Giannis Antetokounmpo

Bucks Notes: Wright, Rollins, Jackson, Giannis

November 11th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Signing veteran guard Delon Wright to a minimum-salary contract over the summer was viewed as a savvy free agency move for a Bucks team facing serious roster-building constraints. However, Wright is off to a slow start in Milwaukee, having fallen out of the rotation entirely just a couple weeks into the season. He’s been a DNP-CD in each the past three games.

“I mean, it wasn’t really a conversation – they kind of just did it,” Wright said of being benched, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscription required). “It’s their decision. I can’t really be too mad at it. It is frustrating but I’m trying to stay ready. It’s a long season.”

Wright, who is in his 10th NBA season, is playing for his ninth different team, so he’s gotten accustomed to having to make a good first impression. He suggested that sometimes it takes a little longer for a new team to figure out how best to utilize him.

“This is not the first time it’s happened to me,” Wright told Owczarski. “Especially with a new coaching staff, they’re not really fully aware of what I do best. They have an idea, but once I get into a rhythm, once I get really acclimated with the team then I’ll be able to be utilized more. Right now I’m just like a three-and-D guy, just play defense and just move the ball. Once I get more acclimated and they get familiar with me it’ll be different for me. But, just have to stay ready, build my confidence back up and wherever (the minutes) is at, be more confident, be more aggressive.”

Two-way guard Ryan Rollins, a 2022 second-round pick who is on his third NBA team, has taken Wright’s spot in the rotation for now and is looking to take advantage of a rare opportunity for regular minutes. While the veteran Wright hopes to eventually earn those minutes back, he recognizes that he has to be supportive of his younger teammate in the meantime.

“I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer. I don’t want to have my energy affect anybody else,” Wright said. “So, I just have to try to stay as engaged as I can, even though it sucks that you’re not playing. I have to encourage Ryan, because he would do the same when he wasn’t playing, cheering me on. I have to make sure to be a good teammate and try to continue to just work. My time will come back around. You never know what can happen in a season.”

Here’s more out of Milwaukee:

Second-year wing Andre Jackson, who has started the Bucks’ past three games, logged just four minutes in the second half on Sunday after playing 18 of 24 first-half minutes. What was the thinking behind that usage? “I thought the way (the Celtics) were helping off of him was really affecting our offense, especially from the second quarter on,” head coach Doc Rivers explained (Twitter link via Eric Nehm of The Athletic). “He’s gonna be a good player for us. We gotta still work with him about what to do when that happens. When you watch the tape, his guy was on the other side of the floor sometimes, double-teaming. They didn’t care where he went. And we gotta make sure we put him in the right spots.”
Lori Nickel of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel considers what to make of the Bucks’ disappointing 2-8 start, suggesting Milwaukee has lost its identity as a “hustle team” as its roster has aged.
Michael Pina of The Ringer evaluates whether the idea of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade is realistic, noting that the Bucks look pretty far away from being the sort of title-contending team the two-time MVP wants them to be. Pina doesn’t anticipate an in-season deal, but won’t rule out the possibility of something happening next summer and makes the case that the Rockets would be an intriguing trade partner for Milwaukee.
In case you missed it, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown expressed annoyance with Antetokounmpo following Boston’s win over the Bucks on Sunday.

Celtics Notes: Tatum, Brown, Sunday Win, Pritchard

November 11th, 2024 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Celtics forward Jayson Tatum was able to stay in the game after landing on Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s foot and turning his left ankle on a three-point attempt in the third quarter of Sunday’s matchup with the Bucks (Twitter video link). Speaking to reporters after pulling out the win, Tatum downplayed the injury, referring to his ankle as just “a little sore.” However, he wasn’t pleased with the fact that no foul was called on Antetokounmpo on the play.

“There are certain calls you can’t miss,” Tatum told reporters, per Brian Robb of MassLive.com. “Your job is to protect the guys on the court, protect the shooter. That’s something I could have been out for six weeks or whatever. For it to be a no-call, let alone they didn’t even get to review it or look at it, right?”

Head coach Joe Mazzulla also referred to the non-call as “ridiculous” during his post-game comments, though Tatum credit the head coach and his staff for helping him cool off in the moment. As Robb points out, the star forward has already racked up four technical fouls in the first three weeks of the season — he was able to avoid a fifth on Sunday.

