Giannis Antetokounmpo

Bucks Notes: NBA Cup, Portis, Giannis, Lillard

December 15th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bucks were motivated by last year’s failure as they headed into Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinals, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. Favored to reach the title game in the league’s first in-season tournament last December, Milwaukee was surprised by an upstart Indiana team, and the players were determined not to let that happen again.

“We probably looked a little sharper this time around,” said Damian Lillard, who contributed 25 points and seven assists in Saturday’s win over Atlanta. “This time we came into it remembering our last experience. We came correct. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy playing against a good team, but we prepared, and it just felt familiar.”

Milwaukee appears to have fully turned around its season following a disastrous 2-8 start that led to speculation that major changes might be ahead. Saturday’s win was their third in a row, and their 14-11 record has them just two games out of third place in the East. According to Collier, coach Doc Rivers has been telling his team for weeks that it is capable of winning the NBA Cup.

“It’s a competition, man, and you want your team to be competitive,” Rivers said. “You want them to accept the challenge, that’s all I’ve been talking about. … That’s what I’m proud of for our guys.”

There’s more on the Bucks:

Last year’s defeat helped seal the fate of first-year coach Adrian Griffin, who was ultimately fired at mid-season, notes Sam Amick of The Athletic. Bobby Portis delivered a fiery post-game speech that challenged his teammates and Griffin to become more focused and stop letting winnable games slip away. Portis recalled those remarks after Saturday’s game. “It went viral, man. It was everywhere,” he said. “But everything I do is for the good. I’ve been a leader my whole life. Just because you make it to the NBA and there’s guys (on your team) who are top 75 on your team doesn’t stop you from being a leader. The message was, ‘We need to get better at late-game execution. We need to get better down the stretch. We need to know what the f–k we’re doing down the stretch, have guys in the right spots, so we can get a good shot. The last five, six minutes is winning time.’”
Giannis Antetokounmpo slipped out of the MVP conversation amid the team’s slow start, Amick adds, but the star forward offered more evidence on Saturday that he’s a serious candidate to pick up his third award. Antetokounmpo may be in the midst of his best season, Amick states, and he delivered 32 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists in the win over Atlanta, capping the performance with a spectacular block of Clint Capela late in the fourth quarter (Twitter video link).
Antetokounmpo talked to Amick about his partnership with Lillard, which seems to be running much more smoothly in their second season together. Lillard has improved his shooting from the field and from three-point range, and he looks more like the dangerous scorer he was in Portland. “It takes time,” Antetokounmpo said. “You know, I feel like a lot of people had such high expectations from us on day one to be the best duo to ever play this game. But it takes time. Now it’s our second year playing together. We are more comfortable with one another, know one another’s spots better. And as you see, our chemistry has been getting way, way better. Down the stretch … we feel very, very comfortable we can both get to our spots and be more effective when we play that two-man game this year.”

Bucks Notes: Middleton, Rivers, Lillard, Giannis

December 6th, 2024 at 2:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The long wait is about to end for Bucks swingman Khris Middleton, who is expected to take the court tonight in Boston for the first time since last spring’s playoffs, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Speaking to reporters at Friday afternoon’s shootaround, Middleton said this was the most difficult rehab process of his career because he had to undergo surgery on both ankles. Balance became an issue because Middleton couldn’t risk favoring one ankle over the other, and he said it was challenging mentally to be out of action for so long.

“Just not trying to get into a dark tunnel,” he said about his approach to rehab. “Having as many surgeries as I have, coming back from this one, I wanted to make sure I was all the way ready to come back, be as fresh as I can mentally to be in a good spot because this is a long, grueling season. I’m going to go through a lot of things during the season, going to get hit, banged up, whatever, to have that mindset that I can still fight through and to keep going.”

Bontemps notes that tonight will mark just the 43rd time that Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard will play together since Lillard was acquired in a trade in September 2023 — and only the ninth time with Doc Rivers as their head coach. The trio has been extremely effective in its limited window, Bontemps adds, with the Bucks outscoring opponents by 22.6 points per 100 possessions with the three of them on the court at the same time under Rivers and by 17.5 points per 100 possessions overall.

Middleton is likely to be on a minutes restriction as he eases his way back into action, but he’s not sure what it will be. He added that his focus is seeing how his body reacts to live game action.

