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Bucks Rumors: GM Search, Garrity, Simon, Kidd

June 1st, 2017 at 12:56pm CST by Luke Adams

A Wednesday report indicated that the Bucks have received permission to interview at least four executives from various teams around the NBA for their open general manager position. However, Milwaukee’s list of potential GM targets in longer than that. A source familiar with the team tells Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times that at least five other execs are under consideration by the Bucks, with about three dozen NBA officials having expressed interest in the job.

While Woelfel doesn’t specify any additional candidates, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical provides two more names, tweeting that Milwaukee has been granted permission to speak to Pistons executive Pat Garrity and Heat assistant GM Adam Simon. Garrity was said to be a candidate for the top job in Orlando before the Magic hired Jeff Weltman and John Hammond.

Woelfel has more info on the team’s GM search in his latest piece, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights…

Head coach Jason Kidd may be considered down the road for a top basketball operations role, but he’s not a candidate to take over that role in the short term, sources tell Woelfel. Still, Kidd will meet with the finalists for the position to ensure that they’ll have a good working relationship.
Assistant GM Justin Zanik is viewed as a strong candidate to be promoted to GM, but even if he doesn’t receive an official promotion, he’ll be well-compensated. According to Woelfel, Zanik’s contract includes a unique clause that stipulates his pay will be equal to that of the new GM.
Grizzlies VP of player personnel Ed Stefanski, one of the four candidates the Bucks received permission to interview, is viewed by several NBA officials as the frontrunner for the Bucks’ top job, reports Woelfel. Previous report have indicated that the relationship between Stefanski and Bucks consultant Rod Thorn is a strong factor working in Stefanski’s favor. The two men worked together in New Jersey and are longtime friends.
On Thursday, we examined five key questions facing the Bucks this offseason, including who will be calling the shots on personnel decisions.

Bucks Notes: Snell, Brogdon, Maker

April 22nd, 2017 at 5:14pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Bucks swapped Michael Carter-Williams for Tony Snell right before the season started and the small forward has become one of the team’s most important players, Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times details. Snell has become a top defender on the team, as evidenced by his performance against DeMar DeRozan in Game 3 of the team’s opening round series. On offense, Snell’s improved 3-point shooting gives the team another lethal option from behind the arc.

“At the beginning of the season, Tony said he wanted to be a 3 and D guy. He wanted to shoot 3s really well and play defense really well, locking up people. And he’s taken that to heart. He’s playing at a high level defensively,’’ teammate Malcolm Brogdon said.

Snell will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season and he should garner interest from rival teams. 6’7″ wings who shoot over 40% from three and play great defense are alway in demand and I speculate that Snell nabs a contract with annual values ranging from $12-14MM. The Bucks have approximately $82MM in guaranteed salaries on the books for next season against a projected $101MM salary cap, though they could go over the cap to sign the small forward since they own his bird rights.

Here’s more from Milwaukee:

The Bucks are the first team since the 2012/13 Warriors to start two rookies in a playoff game and the team has put in a lot of work to get them ready for the postseason, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes.“[Thon Maker] and Malcolm believe that they can do the job,” coach Jason Kidd said. “The guys on the floor and on the bench support them, and the coaching staff has done everything to prepare them for this moment. It’s up to them to be basketball players, and they’re very comfortable with doing that.”

Maker is embracing his role as a defensive-minded starter on the Bucks, Michael Grange of SportsNet relays. “Bringing energy, blocking shots. It starts at the defensive end. Offensively it’s spacing the floor and using my knowledge of the game at this point to make plays for others and myself, but at this point it’s mostly on the defensive end,” Maker said.
If the Bucks had their own D-League affiliate, Maker may not be playing for the NBA club, Grange adds in the same piece. The team wanted to get him experience but didn’t want to send him to another team’s affiliate and potentially waste time. Stuck without many options, the coaching staff found a solution in playing Maker in limited minutes in the starting lineup. “So, we needed to play him and after talking with the coaching staff we thought, ‘Let’s look at starting him and being able to benefit, using his energy but also an opportunity to play so it’s not a wasted season,’‘ Kidd said.

Sixers Notes: Long, Brown, TLC, Anderson, Embiid

March 14th, 2017 at 3:35pm CST by Milo Taibi

Shawn Long is likely to stick with the Sixers after his 10-day contract expires, Jessica Camerato of CSN reports. Long, whose contract expires Wednesday, has earned the respect of coach Brett Brown.

“I think we’re going through that,” Brown said of making a decision on Long’s contract. “It wouldn’t surprise me. I have no desire, personally, to look elsewhere. He’s a part of what we’ve been doing.”