“I mean, coaches kind of calmed me down,” Tatum said. “It’s a tough situation. I get my fair share of techs throughout the season, rightfully so, unrightfully so. … That s–t is frustrating when all you get is a ‘Sorry we missed it.’ Your ankle is sore and you got to figure it out. I definitely was frustrated.”

The Celtics have a back-to-back set vs. Atlanta and at Brooklyn on Tuesday and Wednesday, so Tatum will have just one day to rest the ankle, assuming he doesn’t plan to sit out any games.

Here’s more on the Celtics:

As he was heading back up the court in the second quarter of Sunday’s game after being whistled for an offensive foul, Antetokounmpo offered his hand to Jaylen Brown for a handshake, then pulled it away when Brown reached to shake it (Twitter video link). Antetokounmpo laughed and quickly offered his hand back to Brown with a smile, but the Celtics wing didn’t make a second attempt to shake it and suggested after the game that he didn’t see the humor in the moment, per Jamal Collier of ESPN. “Giannis is a child,” Brown said. “I’m just focused on helping my team get a win. And that’s what we did tonight.”
Antetokounmpo was surprised to hear of Brown’s post-game comments, telling reporters in his own media session that he plays the game with “joy” and that he and Brown have joked around on the court in the past. “I’m just going to continue to be me,” Giannis said, according to Collier. “And at the end of the day, if I’m called a child, so be it.” Brown committed a hard foul on Antetokounmpo in the fourth quarter and was called for a flagrant-1, but said after the game that it was unrelated to the interaction earlier in the game.
Sunday was Brown’s first appearance following a four-game absence due to a hip flexor injury that had been nagging at him since training camp. As Souichi Terada of MassLive.com relays, Brown provided a positive health update after the Celtics’ win. “I’ve been playing through it,” he said. “Didn’t really get any better while I was playing, so we decided it was best to get a little bit of rest to get off of it. I think that did me well. Today, I felt a little bit more of that burst. I felt a little stronger physically and able to go both directions. Something good to build on.”
Payton Pritchard‘s play this fall has been an early-season highlight for Boston, Terada writes for MassLive.com. Pritchard contributed 18 points in Sunday’s victory and has now scored at least 15 points in nine of the team’s first 11 games. After the game, Jrue Holiday referred to Pritchard as “somebody you love to play with,” while Brown said his teammate has been “excellent” so far this season. “His growth has been incredible to watch,” Brown added. “Payton has been making those steps and he’s a big-time player.” Pritchard is in the first season of a four-year, $30MM extension that he signed in 2023.

Stein’s Latest: Nets, Giannis, Mexico City, Spurs

November 10th, 2024 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets lost both games of their back-to-back set on Friday and Saturday, but they pushed the Celtics to overtime on Friday in Boston and took the undefeated Cavaliers down to the wire in Cleveland on Saturday.

Projected before the season to be the NBA’s worst team, Brooklyn has looked surprisingly competitive under new head coach Jordi Fernandez, winning four of its first 10 games and holding its own against a relatively tough schedule. Only two of the Nets’ losses have been by more than five points.

As Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article, the Nets’ front office signaled during the summer by reacquiring control of their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks in a trade with Houston that they were expecting to finish firmly in the lottery. If they want to ensure the team has a shot at a franchise player in the ’25 draft, the front office may need to start making in-season deals sooner than expected, Stein notes.

According to Stein, Dennis Schröder, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Bojan Bogdanovic are the veterans mentioned most frequently by rival teams as Nets players they expect to be on the move by the February 6 trade deadline. All three are on manageable contracts (with cap hits below than $20MM) and could become unrestricted free agents in 2025. Schröder and Bogdanovic are on expiring deals, while Finney-Smith holds a player option for 2025/26.