“That’s one of the things I’m nervous about, just to see how I feel when I get out there,” he said. “See if I’m going to be ready to throw up in a minute, but once I’m out there, I’ll be fine. If I’m going to shoot the ball over the rim, over the glass, whatever, just with the nerves and everything, adrenaline going. So I’m excited about it, see how it performs, see how it goes and just go from there.”

There’s more on the Bucks:

Rivers has been saying for weeks that Middleton is close to returning, and he acknowledged that it was difficult for Middleton not to rush the final stages of his rehab process, per The Associated Press. “Anybody who wants to play, and Khris is one of those (guys), they’re frustrated,” Rivers said. “That’s mentally challenging. You see your team playing and although we’re playing well right now, I imagine when we were really struggling and he wasn’t playing that had to be really hard for him. You want to help your team, and he knows he can.”
Lillard discussed the importance of psychological preparation as the Bucks got ready to host Atlanta Wednesday night following Tuesday’s game at Detroit, relays Lori Nickel of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I take it serious – mentally,” Lillard said. “You got to come in with no excuses and no crutches. You can’t come in thinking, ‘Oh, we had a back-to-back. We played last night, we’re tired.’ You do that, you start thinking like that, you’re beat.”
Antetokounmpo talks to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports about his desire to capture another MVP award. Antetokounmpo won in both 2019 and 2020 and would join an elite group of players by picking up a third trophy. “I do want to be part of that conversation,” he said. “It lets me know I was able to help my team, carry my team, solidified [us as a team]. I’m not gonna lie, it definitely means something to me.”

Bucks Notes: Giannis, Lillard, Prince, Middleton, NBA Cup

December 3rd, 2024 at 6:01pm CST by Luke Adams

At the start of training camp, Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard expressed confidence that their chemistry would be much improved in 2024/25 following a full season and offseason together.

While Milwaukee got off to a shaky start this fall, losing eight of its first 10 games, the club has since won eight of nine, including six in a row, and Antetokounmpo believes the on-court rhythm he and Lillard have developed has been a key factor, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes.

“Now we’re going into our second year playing together, and our chemistry has been incredible so far,” Antetokounmpo said after Saturday’s victory over Washington. “He hits me in the pocket. If he doesn’t hit me in the pocket, that means he has an open shot. He can get downhill, make another play. I think we trust one another. We definitely trust way more one another’s decision-making and we give one another space to operate.”

Lillard’s scoring average (25.9 PPG), and shooting percentages (.441 FG%, .361 3PT%) are all up so far this season over the marks he posted in 2023/24. Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, is playing some of the best basketball of his career, with a league-leading and career-high 32.9 PPG on 60.9% shooting in his first 17 games.

We have more on the Bucks:

Offseason addition Taurean Prince has been “incredible” so far this season for the Bucks, according to Antetokounmpo, who praised the veteran wing’s ability to space the floor around him and Lillard. As Nehm writes for The Athletic, Prince’s 8.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game don’t jump off the page, but he’s making an NBA-best 54.2% of his three-point attempts and is one of just two Bucks who have started all 19 of the team’s games so far this season. The 30-year-old signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with Milwaukee over the summer.
Khris Middleton has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game in Detroit and it remains to be seen when he’ll make his season debut following offseason surgeries on both ankles. Still, he insisted over the weekend that he continues to move in the right direction as he works toward his return, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I feel good. I feel like I’m progressing. It’s just slower. Slower than I want it to be,” Middleton said. “I want to be out there, my teammates want me to be out there. I don’t think there’s anybody that wants to play more than me. You know that. I think some people know that in our organization. I just gotta be smart and not go out there until I’m fully ready.”
The Bucks’ game against Detroit on Tuesday will go a long way toward determining whether or not Milwaukee advances to the knockout round of the NBA Cup for a second straight year. A win would secure a quarterfinal berth for the Bucks as the winner of East Group B, while a loss by six points or less (or in overtime) would keep the club in the running for the East’s wild card spot (Twitter link).

