Malcolm Brogdon

Malcolm Brogdon Expected To Miss 6-8 Weeks

After leaving Thursday’s game with a quad injury, Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon is expected to miss the next six to eight weeks, the club announced today in a press release. According to the team, a medical exam revealed that Brogdon had partially torn his left quadricep tendon.

In 46 games for Milwaukee this season, Brogdon has averaged 13.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Lately the club has utilized the reigning Rookie of the Year as their primary backup point guard behind mid-season acquisition Eric Bledsoe.

While Brogdon’s departure may create opportunities for fellow bench guards Matthew Dellavedova and Jason Terry, easing the blow of his absence will be the return of forward Jabari Parker. Parker, of course, has been sidelined with an ACL injury since the 2016/17 season.

The estimated timetable for Brogdon’s recovery would put the guard back in the lineup in mid-to-late March, with more than enough time to play himself back into game shape prior to the beginning of the playoffs.

Kyler’s Latest: Fournier, Jordan, Mirotic

The NBA’s G League Showcase is playing out in Mississauga, Ontario this week and the event has brought a plethora of league executives under the same roof. With next month’s trade deadline looming, it’s inevitable that the celebration of the NBA’s affiliate league also doubles as an unofficial chance for teams to discuss possible deals.

Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders has a number of updates from the Showcase, the highlights of which we’ll get into below. For a full breakdown of the trade chatter going down north of the border, check out the full feature here.

  • The Magic aren’t committing to the notion of “blowing the team up” but that’s the impression that teams on the other end of the phone seem to be getting. The club is supposedly going to be active ahead of the deadline and they want to make changes that help them shed salary. Kyler notes that guard Evan Fournier seems to be the player most teams have an interest in.
  • There remains a sense that DeAndre Jordan will be moved ahead of the deadline and the Bucks continue to be mentioned as the team most likely to make that happen. Kyler writes that a possible Jordan-to-Milwaukee deal could yield the Clippers John Henson, a young player and a draft pick. The Clips apparently like Malcolm Brogdon but his inclusion seems to be a non-starter.
  • The Jazz and Pistons are in pursuit of Nikola Mirotic and the deciding factor could possibly come down to Mirotic’s ability to veto a deal. Mirotic supposedly likes the idea of the Jazz and playing for Quin Snyder. At the end of the day, however, a Mirotic-to-Utah deal would likely require a first-round pick heading from the Jazz back to the Bulls, something Utah seems currently reluctant to part with.
  • Kyler notes that there’s belief that Joe Johnson will seek a buyout from the Jazz after the trade deadline if he isn’t dealt to a playoff-bound squad.
  • There isn’t any sense in NBA circles that Pelicans big man DeMarcus Cousins or Thunder forward Paul George could be move ahead of the deadline, although some teams may make an “11th hour run” at George.

Kyler’s Latest: Knicks, Jazz, Magic, Bucks, Lakers

The Knicks may use the trade market to open a roster spot for G League guard Trey Burke, writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. New York is reportedly in “serious talks” about signing Burke, who has been with the organization’s Westchester affiliate since being waived during the preseason.

The Knicks have a full roster and there is speculation that veteran point guard Ramon Sessions could be waived to clear the way for Burke. However, Kyler says the Knicks have received interest in backup centers Kyle O’Quinn and Willy Hernangomez. They may be able to get a draft pick in return for O’Quinn, but not many teams can take on his $4.08MM salary without sending another player back to New York, which wouldn’t help with signing Burke.

Burke has been outstanding in the G League and has attracted interest from other organizations. According to Kyler, Burke’s representatives have told the Knicks he will consider other offers if they don’t sign him soon. So while there’s not a definite deadline to open a roster spot, there is an incentive to get something done.