Here’s more from Stein:

After writing last weekend about the “league-wide lusting” for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stein follows up to clarify that the league’s 29 non-Bucks teams understand the two-time MVP will only ever be made available if he pushes for a trade. That hasn’t happened, but several clubs have started planning for the possibility it might and have let Milwaukee know they’ll be ready to talk if and when the time comes, according to Stein.
Stein recently wrote about the idea of the NBA expanding to Mexico City and said he “just can’t see it happening.” In today’s Substack article, he says one “well-placed Mexico expert” warned him not to be so dismissive of the possibility, pointing out that the “immense financial opportunities” available in the country make it an idea the NBA won’t give up on easily. That source also pointed out that if the NBA realigns to four-team divisions, a Mexico City franchise would be well positioned to share a division with Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Still, Las Vegas and Seattle remain the presumptive frontrunners for the league’s next round of expansion, says Stein.
The Spurs turned to 37-year-old Mitch Johnson rather than former NBA head coach Brett Brown with Gregg Popovich recently forced to be away from the team due to a health issue. As Stein explains, that was always the plan in the event that Popovich had to miss time, since Brown prefers to remain in his current role that allows him to provide guidance to the team’s young players, young coaches, and video staffers. Brown’s focus, per Stein, is on “helping Johnson thrive” as acting head coach.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Blasts Bucks’ Effort In Friday’s Loss

November 9th, 2024 at 5:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Giannis Antetokounmpo issued a strong message about the need to compete following Friday’s 116-94 loss at New York, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. The Bucks are off to a 2-7 start that has them tied for 13th place in the East, and Antetokounmpo wants to see greater urgency from his teammates.

“Did we compete the previous game? Yes,” he said. “Did we compete the two previous games, Cavs and Cavs? Yes. Did we compete today? No. That’s something you can control. If you’re going to go out there and you’re not going to compete, you’re not going to win the game. Sometimes you compete your ass off and you don’t win the game, but at least you give yourself a chance.

“We played great last night. We came to New York, we lost by 30. You gotta compete. Are we OK with not competing? I don’t know. I’m not OK with that s—. So, we gotta do a better job competing. We got Boston in two days. If you don’t compete, you’re going to lose by 30. Simple as that.”

Milwaukee’s only wins this season came Thursday against the 1-7 Jazz and on opening night against a shorthanded Sixers team that’s also off to a 1-7 start. Five of their seven losses have been by double figures, and Friday’s performance was probably the worst so far.

The Knicks set the tone for the game by grabbing five offensive rebounds in the first nine minutes that resulted in 10 points. They wound up out-rebounding the Bucks 48-41 and scored 21 fast break points to Milwaukee’s eight.

Coach Doc Rivers has been making changes in response to the slow start. He replaced Gary Trent Jr. in the starting lineup with Andre Jackson Jr. earlier this week, and Friday he experimented with a new substitution pattern that resulted in Antetokounmpo playing the entire first quarter. Still, the Bucks failed to match the Knicks’ level of effort.

Antetokounmpo’s comments are particularly significant amid growing speculation that the Bucks may eventually have to consider trading him. There’s no indication that the front office is considering a move at this time, but a report Friday indicated that several teams have already called to register their interest.

Defense was formerly the Bucks’ foundation, but this year’s team looks old and slow and struggles to slow down anyone, per Chris Herring of ESPN. He points out that they had no answer Friday for Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 32 points while hitting 4-of-8 shots from beyond the arc and repeatedly drove past Brook Lopez for easy baskets.

The perimeter defensive issues that have plagued the team since trading Jrue Holiday last offseason are still persisting, as Herring notes that Milwaukee ranks 28th in the league in defending pick-and-roll ball handlers.

“We gotta compete,” Antetokounmpo said. “We gotta do a better job competing. At the end of the day coming to New York, playing the way we’re playing, teams will not just give us games. Teams will not feel bad about us and just don’t compete. We have to come out with the mentality that we have to compete for every possession. One possession at a time. Every ball, every loose ball. Whenever the ball is on the floor, we gotta get our body on the floor and try to get that ball. Put our body on the line. We gotta do a better job competing. We didn’t compete at all. That’s the bottom line.”

Knicks Notes: Giannis, Brunson, Kolek, Ryan

November 8th, 2024 at 2:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Giannis Antetokounmpo will get even more attention than usual when the Bucks visit Madison Square Garden tonight, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Amid leaguewide speculation that Antetokounmpo could eventually be put on the trade market, Marc Stein recently listed the Knicks as a possible destination.