Injury Notes: Nets, Giannis, Morant, Poole, Hayes

November 27th, 2024 at 8:14am CST by Luke Adams

There’s good news and bad news for the Nets on their latest injury report, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post relays. Leading scorer Cam Thomas has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game in Phoenix due to left hamstring soreness. Thomas, who has also dealt with an illness and a sore back as of late, was removed in the third quarter on Monday vs. Golden State to “protect him from himself,” in the words of head coach Jordi Fernandez.

Big man Noah Clowney will join Thomas on the sidelines, having been ruled out for a second straight game due to a left ankle sprain. Brooklyn has yet to provide an update on the results of an MRI Clowney underwent on his injured ankle, Lewis notes.

A banged-up Nets team could get some reinforcements soon, however. According to Lewis, Nic Claxton (lower back soreness), Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle sprain), and Cameron Johnson (right ankle sprain) are all considered questionable to play on Wednesday. Claxton and Finney-Smith each missed Monday’s game, while Johnson exited in the first half.

Ben Simmons is also off the injury report after sitting out on Monday due to lower back injury management.

We have a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

Originally listed as probable due to a left calf strain, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was a late scratch vs. Miami on Tuesday due to swelling in his left knee, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. As Owczarski notes, Antetokounmpo had surgery on that knee during the summer of 2023.
Grizzlies guard Ja Morant played on Monday for the first time since November 6, but he has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game vs. Detroit due to a new injury, a left knee contusion, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Morant downplayed the ailment after the game on Monday: “A little knee to knee. Everybody know I get back up every time. … Quick little stinger, get out the way and just take care of it now.”
Wizards guard Jordan Poole missed a second straight game on Tuesday due to left hip flexor soreness, per the team (Twitter link). Poole had initially been listed as questionable, so it sounds as if the issue is a day-to-day one rather than one that will keep him sidelined for an extended period.
In his first game back following a two-week absence due to a right ankle sprain, Lakers center Jaxson Hayes re-aggravated that same ankle injury during the final minute of Tuesday’s loss to Phoenix. He had to be helped to the locker room, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter links), who says the team plans to provide an update on Hayes on Wednesday afternoon.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Harrison Barnes Named Players Of The Week

November 25th, 2024 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named the Player of the Week for the Eastern Conference, while Spurs forward Harrison Barnes has won the award in the West, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).

Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a perfect 4-0 week from November 18-24, helping the team climb out of the hole it dug itself early in the season. After dropping eight of their first 10 games this fall, the Bucks now rank sixth in the East at 8-9.

The two-time MVP averaged 32.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 34.3 minutes per game in victories over Houston, Chicago, Indiana, and Charlotte. He made 61.2% of his 21.3 field goal attempts per game for the week.

While it was the 24th career Player of the Week award for Antetokounmpo, it’s a first-time honor for Barnes, who has appeared in 928 regular season games since entering the NBA as the seventh overall pick in the 2012 draft.

According to the Spurs, Barnes is the first player since the Player of the Week award was introduced in 1979 to earn the first one of his career in his 13th season (or later). Barnes is also the first Spur to be named Player of the Week since DeMar DeRozan in January 2020, per the team.

Barnes’ Spurs went 3-0 this week, registering upset victories over the Thunder on Tuesday and the Warriors on Saturday. The 32-year-old forward played a key role, averaging 22.3 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 1.7 APG with a .618/.600/.727 shooting line.

The other nominees for the Eastern Conference award were Hornets teammates LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, Celtics teammates Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Heat swingman Jimmy Butler, Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome, Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, and Magic forward Franz Wagner.

In the West, Lakers teammates Anthony Davis and LeBron James, Clippers teammates James Harden and Ivica Zubac, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, and Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins were also nominated (Twitter link).

Central Notes: Mitchell, Allen, Giannis, Lillard, Sheppard

November 24th, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Signing Donovan Mitchell to an extension was crucial to the Cavaliers’ stability, center Jarrett Allen told Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype. Mitchell inked a three-year, maximum-salary extension in July. Cleveland owns the league’s best record, having improved to 17-1 with a win over Toronto on Sunday.

“Donovan is a star. He’s a top-10 player in the league, some would say, and I would say,” Allen said. “Cleveland needs someone like that. Cleveland needs someone to hold onto like that and root for. It got the city excited again knowing that we had one of the best players in the NBA to stick with us. For the Cavs, you can see how it’s helping us now. He’s able to take over games and lead the team to victory.”