“We feel like he’s ours. His ability to step out and make a three, his ability to have a finesse move at a post, he does have length, he does play hard, he is fluid in his movements. All those things give you hope that maybe there is a place for him. He’s young, he’s a good young man, he works. There’s really nothing but positives that come to my mind when you mention his name.”

As Camerato mentions, the health of Tiago Splitter may influence the team’s decision to tender Long another contract. As Keith Pompey of Philly.com recently reported, the team was considering working Splitter out with the Delaware 87ers.

Central Notes: Maker, Korver, Baynes, Parker

February 10th, 2017 at 5:43pm CST by Milo Taibi

Howard Beck of Bleacher Report profiled Thon Maker of the Bucks; the team’s “Secret Unicorn.” Maker has been used sparingly in his rookie season – reaching double-digit minutes just four times – but has earned the respect of his colleagues in practice, earning the nickname “The Sheriff,” due to his vocal and attentive nature.

The reigning #10 overall NBA draft pick, Maker hadn’t been scouted as extensively as other players in the class of ’16. The Bucks selected Maker as a sign of confidence in their ability to nurture talent, Beck writes, opting for a “high-risk, high-ceiling” asset at No. 10.

“We look at the risk as being more minimal, only because we believe in the person,” Bucks GM John Hammond said regarding Maker.

Leading up to tonight’s match-up with the Lakers, coach Jason Kidd announced Maker would replace the injured Jabari Parker in Milwaukee’s starting five.

Other goings-on around the Central…

Kyle Korver has fit in nicely on the Cavaliers bench, Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes. Dubbed “The American Eagle” by teammates, Korver has averaged 10.4 points on 49.4% shooting from beyond the arc since being dealt to Cleveland. “Kyle is getting more and more comfortable with what we want to do offensively and defensively,” LeBron James said of his teammate. “The one by our bench that he caught that was thrown all the way over the top to our bench, and he just looked at the floor, and Glenn Robinson III was right in his face, and he still shot it? That’s just a sharpshooter right there.”
The Pistons bench has provided a lift on each end of the court, Rod Beard of The Detroit News writes. “Any time we start getting those stops, we get out in transition and that’s where we start looking good,” Aron Baynes said. “The coaches have been making a point that we need to get better all year. The last few games the starters have been taking that message and it’s fuel for the team.” The second unit’s excellent play is much-needed, as Detroit’s starting lineup have averaged 81.2PPG, 24th in the league.
Stephen Watson of WISN spoke with Bucks GM John Hammond, who noted “we feel comfortable with who we are,” following Parker‘s season-ending injury. While Hammond also mentioned “the trade deadline is approaching,” it appears the team does not have an immediate contingency plan to replace Parker in Kidd‘s rotation. Parker was having a career year prior to his ACL injury, averaging 20.1 points with 6.2 rebounds through 51 games. In the interim, Lakers coach Luke Walton said he expects Milwaukee to “rally around Parker’s situation,” according to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Bucks Happy With Michael Carter-Williams?

October 8th, 2016 at 7:12pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Michael Carter-Williams has been the subject of several trade rumors since the end of last season, including this week’s report that he was shopped to Sacramento for Ben McLemore. Head coach Jason Kidd defended Carter-Williams and reiterated the team’s commitment to the point guard in an interview on Sirius XMNBA Radio (h/t Kurt Helin of NBC Sports for the transcript).

“Rumors are just part of this business,” Kidd said “We’re happy with Michael. He’s had a great summer and has worked extremely hard and it showed in the first game in Chicago. He came off the bench and I think he led us in rebounds. He can be one of the best wing defenders in this league. He helped us late in the game running the team at the point guard position. There’s always speculation around different guys, but I think Michael is going to help us win.”

The Bucks will be without Khris Middleton for roughly six months and team will likely need to add another piece to remain competent on the offensive end. MCW has struggled with his shooting since coming into the league, nailing just 25.5% of his 3-point shots. Milwaukee brought in Matthew Dellavedova during the offseason. That, coupled with the fact that the team is toying with starting Giannis Antetokounmpo at the point guard position, could make the 2013/14 Rookie of the Year even more expendable.

While Kidd’s endorsement is a positive for Carter-Williams, it doesn’t mean he’s in the team’s long-term plans and I’ll speculate this week’s report won’t be the last time we see his name pop up in trade rumors. Stay tuned.