Bondy is skeptical that the organization still has the assets to make a competitive offer for Antetokounmpo after two massive offseason deals to acquire Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. New York parted with most of the draft assets it had been saving up, and Bondy believes the team would be easily outbid by Oklahoma City, Houston or San Antonio if Antetokounmpo were to become available.

Bondy states that the immediate concern is finding a way to make the current roster more effective following the offseason shakeup. The Knicks are off to a 3-4 start and don’t seem to have the same cohesion as last season’s team.

“I think we’re still figuring it out,” Bridges said. “Offensively, defensively, we still got to figure it out. Like I said, it’s early. So we just need more time. And we’ll figure it out.”

There’s more from New York:

Even with the additions of Bridges and Towns, opposing teams continue to focus their defense on stopping Jalen Brunson, observes Steve Popper of Newsday. Until the Knicks figure out how to counter that strategy, they’ll keep having disappointing losses like the one Wednesday in Atlanta, Popper adds. “[Wednesday night], including myself, we came out sluggish and we can’t allow that to happen,” Towns said. “We can’t allow that to happen. We’ve got to impose our will. We’ve got to play New York Knicks basketball right from the giddy-up. We can’t just ease into the game. Yeah, this one’s going to hurt.”
Tyler Kolek hasn’t cracked the Knicks’ rotation yet, but he already has a high-profile fan, per Ben Steele of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The rookie guard out of Marquette has impressed broadcaster and team legend Walt Frazier with his aggressive style of play. “Tyler is a real team player, a pass-first guard that I really like,” Frazier said. ” And he has a great mentor in Jalen Brunson.”
Vic Quirolo, who coached Matt Ryan in high school in the New York area, told Adam Zagoria of NJ.com that the newly signed small forward is one of the best shooters he has ever seen. Quirolo speculates that Ryan could eventually become the outside threat the Knicks lost when they sent Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota in the Towns deal.

Bucks Notes: Trade Options, Giannis, Middleton, Trent

November 8th, 2024 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bucks have started making calls around the league to get help for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, according to Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Milwaukee defeated Utah Thursday night to improve to 2-6 and slow down its early-season tailspin, but there’s still a sense that the team needs a roster shakeup to become competitive.

Despite increasing speculation that Antetokounmpo might be made available, a potential deal involving the 29-year-old superstar is currently unrealistic for both him and the team, sources tell Windhorst. He confirms that several teams have contacted the Bucks in recent months to let them know that they’re willing to make an offer if Giannis ever becomes available. However, Windhorst adds that those are “incoming calls, not outgoing,” and that’s unlikely to change soon.

Milwaukee faces difficulty in making any deal because it’s operating under second apron restrictions, which prevent the team from aggregating salaries or taking back more salary than it sends out in a trade. Bontemps points out that the hard caps imposed at both the first and second aprons are making in-season trades more challenging around the league.

“The second apron coming in now really hamstrings them,” a rival general manager told Windhorst. “They’re doing due diligence trying to find options, but of course they know it.”

The Bucks would have a long road toward rebuilding if they ever part with Antetokounmpo because they’ve given up most of their draft assets for the rest of the decade, Windhorst notes. Milwaukee doesn’t control its next six first-round picks, so there’s added incentive to find a way to make the Antetokounmpo-Lillard pairing work.

There’s more from Milwaukee:

The Bucks are counting on a boost from the return of Khris Middleton, who participated in a three-on-three scrimmage Thursday for the first time since having offseason surgery on both ankles, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. The team is hoping he can advance to five-on-five soon, clearing the way for him to return to action. Collier points out that Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Middleton had a plus-17.5 net efficiency rating last season, which ranked second among NBA trios with at least 600 minutes together. However, they were all in the lineup for just five games after the All-Star break. “I haven’t coached him much at all,” said Doc Rivers, who took over the team in late January. “I had him in the playoffs, but other than that, not a lot of games. But I know he can play. I know how good he is, but right now that’s not the focus for me. I’m more focused on what we have and who’s playing right now.”
The Bucks were able to add three veterans on minimum-salary contracts over the summer, but they’ve mostly been disappointing so far, Collier adds. Taurean Prince has provided an outside shooting threat, connecting at 55% from beyond the arc, but Gary Trent Jr. is shooting a career-worst 23% from three-point range and Delon Wright has 15 total points in seven games.
Rivers expressed confidence in Trent after replacing him with Andre Jackson Jr. in the starting lineup for Thursday’s game, per Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. “I think eventually Gary will work his way back,” Rivers said. “Just trying to give him room to breathe and get out of his little thing. Because I know he will.”