We have more from the Central Division:

If Greece qualifies for Eurobasket 2025, Giannis Antetokounmpo intends to play with his national team, HoopsHype relays via an interview with Antonis Kalkavouras from Gazzetta. “Not (just) to be with them. To see them and play with them again (in the summer),” the Bucks superstar said.
The Bucks have won four straight and six of their last seven. It’s an indication that Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are feeding off each other, Eric Nehm of The Athletic details. “I think (we’re) just kind of honestly are getting to the point where we’re tuning everybody else out,” Lillard said. “It’s just a lot of communication between the two of us, you know? It has nothing to do with people saying, ‘Oh, y’all need to do this or let’s try that.’ It’s like he sees what he sees. I see what I see. And we gotta use each other in that way, and I think it’s just leading to more times where when I’m having it, we’re putting people in position to where I’m throwing the ball to him.”
Don’t expect to see Ben Sheppard back in the Pacers rotation any time soon. Coach Rick Carlisle says it’ll be “weeks, not days” before he returns, indicating that the MRI results were worse than anticipated, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star tweets. Sheppard, who has appeared in 13 games including five starts this season, is recovering from an oblique injury.

Western Notes: Durant, Beal, Rockets, Giannis, Marshall, Pelicans

November 20th, 2024 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s optimism that Kevin Durant will be able to return from his left calf strain at some point next week, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link), who suggests the Suns star could be back on the court as soon as Tuesday for an NBA Cup matchup with the Lakers.

There’s also optimism that Bradley Beal, who is dealing with a left calf strain of his own, will be able to return at some point next week, says Charania.

After taking on the Knicks on Wednesday in Phoenix, the Suns will have five days off before facing the Lakers, so if Durant can make it back for that Tuesday game, he’ll only be sidelined for one more contest. That would be great news for the Suns, who got off to an 8-1 start with Durant in the lineup and have gone 1-5 since he went down.

Here are a few more notes from around the Western Conference:

The Rockets aren’t interested in breaking up their core to acquire Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). The report is presumably a response to Marc Stein saying that rival teams are keeping an eye on Houston as a possible Antetokounmpo suitor should he become available. However, given that Giannis isn’t actually available and Houston’s “core” isn’t precisely defined, it reads less like the Rockets are taking a hard-line position they’ll stick to in hypothetical negotiations down the road and more like they simply want to express how highly they value their young players.
Mavericks forward Naji Marshall admitted he was “a little bit excited” to play the Pelicans on Tuesday, since it was his first time since entering the NBA that he got a chance to face a former team, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Marshall, who had 15 points and three steals as Dallas secured a blowout win, said he has enjoyed seeing several former teammates who arrived in New Orleans around the same time as him secure contract extensions. “It’s crazy to see how it panned out,” Marshall said, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “Herb (Jones) is somebody. Jose (Alvarado). Trey (Murphy). Me. It’s a blessing. It’s something you dream about literally. When we were kids, wondering if we were going to be here or not. To see it all pan out and go in our favor is amazing.”
Reinforcements should be coming soon for the injury-plagued Pelicans, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic, who says CJ McCollum could be back as soon as this Friday, with Jones and Jordan Hawkins to follow in the coming weeks. There’s hope that the team will be mostly healthy early next month, Guillory writes, though Alvarado’s and Zion Williamson‘s absences will likely extend beyond that. As Guillory details, if and when the Pelicans get back to full strength, the pressure will be on head coach Willie Green to get the team back into playoff contention.

Southwest Notes: Antetokounmpo, V. Williams, Bane, Edey, Doncic, Pelicans

November 18th, 2024 at 8:47am CST by Tristan Tucker

Despite recent reporting indicating that rival scouts and executives view Houston as a favorite to make a big in-season splash, NBA insider Marc Stein writes at Substack that “consistent whispers” around the league point to the Rockets waiting until the offseason to buy more time to see if a big trade target shakes loose.

Houston expressed interest in trading for Kevin Durant this past summer and was immediately rebuffed by Phoenix. According to Stein, similar rumors are starting to percolate about a potential down-the-line Rockets pursuit of Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

As we’ve relayed, the Bucks aren’t expected to entertain any offers for their franchise legend even amid a 4-9 start to the year. But the Rockets’ treasure chest of draft assets and young players could put them in prime position to be a suitor if Antetokounmpo ever decides to ask out of Milwaukee.