Central Notes: Rondo, Teague, Jefferson, Bucks

July 9th, 2016 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg is excited to have Rajon Rondo as the point guard on his new-look team, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. Rondo is part of a new era in Chicago, along with Dwyane Wade and Robin Lopez. Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, two longtime pillars of the organization, are both with the Knicks now, and Pau Gasol has signed with the Spurs. With all the turnover, Hoiberg thinks it will be helpful to have an intelligent player like Rondo leading the team. “What I’m excited about is how smart and cerebral a player he is,” Hoiberg said, “how he can survey the floor and make the right read coming down. The more playmakers you have and the more guys who can get into the paint, the better off you are.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

The Pacers haven’t started extension talks with their new point guard, Jeff Teague, but that seems to be the organization’s plan, tweets Nate Taylor of The Indianapolis Star. Teague, who is entering the final season of his contract, came to Indiana from the Hawks in a three-team deal before the draft. “Obviously we brought him here for the long term,” said Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird.
Al Jefferson didn’t need to review a lot of offers before deciding to come to Indiana, according to Mark Montieth of NBA.com. “I didn’t talk to nobody [else],” said Jefferson, who officially signed with the team today. “It was just Pacers. At this point in my career I’ve put myself in a position where I can go where I want to go as far as what’s best for me, and for winning. For me, no other team out there [was a better fit].” Jefferson’s new contract is for $30MM over three years, but only $4MM is guaranteed in the final season, tweets salary cap expert Larry Coon.
After adding Matthew Dellavedova and Mirza Teletovic in free agency, the Bucks are planning more moves, writes Charles F. Gardner of The Journal-Sentinel. Coach Jason Kidd said both players will help fortify Milwaukee’s bench, along with some future additions. “The best way to put it is to let things settle down, because things were moving fast [in free agency],” Kidd said. “I think everybody thought they were going to wait for [Kevin] Durant, but people started signing on Day 1. It just didn’t stop. You’ve got to take a step back and see what we need.”

And-Ones: Dellavedova, Kidd, Draft

June 22nd, 2016 at 10:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Pistons and the Bucks are both interested in Cavs unrestricted free agent Matthew Dellavedova, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst relayed during an appearance on ESPN colleague Zach Lowe’s podcast. “They [Cleveland] could’ve signed Matthew Dellavedova to a $2MM or $3MM a year contract and now I think someone is coming in with a $10MM offer sheet. For some reason, and I got a pretty good idea why, the Milwaukee Bucks attended Cavs games in the playoffs like they were a fan of the team. They had scouts there…[coach] Jason Kidd came to one of the games. I think the Bucks have zeroed in on Dellavedova. I think they intend to offer him a bunch of money. The Detroit Pistons were hanging around in the playoffs a lot, sending scouts. They weren’t sending scouts to evaluate J.R. Smith, I think they intend to go after Dellavedova,” Windhorst opined.

Here’s more from around the NBA:

Kidd’s contract extension with the Bucks is worth $16.5MM in guaranteed money over three years and there are performance bonuses included in the pact that could increase that amount, Charles F. Garnder of The Journal Sentinel relays.
Nuggets assistant coach Ed Pinkney is expected to remain in Denver despite garnering interest from the Timberwolves and new coach/executive Tom Thibodeau, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets.
The Blazers, Rockets and Nets are without first-rounders this year and all three teams are trying to acquire one via trade, Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical relayed during his podcast earlier today.
Serbian point guard Milos Teodosic, who went undrafted back in 2009, said he would like to join the NBA if he could play for either the Spurs or the Jazz, Miloš Jovanović of Vice.com (translation via Eurohoops.net) relays.

Bucks Ink Jason Kidd To Contract Extension

June 21st, 2016 at 5:18pm CST by Luke Adams

JUNE 21st, 5:18pm: The contract extension is official, the team announced. “Our goal remains to be a consistent contender for NBA Championships and we believe that Jason Kidd is the right man for the job,” said Bucks co-owner Wes Edens. “In terms of preparing, developing and relating to today’s players, we think there is no better fit to lead our young and talented roster. We are excited that Jason will continue to call Milwaukee his home.”

“I truly believe that continuity is extremely important in our business, so I’m very happy for Jason and the Bucks organization to continue the partnership we have,” said GM John Hammond. “Jason and his staff work tirelessly to help our players grow and develop and I look forward to working with them to build our roster into a consistent contender.”

JUNE 13th, 6:27pm: The extension is done and Kidd will receive $18MM over three years after completing the final season of his current deal at $5MM, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reports.

2:28pm: In his full story on extension talks between Kidd and the Bucks, Wojnarowski writes that the deal would add three years to Kidd’s current contract, taking him through 2020.

2:14pm: The Bucks and head coach Jason Kidd are putting the finishing touches on a new contract, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. According to Wojnarowski, it’s expected to be a three-year, $15MM+ extension for Kidd.