Kyler offers info on several other potential deals as the trade deadline draws nearer:

  • The Jazz would like to get something in return for the expiring contracts of Derrick Favors [$12MM] and Joe Johnson [$10.5MM]. Utah is among the teams linked to Chicago’s Nikola Mirotic, who becomes eligible for a deal Monday. Kyler says the Bulls are willing to make a deal and would be happy to get draft picks and expiring deals in return.
  • The Magic could be active at the deadline, as sources say they have received inquiries on nearly all their players. They would like to deal guard Evan Fournier, but haven’t received any offers they consider attractive. Despite being a non-contender at 12-28, Orlando isn’t overly interested in draft picks because it already has a lot of young talent and its own pick is likely to fall in the top five. It would take a proven All-Star to land Aaron Gordon, according to Kyler, and the Magic don’t expect to receive that kind of offer. They are also resigned that no one is going to take Bismack Biyombo with two years and $34MM left on his contract beyond this season.
  • The Bucks continue to need frontcourt help and might give up Jabari Parker in the right deal. However, with Mirza Teletovic sidelined with blood clots in his lungs, the organization would have difficulty matching a big salary. Sources believe Malcolm Brogdon or Thon Maker would have to be included in any significant trade.
  • The Lakers may have to deal Larry Nance Jr. as an incentive to get teams to take on other salaries. They would love to get rid of Luol Deng‘s contract, but are finding no options without giving up a hefty package of first-rounders.

Bucks Make Concerted Push For DeAndre Jordan

The Bucks are making a concerted push to acquire DeAndre Jordan from the Clippers, Gery Woelfel of the Woelfel’s Press Box writes.

According to the scribe’s sources, the Clips seek a partial or even full complement of John Henson, Malcolm Brogdon and Khris Middleton in return.

While there hasn’t been any direct indication that the Clippers are shopping Jordan, he’s eligible for free agency this summer, making him the most logical trade chip if the team does decide to become a seller ahead of the trade deadline.

Considering that trading Jordan would at least appear to be the opening salvo in a rebuild, it makes sense that the squad would pursue the reigning Rookie of the Year and, if possible, shed salary while they were at it.

While the Bucks had long sought to organically develop their young talent, they’re eager to more aggressively compete for a title now, as evidenced by their acquisition of Eric Bledsoe from the Suns earlier in the season.

Slotting Jordan into the starting lineup ahead of (or in place of) Henson would give the team an imposing starting five as they continue on their quest to usurp the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.

In addition to the Bucks, Woelfel writes, the Raptors, Wizards and Timberwolves are said to have shown the most interest in Jordan.

Bucks Notes: Brogdon, Monroe, Parker, Bolomboy

Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon is adjusting to a new role since the trade for Eric Bledsoe, writes Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Formerly the starting point guard and third scoring option, Brogdon now comes off the bench and plays in a variety of lineups.

The changes have taken a toll on Brogdon’s production. He was averaging 16.2 points and 4.9 assists while shooting 50.5% from the field in nine games before Bledsoe was acquired. In the first seven games since the deal, those numbers have fallen to 9.3/2.0/37.9% “Confidence for me has fluctuated a little bit, just being out of rhythm,” Brogdon admitted. “Playing a different role on this team is a total adjustment for me.”

There’s more this morning out of Milwaukee:

  • Another adjustment for Brogdon has been the loss of Greg Monroe, who was shipped to Phoenix in the Bledsoe deal. Monroe and Brogdon developed on-court chemistry, and the veteran big man served as a valuable confidant during Brogdon’s rookie season. Now that role has fallen to other players, who are helping Brogdon deal with his current situation. “I’ve been leaning on John Henson a lot, Khris [Middleton] has talked to me a lot,” he said. “Their advice is just to continue to play my game, regardless of my circumstance, regardless of my situation, because the team needs me to be aggressive, to play my game and be who I am.”
  • Jabari Parker is still a long way from his projected February return from a second ACL tear, but he is becoming more active with the team, relays Eric Woodyard of The Deseret News. Parker has been participating in practices, shootarounds and three-on-three games, as well as traveling with the team. A committed Mormon, he looks forward to the yearly trip to Utah that happened Saturday and relies on faith as he works his way back from the injury. “It’s the biggest thing that helps me every day and regardless of if I was hurt or not,” Parker said.
  • Joel Bolomboy wasn’t out of work very long after being waived by the Jazz before the start of the season, writes Mike Sorenson of The Deseret News. He joined the Bucks on a two-way contract and is trying to make the most of his second shot at the NBA. “I don’t think it was a disappointment at all,” he said of Utah’s decision. “It was just business. The way I see it, you just got to go with it, you can’t do anything about it. They let me go and I still get to play basketball and I was fortunate the Bucks signed me to a deal. It’s a real good opportunity over here and I like it a lot.”