Stein notes that Giannis has an admiration for Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon. Antetokounmpo is selective about who he works out with, but hasn’t been shy about training with Olajuwon, who Steins says would be a strong recruiter in this specific scenario.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

After missing the first 12 games of the season for the Grizzlies, rotation wing Vince Williams Jr. made his return on Friday, Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes (Subscriber link). In his first two games back with the team, Williams is averaging 6.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists as part of the rotation. Williams broke out for the Grizzlies last season, starting in 33 games and averaging 10.0 PPG. Meanwhile, Desmond Bane returned from a seven-game absence on Friday, playing off the bench for the first time since his rookie season. He started the team’s next game on Sunday.
Grizzlies rookie center Zach Edey exited Sunday’s contest against the Nuggets with an ankle injury and did not return ESPN reports. It’s unclear what the severity of Edey’s injury is, but he left when the Grizzlies were up by 18 points, so there’s a chance he was held out for the rest of the game as a precautionary measure.
Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic continues to be listed as probable on the team’s injury reports, but the type of injury he’s dealing with in recent games has changed. According to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, Doncic was affected by a left groin strain before that listing was changed to a right knee contusion. When asked about his injury status, Doncic said he feels “a little bit less” than 100% right now. “I mean, it’s probably a matter of time, just, there’s not a lot of time to rest, but I’ll get better. I promise,” Doncic said.
The Pelicans are 2-8 in their last 10 games as injuries continue to mount, with almost every member of their regular rotation suffering some sort of injury. New Orleans’ most recent loss came to former Pelicans player JJ Redick‘s Lakers. According to Christian Clark of NOLA.com, Redick acknowledged that New Orleans’ health issues are preventing them from reaching their potential. Redick played in New Orleans from 2019-21 alongside Brandon Ingram, who finished Saturday’s game with 32 points and eight assists, and Zion Williamson, who missed the matchup with an injury. “With Zion, the biggest thing is him being healthy,” Redick said. “We all want to see Zion perform and play because he’s a special player. I got a chance my second year, before I got traded, to see sort of the version 1.0 of Point Zion. It’s been fun to watch that from afar as he’s gotten opportunities to initiate the offense and be the ball handler in the pick and roll.“

Bucks Notes: Rivers, Giannis, Jackson, Lee

November 16th, 2024 at 8:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks coach Doc Rivers was incensed after a phantom foul call resulted in a loss this afternoon in Charlotte, according to Eric Nehm and Mike Prada of The Athletic. With Milwaukee leading by a point, Giannis Antetokounmpo was whistled for a foul on LaMelo Ball with 7.3 seconds remaining, even though replays showed there was no contact on the play. Crew chief Curtis Blair acknowledged the mistake after the game, but the Bucks were powerless to do anything because they were out of challenges.

“There was clearly not a foul,” Rivers said. “When you watch the video, the ref was blocked out by one of our players. You can’t guess at the end of the game. Both teams have played too hard.”

Rivers was especially angry because a similar play happened in Wednesday’s game against Detroit. With the score tied, Antetokounmpo was called for a foul on Ron Holland with 1.0 remaining, which the league admitted was a mistake in its last-two-minute report. Holland misfired on both free throws, and the Bucks prevailed in overtime.

“This is back-to-back games now where on the final play there’s been an incorrect call made,” Rivers said. “LaMelo Ball fell. He just fell down. Nobody was near him. Slipped on his own. We come up with the ball. The game’s over. So back-to-back games now, we’ve had a call made against us that was incorrect. We were lucky with Detroit that the kid missed two free throws. Tonight, LaMelo Ball made the free throws.”

