St. Bonaventure. Lanier played for 10 years in Detroit before being traded in 1980 to the Bucks, where he would finish his career after the 1983/84 season.

An eight-time All-Star with the Pistons and Bucks and the 1973/74 All-Star Game MVP, Lanier held career averages of 20.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, and 3.1 APG, across 959 career regular season games. He was elected to the NBA Hall of Fame as a player in 1992.

Lanier also enjoyed an active career with the NBA long after his playing days had ceased. He served as a president for the NBPA and enjoyed an extended run as an ambassador for the league.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement through the league (Twitter link).

“For more than 30 years, Bob served as our global ambassador and as a special assistant to [former commissioner] David Stern and then me, traveling the world to teach the game’s values and make a positive impact on young people everywhere,” Silver said in part. “I learned so much from Bob by simply watching how he connected with people. He was a close friend who I will miss dearly, as will so many of his colleagues across the NBA who were inspired by his generosity.”

We at Hoops Rumors extend our deepest condolences to Lanier’s family and friends.

Bucks, Hawks To Play Preseason Games In Abu Dhabi

May 10th, 2022 at 9:19am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA will head to the Middle East later this year, announcing today in a press release that the Bucks and Hawks will play a pair of preseason games in Abu Dhabi on October 6 and October 8, 2022.

The games will be the league’s first in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and in the Arabian Gulf.

The NBA’s foray into international markets for preseason games has been on hold during the last couple years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it appears it will resume this fall.

In 2019, the league played preseason games in India, Japan, and China. Since ’19, regular season games have also been played in England, France, and Mexico. The Spurs reportedly hope to play more regular season home games in Mexico during the next couple seasons.

As Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel details, commissioner Adam Silver was asked last month about playing in the UAE despite the country’s human rights record, and acknowledged it was a “fair question.”

“We look at many different factors in terms of how we travel, bring our games,” Silver said. “But our ultimate goal is to bring our games to everywhere around the world. There are lines we draw, but we’re an American company and usually we allow those lines to be drawn by our government. Whoever happens to be our administration gives us direction on where they think it’s appropriate for us to operate and not operate.”

Bucks Notes: Hill, Matthews, Horst, Antetokounmpo, Ibaka

May 9th, 2022 at 6:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

George Hill returned to action in Game 3 of the Bucks’ series against the Celtics and had no setbacks. The veteran guard is not listed on the injury report for Monday’s game, Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. Hill, who hadn’t seen action since April 8 due to an abdominal strain, played 11 scoreless minutes with one assist in Game 3.

We have more on the defending champions:

Wesley Matthews‘ excellent defense and the Bucks’ scheme frustrated Jayson Tatum in Game 3. Tatum now has to figure out how to get to his sweet spots more frequently, Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes. Weiss takes an in-depth on the Bucks’ plan against Tatum and how he might counter in Game 4.
Boston fumed about a no-call in the closing seconds of Game 3. Surprisingly, Bucks GM Jon Horst also felt the officiating wasn’t up to par, as he told Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “I couldn’t do their job. You couldn’t do their job,” Horst said. “Officiating is hard, just like playing is hard and coaching is hard, and I think we all have a standard of trying to get better and improve. And at the end of the day, that’s what stood out to me. We have to improve. That wasn’t a quality playoff basketball game, and I think officiating played a role in that.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo takes all kinds of punishment and doles it out, too. His teammates marvel at his mental toughness with defenses constantly collapsing on him, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes. “He’s so good at being mentally strong,” center Brook Lopez said. “He obviously has lots of guys throwing themselves at him when he’s trying to get into his moves and make plays for himself and everyone else. He does a great job of sticking with it, staying in the game, and just keeping his mojo … It can be frustrating at times. He does a great job of just kind of letting it go like water off a duck’s back.”
Serge Ibaka was a late scratch from Monday’s game due to a non-COVID illness, Lily Zhao of FOX6 tweets. Ibaka has made two cameo appearances in the series.

Robert Williams Won’t Play Monday

May 9th, 2022 at 5:24pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Celtics center Robert Williams will not play in Game 4 against the Bucks on Monday due to left knee soreness, the team’s PR department tweets.

Williams’ knee soreness was expected, coach Ime Udoka told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (Twitter link) and other media members. The team’s starting big man tried to work out prior to game and couldn’t move like the team wanted, according to Udoka. Udoka believes that by resting Williams tonight, he’ll be able to play in Game 5, Jared Weiss of The Athletic tweets.

It’s a tough blow for a team facing a 2-1 series deficit on the road.

Williams missed the latter portion of the regular season due to meniscus surgery. He has appeared in five postseason games, including three starts, and has averaged 6.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 1.8 BPG in 2o.2 MPG.

Boston will go with a smaller starting lineup with Grant Williams starting in Robert Williams’ place.

Poll: Who Will Win Game 4 Of Bucks Vs. Celtics?

May 9th, 2022 at 1:38pm CST by Rory Maher

In our poll before the No. 2 seed Celtics faced the No. 3 seed Bucks in the East’s second round, 62.87% of our respondents predicted Boston to emerge victorious in the series.

Through three games, Milwaukee holds a 2-1 lead in a hotly contested matchup. The first two games were both fairly lopsided, with the Bucks putting on a defensive clinic in Game 1’s 101-89 win, followed by the Celtics making key adjustments in a blowout 109-86 victory in Game 2, holding Milwaukee to just 3-of-18 on three-pointers.