Central Notes: Bucks, Wade, Pacers

The Bucks haven’t announced how they plan on utilizing recently acquired point guard Eric Bledsoe but incumbent starter Malcolm Brogdon is fine with whatever option they choose, Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes.

Starting you automatically get into your rhythm faster,” Brogdon, now in his sophomore season with the Bucks, said. “Coming off the bench you’re colder, it can be harder at times. But I’ve done both and I’m going to do whatever this team needs me to do.

Through the first nine games of the season, the reigning Rookie of the Year has averaged 16.2 points and 4.9 assists per game for the Bucks. If Brogdon ends up with a reduced number of minutes and/or touches, however, those would inevitably decline.

Even if the addition of Bledsoe doesn’t impact Brogdon substantially, the acquisition could impact current Bucks backup point guard Matthew Dellavedova.

We’ll see how it goes, but [with] shorter minutes everybody should be able to go harder and do it on both ends,” Dellavedova said. “We’ve been scoring a lot of points; we need to get some stops.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • The decision to play Dwyane Wade off the bench has paid off for the Cavaliers, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. The veteran guard’s production has risen across the board compared to his previous stint as a starter with his new club.
  • The Pacers have lost four straight contests, the most recent resulting in a closed-door team meeting, Clifton Brown of The Indianapolis Star writes. Per point guard Cory Joseph, the contents of the meeting will stay internal. How the club handles the recent adversity will serve as a test of character for the young franchise.
  • The Cavaliers can’t expect Isaiah Thomas‘ eventual debut to fix all the team’s issues, Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes. “IT is definitely a big piece of what we want to do, but IT hasn’t stepped out on the floor in a Cavs uniform yet,” LeBron James said. “We know what he’s capable of doing, but he hasn’t played with us, so we don’t want to put that type of pressure on him, even though he loves it.

Eric Bledsoe Leftovers: Quotes, Reactions, More

Speaking to ESPN’s Chris Haynes, Eric Bledsoe opened up about the trade that sent him to Milwaukee, expressing excitement about playing for a future Hall-of-Famer in Jason Kidd, and alongside a current superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo. Bledsoe also admitted that the Suns sitting him at the end of last season played a part in souring him on his situation in Phoenix, since he felt he was “100% healthy.” Still, he says he has no hard feeling about how things played out.

“I felt like with where the team was headed, it was time for me to move on,” Bledsoe said of the Suns. “They’ve got an amazing, young, talented team, and I feel like it was time for me to find a better situation for my career. It had nothing to do with anything the Suns had going on. I made the decision that this was best for me.”

With Bledsoe poised to make his debut for the Bucks later this week, let’s round up a few more grades, reactions, and leftover notes on Tuesday’s trade:

  • Malcolm Brogdon, who may see his role altered as a result of Bledsoe’s arrival, tells Spencer Davies of Basketball Insiders that losing Monroe “is definitely a negative for us.” However, he likes Bledsoe’s game too. “Having another guard that can really create his own shot, get downhill and make plays—I think that will definitely help us,” Brogdon said.
  • While Bledsoe should fit the mold of the Bucks‘ “long-armed and athletic” roster, he likely won’t do much to solve the club’s spacing issues, writes Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post in his assessment of the deal.
  • The Bucks are the clear winners of the swap, in the view of Charles Curtis of USA Today, who suggests the Suns‘ return for a player of Bledsoe’s caliber was absolutely terrible.” Jeremy Woo of SI.com was less harsh on the Suns’ side of the trade, but agrees that the Bucks were the winners, while ESPN’s Kevin Pelton (Insider link) is somewhat lukewarm on the deal for both sides.
  • The merits of the trade for the Suns and Bucks are debatable, but Bledsoe himself is the clear winner, says Steve Aschburner of NBA.com.
  • The Suns haven’t made the postseason since 2010, and now they’ve further postponed the timeline on their rebuild, writes Dan Bickley of AZCentral.com, who suggests that the fans in Phoenix deserve better from the franchise.

