If the Bucks are determined to re-sign Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, they may have to trade at least one of their mid-level salaries to avoid the punitive restrictions in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Milwaukee already has $114.78MM committed to six players for next season, putting the team in sight of the projected $134MM salary cap.
The Bucks are about to pay the luxury tax for the third straight year, so they have to be mindful of the repeater penalties that will kick in if they top next season’s projected tax threshold of $162MM. Nehm notes that it will be almost impossible to stay under that number if Middleton picks up his $40.4MM player option, especially with Lopez seeking an increase on the $13.9MM he made this season. Middleton could also agree to decline the option and work out a long-term deal with a smaller salary for next year.
Nehm adds that the next figure to be concerned about is $179.5MM, which is where the new second apron is projected to begin. He notes that if the Bucks reach $170.18MM in salary with eight players, they won’t be able to offer an outside free agent more than a minimum contract, which is projected at $1.99MM for 2023/24, without going into the second apron.
If general manger Jon Horst chooses to unload salary to ease the team’s financial burden, Nehm sees Bobby Portis ($11.71MM next season), Pat Connaughton ($9.24MM) and Grayson Allen ($8.93MM) as the most likely to be traded.
There’s more from Milwaukee:
- Horst and his staff are going through draft preparations even though the Bucks only hold the 58th and final pick, per Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. Horst wants the team to be ready for any scenario that might occur on draft night. “It’s not unforeseeable that we could acquire a first-round pick in some sort of deal that we execute prior to or at the draft, and they have to be ready for that,” he said. “We obviously possess a pick at the end of the second round. We have to be ready for that. But also, the trades and things that happen from a personnel, an NBA personnel standpoint, be ready for that.”
- The Bucks are continuing to monitor the progress of Hugo Besson, who was selected at No. 58 last year and was acquired from the Pacers for cash considerations, Owczarski adds. The French guard played four Summer League games for Milwaukee in 2022 and then joined Victor Wembanyama on Metropolitans 92.
- Heat assistant Chris Quinn could be a name to watch in the Bucks’ coaching search if he can convince ownership that he can translate some of Miami’s toughness to Milwaukee, suggests Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News.
- In case you missed it, University of Houston coach Kelvin Sampson and Wizards assistant Joseph Blair are the Bucks’ latest interviewees.
Mid tier player salaries are going to be hugely suppressed with the new CBA I’m guessing
And why is that? Genuinely asking, not just trying to be belligerent.
Middleton has to know that on the open market he likely wouldn’t get anywhere near $40 mil. Maybe he’s willing to decline the option and resign with the Bucks for more tastes but less annual? Maybe 3/$60 mil?
No way Middleton opts out for a guarantee 40 million for one season on a player option to sign for 60 million for three years.
He could get his 40 million in 23/24 and easily get 20 million a year next summer
He should take less money because you think so lol. What is up with people on this site lol
Yes and No
The market(s) should be fairly stable (while increasing$) but the quantity of players receiving that extra bird love cash should take a big dent . You could argue maybe they didn’t deserve it in the first place b/c they didn’t have to compete against the free market but that’s kinda a whole different story
The MLE market (probably the most exciting) market left is also going to take HUGE dip for players and provide sadness for fans that need that one extra piece
The irony of all this is that you could see it was going to affect a team like Mil (small market) first before it took hits into GSW/Clip nation
But yea as a players union wtf were they thinking on a whole ? To be fair I don’t think anybody was really thinking this round…. So we begin with Mil looking to have to offload Bobby P for no basketball related reason
I’d much rather see them offload Allen and/ or PatC than Portis. Problem is the 2 of them won’t bring them back much.
I agree with everything you just said.
This is exactly why Draymond green said it was a bad deal the nbapa negotiated
Cj McCollum got played by the owners, he walked into thinking he was the smartest man in the room and left with his pants around his ankles.. Hate to see it
Into the room***
Who ISN’T allegedly on the Bucks’ head coaching job watch list???
Budenholzer?
Bucks just going to run it back with that they had even tho they lost in the first round?
I know they sacked the coach but is that enough….
I was almost expecting a Jrue Holiday plus bits for Dame deal
Or Kris Middleton for Trae Young type deal
Dame Middleton Giannas …
Trae Holiday Giannas …
The top option would cost a lot in terms of picks but would almost guarantee you atleast 1 title if not more. The second option would take time adjusting but the potential would be crazy. A Steph Curry like offensive threat to go with Giannas who will just run through anything. Trae’s defence sucks but he’d be put next to 3 DPOY candidates which would help cover for him