Game 3 had some controversy, as both sides were unhappy with the officiating. The Bucks ultimately emerged victorious by a score of 103-101 after the Celtics missed three put-back attempts in the closing seconds.

Reigning Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the best player in the series to this point, averaging 31.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal and 1.7 blocks in 38.1 minutes per contest, although he’s struggled with shooting percentages (.439/.167/.625). In the absence of Khris Middleton, who will miss at least Game 4 (and possibly the rest of the series), Antetokounmpo is carrying a heavy load and will have to continue to play at an extremely high level to triumph over Boston’s top-ranked defense.

For the Celtics, Jaylen Brown (23 points, 9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.3 steals on .489/.417/.867 shooting) and Al Horford (15 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.7 blocks on .459/.429/1.000 shooting) have both been fantastic. However, the team needs more from star Jayson Tatum, who shot just 6-of-18 from the field in Game 1 and 4-of-19 in Game 3, sporting an overall slash line of 20 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 2 steals and 1.7 blocks on .351/.360/.688 shooting.

Wesley Matthews has done a great job shadowing Tatum and making him uncomfortable, but Tatum is 11 years younger (24 vs. 35) and four inches taller (6’8″ vs. 6’4″) than Matthews, so he should still be able to get his shot off. Of course, if he drives to the paint, Antetokounmpo and/or Brook Lopez will be waiting for him, so that makes things more complicated.

Who will Monday’s crucial Game 4? Will it be another nail-biter? We want to know what you think. Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts on Celtics/Bucks!

Eastern Notes: Giannis, Hill, Dedmon, Isaac

May 8th, 2022 at 7:47pm CST by JD Shaw

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo declined to criticize the officiating after Game 3 on Saturday, Mike Hart of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. Instead, Antetokoummpo joked that he’d rather avoid the fine and spend his money on something else.

“How much does it cost if I say a comment about the ref?” he asked, as relayed by The Sporting News (Twitter link). “Is it $20,000? It’s a lot of money. So, I should not do it. I’ll save my money, I’ve got to pay for diapers.”

Antetokoumpo, of course, has a two-year-old son. He put forth an excellent performance in Game 3, finishing with 42 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in the win. The Bucks were called for six more fouls than the Celtics and shot 17 fewer free throws.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference today:

Bucks veteran George Hill returned from an abdominal strain with a minutes restriction in Game 3, notes Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Twitter link). Hill played 10 minutes off the bench. He last played on April 8.
Heat center Dewayne Dedmon missed the team’s Game 4 against the Sixers on Sunday, as the team announced on social media. Dedmon was dealing with an illness, though he tested negative for COVID-19, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets. Dedmon, the team’s backup center this season, has seen his production waver in recent months.
Magic forward Jonathan Isaac is looking forward to returning after missing two straight seasons, Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Isaac has been rehabbing from a torn ACL. Orlando drafted him No. 6 overall in 2017.

Wisconsin Herd's Steve Brandes Named Team Executive Of Year; Club Also Receives Inaugural Award

May 7th, 2022 at 3:58pm CST by JD Shaw

Lakers legend Magic Johnson has decided to enter the bidding for the NFL’s Denver Broncos, according to Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico. Johnson is joining the group led by Sixers co-owner Josh Harris.

Johnson replaced Jim Buss as Lakers president of basketball operations in 2017, then resigned from his role in 2019. His storied playing career includes five NBA championships and three MVP awards across 13 seasons.

Johnson also owns part of the Dodgers (MLB) and Sparks (WNBA). The Broncos are being sold by the Bowlen family, which has owned the franchise for 38 years. Our friends at Pro Football Rumors have more on Harris’ and Johnson’s bid for the team.

Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of ESPN have released their 2023 mock draft, which features several young talents from around the globe. French big man Victor Wembanyana appears to be the consensus No. 1 pick at this point. The talented 18-year-old is 7’3″ with a 7’9″ wingspan, intriguing NBA scouts. Givony and Schmitz project G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson and Arkansas guard Nick Smith to be the second and third picks, respectively.
Bill Shea of The Athletic explores the general fan costs of all 30 teams. Shea examines factors such as ticket prices and concessions, concluding that the Knicks, Warriors and Lakers provide the most expensive costs for fans.
Wisconsin Herd president Steve Brandes has been recognized as the 2021/22 NBA G League Team Executive of the Year, the club announced in a press release. The Herd were also recognized with the inaugural 2021/22 NBA G League President’s Choice Award, which is given to the team that demonstrates what each G League club should strive to be.

DeRozan Says Holiday Most Underrated Player; Hill Probable For Game 3; Four Keys To Repeating As Champs

May 7th, 2022 at 11:56am CST by Rory Maher

In a question and answer session with Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, Bulls star DeMar DeRozan said he thinks Bucks guard Jrue Holiday is the most underrated player in the NBA at the moment. “Wow, that’s a great one … most underrated … most underrated from my opinion and one of my favorite players to watch I would say is Jrue Holiday, yeah, Jrue Holiday,” DeRozan said.
Bucks veteran guard George Hill is listed as probable for Saturday’s Game 3 against the Celtics, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Hill has been dealing with an abdominal strain and has yet to play this postseason, but he was able to practice on Thursday and could see some action today.
Jamal Collier of ESPN lists four keys to the Bucks repeating as NBA champions this season. One key is making up for the production of injured star Khris Middleton, who’s sidelined with a sprained MCL. “Khris clearly is a huge part of what we do, but we have a lot of talented guys on our team,” Brook Lopez said. “We’re going to see a lot of different guys, I think, stepping up on different nights.”