There’s more on the Bucks:

Rivers also criticized the referees for not giving calls to Antetokounmpo, Nehm and Prada add. The Bucks star shot just one free throw Saturday, even though Rivers thought he got fouled several times, including on a dunk with 1:09 left to play. “Go back three plays when Giannis dunks,” Rivers said. “The whole team fouled him. The whole team fouled him and it’s a no-call. Giannis drives to the basket because he’s powerful and they can hit him on the arm, they can hit him on the face and because he keeps going, he doesn’t get credit for the contact that he’s creating. Giannis was in the paint. … He was in the paint the whole night. Someone explain to me how Giannis gets one free throw.”
Andre Jackson Jr. continued his strong play since being moved into the starting lineup, per Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. In addition to serving as the primary defender on Ball, Jackson eased concerns about his outside shot by going 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, including two clutch baskets midway through the fourth quarter. “He took one early one at the break which we didn’t want, but his corner threes are terrific,” Rivers said. “He also had a couple great plays where he drove the ball and he made plays. That’s more of what we mean and he’s doing a great job.”
Former Bucks assistant Charles Lee faced his old team today for the first time as head coach of the Hornets, Owczarski adds. Lee was on Milwaukee’s staff for five years and got to experience a championship in 2021. “I would say the game doesn’t feel as different, but the moments before the game and after the game when you get to revisit with people that you built some great bonds with and you’ll continue to have this relationship that’s bigger than basketball – but I think once the ball is tipped up, these are my guys,” Lee said.

Fischer’s Latest: Bucks, Caruso, Ingram, Johnson

November 16th, 2024 at 9:17am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Bucks still aren’t planning on engaging teams on potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trades anytime soon, but Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, echoing earlier reporting, confirms that they are looking for “perimeter defensive adjustments and reinforcements.”

As Fischer notes, Milwaukee’s trade options are limited as a team operating over the second apron. The team can’t package two or more player salaries for matching purposes or send out cash, for starters. According to Fischer, the Bucks are dangling their 2031 first-round pick as trade bait. They value that pick highly, as it would follow Antetokounmpo’s age-37 season.

MarJon Beauchamp was mentioned as a piece the Bucks were interested in moving in October. With his fourth-year option declined, Beauchamp is on the books for $2.7MM and is a free agent after the season. However, while packaging Beauchamp with that 2031 first-rounder seems like a decent offer for a role player, the Bucks couldn’t take back a player earning more than $2.7MM, significantly reducing their potential targets in that scenario.

Brook Lopez has been floated as a potential outgoing piece, but Fischer is skeptical the Bucks will look to move the big man, at least at this point. With Milwaukee trying to improve its defense, Lopez is someone the team might just be better off keeping to stay afloat on that end. Fischer – who reported in the offseason that Lopez was a possible trade candidate – said he hasn’t heard the veteran’s name come up much this season, for what it’s worth.

If the Bucks aren’t moving off either Damian Lillard or Khris Middleton, their only other potential trade pieces earning over $3MM are Bobby Portis ($12.6MM in 2024/25, player option for next season) and Pat Connaughton ($9.4MM in ’25/25, player option in ’25/26).

We have more sourced notes from Fischer:

An extension for the Thunder‘s Alex Caruso seems to be on the horizon, according to Fischer. That’s always been the goal since Oklahoma City acquired the defensive-minded guard in exchange for Josh Giddey this past summer. Caurso, whose extension eligibility remains limited for now, will become eligible for a deal worth up to four years and roughly $81MM as of Dec. 21, six months from the date he was acquired by OKC.
The Pelicans‘ injuries continue to pile up to an insurmountable level, but New Orleans’ isn’t giving the indication that it’s pressing the panic button on this current build, Fischer says. That means there’s been no serious talks on any potential Zion Williamson trade. Instead, Fischer says this situation gives Brandon Ingram a runway to build on his trade value. As we’ve previously relayed, Ingram and the Pelicans couldn’t bridge the gap on any potential extension talks during the offseason — Fischer hears that Ingram was asking for close to $40MM annually. The Pelicans explored possible trades involving Ingram but couldn’t find a suitable offer due to the fact that he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer and any team acquiring him would have to make a similar financial investment.
The Spurs have won three of their last five games under interim head coach Mitch Johnson, with their two losses in that stretch coming by a combined six points. Fischer confirms that Johnson was a leading candidate to fill Washington’s head coaching role that ended up remaining with Brian Keefe, and says Johnson was also a strong candidate for the Hawks‘ head coaching role after they let go of Nate McMillan. Johnson, filling in for Gregg Popovich as he recovers from a mild stroke, is a name to watch on the coaching market whether he stays with the Spurs and succeeds Popovich down the line or ends up in another head coaching role, Fischer says.

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