Central Notes: Bucks, Giannis, Haliburton, Cavs

November 6th, 2024 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

Since 1970, a total of 150 teams have began a season with a 1-6 record (or worse). Only 12 of those 150 teams have made the playoffs, and five did so despite finishing with a losing record, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

The Bucks are one of two NBA teams who currently own a 1-6 mark this fall, but head coach Doc Rivers – informed of that statistic about the league’s slow starters over the past five-plus decades – expressed confidence that his team will become the 13th in that group to reach the postseason.

“We will make the playoffs,” Rivers said after Monday’s loss to Cleveland, per Nehm. “I’m not worried about that.”

Rivers said his team remains optimistic about its outlook despite the disappointing start, and pointed out that the numbers currently working against the Bucks would look much different once the team breaks out if its slump and wins a few games.

“The team’s very positive. I think they’re upbeat,” Rivers said. “No one wants to lose. We have some tough games coming up, but one win at a time. We win three or four in a row and then the numbers say if you’re 5-6 after that, you have an 80 percent chance to make the playoffs, you know? So that’s where numbers are so silly sometimes, especially early in the year. And we don’t pay much attention to them.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo went through the team’s morning shootaround on Monday before Milwaukee decided to give him a night off due to a right adductor strain, writes Tom Withers of The Associated Press. Although the club’s injury report for Thursday’s game vs. Utah is not yet out, it sounds like Antetokounmpo is considered day-to-day and that the Bucks don’t view the injury as something that will sideline him for long.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports suggested on The Kevin O’Connor Show (Twitter video link) that Tyrese Haliburton‘s early-season struggles may be linked to a back issue that affected the Pacers guard near the end of last season. “I’ve had some sources around the league tell me that they believe it’s not his hamstring that’s the cause of his struggles this year, it’s his back,” O’Connor said. “He had back spasms in the postseason. He’s still wearing a heating pack on the bench. And I think that would make sense, with the trends and the way in which he’s playing, the declining efficiency. Because back issues are tough to deal with.” Haliburton is shooting just 38.2% from the floor, including 24.1% on three-pointers, through seven games.
The Cavaliers‘ impressive 8-0 start is a byproduct of selflessness, sacrifice, and camaraderie, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required), who notes that the team is on board with new head coach Kenny Atkinson‘s philosophies. “I feel like everybody’s buying into the system, even though it’s different,” center Jarrett Allen said. “Props to Kenny. He’s done an excellent job finding out a way to mesh this team together and just try to bring the best out of everybody. It’s not just one person leading the charge. Everybody’s contributing in a different way at different times.”

Bucks Rumors: Antetokounmpo, Early Struggles, Beauchamp

November 4th, 2024 at 8:01am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks are off to a 1-5 start this season after falling to the Cavaliers at home on Saturday for their fifth straight loss, but the “league-wide lusting” for Giannis Antetokounmpo had begun even before Milwaukee stumbled out of the gate, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story.

As Stein explains, outside interest in Antetokounmpo – and optimism that he could eventually become available – stems from two key factors. The first is the Bucks’ salary cap and roster situation, since the club is operating over the second tax apron with an aging core and limited trade assets.

The second factor, Stein says, is an interview that Antetokounmpo gave to Tania Gaguli of The New York Times in August 2023. In that conversation, which took place before the Bucks acquired Damian Lillard, the star forward expressed a desire to remain in Milwaukee for the rest of his career only if he continues to believe the team is capable of winning another title.

While there has been no indication that Giannis has lost faith in the current iteration of the Bucks, the team isn’t in a great spot, coming off two straight first-round exits and having posted a sub-.500 regular season record (18-24) so far under head coach Doc Rivers. Things won’t get any easier on Monday night with another game against the Cavaliers on tap, this time in Cleveland, though Antetokounmpo was encouraged by what he saw as forward progress in Saturday’s one-point loss.