Latest On Eric Bledsoe

Eric Bledsoe continues to sit out games for the Suns and, after a disastrous start to the season, the club has actually looked better with a new starting point guard — and a new head coach. Since Jay Triano replaced Earl Watson on the bench and Mike James replaced Bledsoe in the starting lineup, the Suns have won consecutive games at home, beating the Kings and Jazz.

As the Suns look to build on their recent success, here’s the latest on Bledsoe, from Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times:

  • NBA sources tell Woelfel that if the Bucks and Suns were to make a deal involving Bledsoe, Phoenix would likely ask for Malcolm Brogdon, plus either John Henson or Mirza Teletovic. Milwaukee has had interest in Bledsoe over the last few years, but is reluctant to part with Brogdon, the reigning Rookie of the Year, per Woelfel.
  • According to Woelfel, the Bucks are – for now – dangling Matthew Dellavedova, but he’s not of much interest to the Suns — Phoenix remains focused on Brogdon.
  • The Suns are eyeing young guards, and are also intrigued by Denver’s Emmanuel Mudiay. According to two NBA officials, the Nuggets and Bucks are viewed as “the leaders in the Bledsoe sweepstakes,” writes Woelfel.
  • Those same two sources tell Woelfel that a number of other teams have internally discussed the idea of making a play for Bledsoe, including the Clippers, Celtics, and Heat.

Where Things Stand On Kyrie Irving Blockbuster

It has been eight days since both the Celtics and Cavaliers announced the completion of a trade that sent Kyrie Irving to Boston in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick. However, more than a week later, we still can’t classify the deal as “completed.”

As first reported last Friday by ESPN, the Cavaliers expressed concern after their own doctors conducted a physical exam on Thomas’ injured hip. That concern has pushed the Cavaliers to re-engage the Celtics about acquiring further compensation in the blockbuster deal. Although it took a few days for the two sides to make contact again, that reportedly happened on Tuesday.

Here’s a breakdown of what we know about the situation, and when we can expect resolution:

Read more

Bucks Made Competitive Offer For Kyrie Irving?

12:58pm: Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press (Twitter link) hears that the Bucks didn’t offer Middleton, Brogdon, and a first-round pick for Irving. It’s not uncommon for there to be conflicting reports on trade offers, since there can be ambiguity about what a team is willing to offer and what that team formally offers. Whether or not the Bucks put that package on the table, it was unlikely to be enough for the Cavs.

11:32am: The Suns were long viewed as a potential frontrunner in the Kyrie Irving sweepstakes, but Phoenix never really got close to landing the star point guard, per John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). According to Gambadoro though, another team that was in the mix for Irving and made a strong offer was the Bucks, who put Khris Middleton, Malcolm Brogdon, and a first-round pick on the table.

It’s easy to see why the Celtics’ offer – which included an All-Star in Isaiah Thomas and a stronger first-round pick – was more appealing to the Cavs than Milwaukee’s proposal. Boston’s package, which also featured Jae Crowder and rookie center Ante Zizic, should give Cleveland a better chance to contend for a title in 2017/18, and may also give the Cavs a better chance to land a young star, since that 2018 Nets pick may end up in the top five.

Still, Thomas’ hip is a concern and he’s under contract for only one more year, making him a bit of a risk. The Bucks’ offer would have given the Cavaliers the reigning Rookie of the Year (Brogdon) on an extremely affordable contract (about $3MM over the next two years), and a dangerous shooter and scorer in Middleton, who is on a reasonable contract of his own (about $27MM over the next two years). Milwaukee’s 2018 first-round pick figures to fall in the late-teens or 20s, however.

While the Bucks fell short in their pursuit of Irving, it’s worth remembering that the team was willing to make a play for the All-Star point guard. That point guard spot is perhaps the most glaring area of concern for Milwaukee heading into 2017/18, so the team figures to keep an eye out for potential upgrades again at the 2018 trade deadline and next offseason.