Kidd, who became the Bucks’ head coach in 2014, has one year remaining on his initial contract with the team, a three-year pact which was believed to be worth in the neighborhood of $5MM annually. It sounds like the head coach’s new deal with Milwaukee will have fairly similar terms to his old one, though it’s not clear if the two sides will tack on three new years, locking up Kidd through the 2019/20 season, or if they’ll tear up the old contract and have the new three-year deal take effect next season.

In his first year with the Bucks in 2014/15, Kidd led the team to a 41-41 record and a playoff berth. The franchise took a step backward this past season in a more competitive Eastern Conference, finishing with a 33-49 record. However, with a handful of young building blocks in place, there’s still plenty of optimism for the future in Milwaukee.

In the wake of the Bucks’ disappointing 2015/16 season, Kidd received a public vote of confidence from team ownership, with co-owner Marc Lasry suggesting an extension may be on the horizon. Wojnarowski subsequently reported in late May that Milwaukee was working on a new deal for its head coach.

And-Ones: Zanik, Kidd, Brown, Cousins

May 28th, 2016 at 9:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bucks will hire Justin Zanik as GM-in-waiting and are working on a contract extension for coach Jason Kidd, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Currently an assistant GM in Utah, Zanik will have a similar title with the Bucks. A provision of the move is that Zanik will eventually take over for Milwaukee GM John Hammond, although it’s uncertain when that will happen. Hammond has been GM of the Bucks since 2008 and has one year left on his contract.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

California forward Jaylen Brown worked out for the Bucks, Raptors and Sixers today, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. A source told Spears that Brown was in “great shape” and “super explosive.” He is expected to be a top 10 pick and could be in the running for the No. 3 choice. New Timberwolves GM Scott Layden also traveled to California to see Brown and came away impressed, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
Oklahoma point guard Isaiah Cousins worked out for the Suns on Friday, and has upcoming sessions with the Raptors on Tuesday and the Hawks on Thursday, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
Anthony Bennett and Quinn Cook were the most recognizable players invited to a Nets mini-camp this week, according to NetsDaily. Bennett, the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft, played 19 games with the Raptors last season. Cook, the point guard on Duke’s 2015 NCAA title team, was cut by the Cavaliers in training camp. Also receiving invitations were Alex Stepheson, Scotty Hopson, Alex Kirk, Jerrelle Benimon, Fuquan Edwin, D.J. Newbill, Will Cummings, Jarrid Famous, Victor Rudd, Josh Magette and Joel Wright. International journalist David Pick says the Nets are planning another session.

Central Notes: Thibodeau, Pacers, Jackson

May 14th, 2016 at 7:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said it was painful to watch the team struggle to a non-playoff season, according to Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago. Now president and coach of the Timberwolves, Thibodeau discussed the Bulls as he returned to Chicago for this week’s draft combine. “I think Derrick [Rose] after the first couple months, played very well and it was great to see him healthy,” Thibodeau said. “He went through four years that were difficult. I think Jimmy [Butler] continues to improve and get better. Pau [Gasol] was terrific. Doug McDermott had a terrific season and Niko [Mirotic] was inconsistent but he finished strong. There were a lot of pluses and one or two games go a different way and if Joakim [Noah] doesn’t get hurt, this is a terrific team. They need their health. For me, just looking from afar, that’s the biggest thing for this team.” Thibodeau also supported the coach who took his place, Fred Hoiberg, and said he expects the Bulls to become contenders again next season.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

The Pacers will hold a workout on Tuesday for Indiana small forward Troy Williams, Maryland point guard Melo Trimble, Oklahoma point guard Isaiah Cousins and others, tweets Jeff Rabjohns of Basketball Times. High schooler Thon Maker will work out for the Pacers on Wednesday, according to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
Maryland power forward Robert Carter Jr. had an interview with the Pacers at the draft combine, tweets Scott Agness of VigilantSports.
The Bucks will likely be looking for backcourt help in next month’s draft, according to Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee enters Tuesday’s draft lottery with the No. 10 pick, along with second-rounders at No. 36 and No. 38. GM John Hammond insists the team will employ the “best-player-available” strategy, but Gardner says it’s obvious the Bucks need better guard play. One possibility could be Notre Dame junior point guard Demetrius Jackson, who interviewed with Milwaukee during the draft combine. “[Bucks coach] Jason Kidd is awesome,” Jackson said. “I do my research before I go in there. I’m naming off some of his accomplishments — nine-time all-NBA defender. At the next level I really want to be an elite NBA defender. It’s cool to meet some of these people you see on TV.”