“I think we are headed towards the right direction,” he said, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Now, that doesn’t mean we’re going to go to a five-game winning streak or 10-game winning streak, but I know that we are playing better and we trust another.”

Here’s more on the struggling Bucks:

In the event that Antetokounmpo becomes available via trade, a “credible” list of potential suitors would likely start with the Warriors, Heat, Nets, and Knicks, Stein states in his Substack story. While New York looks like a somewhat improbable suitor based on its current roster and draft assets, Stein says he’s heard “more than one rival team” wonder if having a star like Karl-Anthony Towns available to put in a future offer for Giannis was one of the reasons why the Knicks were willing to pull the trigger on that preseason deal with Minnesota. I’m a little skeptical that Towns is the sort of the player the Bucks would target if they ever seriously consider trading Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks and MarJon Beauchamp‘s representatives at Klutch Sports are working together to try to find a new home for the third-year forward, league sources tell Stein. Beauchamp, the No. 24 pick in the 2022 draft, has yet to emerge as a rotation player and recently had his fourth-year option for 2025/26 option declined, putting him on track to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2025. As long as they continue to operate above the second apron, the Bucks wouldn’t be able to aggregate the 24-year-old’s salary ($2,733,720) with another player’s salary for matching purposes in a bigger deal.
Beauchamp spoke to Owczarski of The Journal Sentinel on Saturday about his reaction to the Bucks declining his option. “I needed that to kind of put a fire under me,” he said. “So, I know who I am though and I know what (kind of) basketball player I am so I’m not really phased on that. I know that my work will always show and as long as I believe in myself, I’m not really worried about that. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise, you know? I’m still worried about right now and controlling what I can control.”

Trade Rumors: Kuminga, Butler, Reaves, Kessler, Giannis

November 1st, 2024 at 5:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is the headliner among the six players named by Sam Amick and John Hollinger of The Athletic as possible trade candidates to watch over the course of the 2024/25 season.

League sources tell Amick there was a “significant” gap between Kuminga and the Warriors when they discussed a possible rookie scale extension prior to the season, with Golden State’s offer topping out at around $30MM per year, while the fourth-year forward sought at least in the range of $35MM annually.

The two sides were unable to agree to an extension, putting Kuminga on track for restricted free agency in 2025. While he and the Warriors could finalize a new deal at that time, rival executives believe Golden State is “more willing than ever” to put the former No. 7 overall pick in a trade package, according to Amick, though he cautions the return would have to be significant.

Heat swingman Jimmy Butler is one name to keep an eye on, says Amick, citing league sources who say the Warriors registered some interest in the 35-year-old. Butler is extension-eligible and holds a player option for 2025/26, but reportedly plans to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Here are a few more trade-related rumors from around the NBA:

Lakers guard Austin Reaves is a favorite of both team owner Jeanie Buss and head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and has been made virtually untouchable in past trade discussions, Amick writes. The former undrafted free agent is a developmental success story, is on a team-friendly contract, and has another fan in new head coach J.J. Redick, but if the Lakers hope to make a trade for a star, they may have to have another internal discussion about how strong their hold on Reaves will be, according to Amick.
Walker Kessler is among the other possible trade candidates listed by Amick and Hollinger, with Amick suggesting that Jazz head coach Will Hardy has pushed the third-year center hard in the hopes of advancing his development and getting a clearer sense of whether he’s a long-term keeper in Utah. The Lakers are among the teams that have registered interest in Kessler, and while the Jazz are open to listening, a team source tells Amick that they wouldn’t be interested in a deal centered around D’Angelo Russell and draft picks.
The Bucks‘ slow start this season has led to a surge in trade speculation about star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. There has been no indication that Antetokounmpo will seek a change of scenery and it’s extremely unlikely Milwaukee would consider moving him if that doesn’t happen, but Bill Reiter of CBS Sports says rival executives are increasingly hopeful about the two-time MVP’s potential availability. The Nets have had interest in Antetokounmpo for years, a league source tells NetsDaily, but it’s safe to assume that could be said of many teams around the league, so Brooklyn would have plenty of competition if Giannis ever lands on the trade block.

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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