Milwaukee Bucks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

P.J. Tucker Talks Trade To Bucks, Goal In Milwaukee

March 20th, 2021 at 10:16am CST by marksuleymanov

Barring any setbacks, new Bucks forward P.J. Tucker is expected to make his debut for his new team on Saturday against the Spurs, ESPN’s Eric Woodyard writes.

The Rockets and Bucks agreed on a deal earlier in the week, ending a standoff that essentially began at the start of the season. Houston was trending downward and after trading frustrated superstar James Harden, Tucker’s departure seemed inevitable.

The 35-year-old has not been much of an offensive weapon this season, averaging a career-low 4.4 PPG, but he remains one of the best defenders in the league. Along with reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tucker should help Milwaukee boast a formidable frontcourt. For Tucker, the move also represents a shot to compete for a championship, as he told reporters.

Tucker on how he fits in with the Bucks:

“The situation is perfect. I think I fit in well.”

Tucker on his goal with Milwaukee:

“My main goal is to win a championship. That’s easy. That’s the only reason I’m here. I feel like we’ve got a chance to win a championship and do something special.”

Tucker on if he feels rejuvenated being with his new team:

“Man, you have no idea. It’s gave me that boost and 15 years in, you look for anything. There are days where I talk to myself or talk junk to people just so they can talk junk back and I can get myself going. This has been one of those things where now, I’m just recharging my battery.”

Bucks Receive $110K From Suns In Craig Trade

March 19th, 2021 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Bobby Marks of ESPN closes the book on the trade that sent Torrey Craig to the Suns, tweeting that Phoenix sent $110K to the Bucks in the deal. That’s the minimum amount possible this season if a team trades cash.

Rockets Trade P.J. Tucker To Bucks

March 19th, 2021 at 11:04am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

MARCH 19: The Rockets and Bucks have officially completed their trade, per a press release.

MARCH 17: Milwaukee is making some roster adjustments ahead of a playoff push.

The Bucks are acquiring forwards P.J. Tucker and Rodions Kurucs and reacquiring their own 2022 first-round pick from the Rockets in exchange for veteran point guard D.J. Augustin, forward D.J. Wilson, the Bucks’ 2023 unprotected first-round draft pick, and the right to swap the Rockets’ 2021 second-round pick for Milwaukee’s first-round draft pick (top-nine protected), reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The deal will add Tucker to the Bucks’ frontcourt, giving the team a strong, versatile defender to match up with opposing forwards and big men in the second half and in the postseason. After three-and-a-half seasons in Houston, the 35-year-old reached an agreement with the team last week that allowed him to remain away from the Rockets while they sought a trade for him.

Tucker hasn’t contributed much on offense this season, averaging a career-low 4.4 PPG with a .314 3PT% in 32 games (30.0 MPG), but he’s still a solid defender and could be rejuvenated by a change of scenery that gets him to a contender.

The Rockets, losers of 17 straight games, clearly appear to be in asset acquisition mode now. The deal should allow them to move up at least a few spots in the 2021 draft, as they’ll swap their second-round pick for Milwaukee’s first-rounder. By reacquiring their 2022 first-round pick from Houston, the Bucks are able to surrender both their 2021 and 2023 first-rounders in this deal without violating the Stepien rule.

While the Rockets were rumored to be seeking a young impact player in exchange for Tucker, that was always considered an ambitious goal, given the forward’s recent decline. But the club will get a chance to look at a former first-rounder in Wilson before he becomes eligible for restricted free agency in the summer.

It’s not yet clear what Houston’s plan for Augustin is, but he’s the one player in the deal who is owed guaranteed money beyond this season, with a $7MM guaranteed salary for 2021/22 and a non-guaranteed $7.3MM salary in ’22/23. He could provide depth at the point guard spot for the Rockets or be rerouted to a new team at some point.

The Bucks have also reportedly agreed to send Torrey Craig to the Suns and will now have two open roster spots. They’ll go from about $442K below the hard cap to $3.5MM below, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), so they’ll have a little more breathing room to fill out their 15-man roster via trade or on the buyout market.

Luke Adams contributed to this story. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Tjarks Hoping Bucks Keep Making Moves

March 18th, 2021 at 11:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Bucks took strides to improve their hoped-for playoff readiness in trading for a package headlined by defensive ace P.J. Tucker. Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer posits that the Bucks should remain aggressive in looking to shore up their depth with further trades and potential buyout targets.

Tjarks wonders if Tucker, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer at age 36, can help compel Milwaukee to pivot to a more aggressive defensive approach. Tjarks hopes that the Bucks will be similarly aggressive off the court as well, in looking to add perimeter help as they continue to rethink their bench.

And-Ones: COVID-19, I. Thomas, Lakers, Bucks, S. Bradley

March 18th, 2021 at 12:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA and NBPA announced on Wednesday that three of the 490 players tested for the coronavirus since March 10 returned confirmed positive tests. That’s relatively good news for the league, since there was some concern about players moving all over the country during the All-Star break before returning to their teams. It appears there hasn’t been a spike in COVID-19 cases following the break.

Meanwhile, as players and staffers around the league begin to receive vaccinations for the coronavirus, the NBA and the NBPA have agreed to relax certain protocols and restrictions related to the virus, as Baxter Holmes of ESPN details.

Fully vaccinated individuals no longer have to quarantine following exposure to COVID-19, while fully vaccinated teams won’t have to wear masks at their practice facilities, Holmes writes. Additionally, restrictions related to home visitors and in-restaurant dining are being loosened for those individuals and teams.

A player is considered to be fully vaccinated two weeks after his final dose, while a team meets the criteria once 85% of its players and 85% of its staff members have been vaccinated, Holmes adds.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) has heard that the Lakers and Bucks are among the teams to watch if Isaiah Thomas gets another NBA opportunity. While Thomas continues to pursue an NBA comeback, he may have to wait until after teams see who’s available at the trade deadline and on the buyout market.
John Hollinger of The Athletic shares eight creative, hypothetical trades he’d like to see happen at the deadline, including a Hornets/Hawks swap that involves John Collins, Devonte’ Graham, and P.J. Washington, and a four-team trade that sends Gorgui Dieng to the Nets.
The Mavericks shared an extremely sad piece of news this week, announcing on their website that former NBA center Shawn Bradley was struck by a car in January while riding his bicycle, resulting in a traumatic spinal cord injury that has left him paralyzed. Bradley has spent the last eight weeks hospitalized and undergoing rehab, but is said to be “in good spirits” and aims to use his platform to bring greater public awareness to the importance of bike safety.

Bucks Trade Torrey Craig To Suns

March 18th, 2021 at 11:19am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

MARCH 18: The Bucks have officially sent Craig to Phoenix in exchange for cash considerations, according to the club (Twitter link).

MARCH 17: The Bucks will trade reserve small forward Torrey Craig to the Suns, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM tweets that the Suns are sending out cash considerations in the deal.

Milwaukee will not be getting a player in return from Phoenix in the agreement, Woj adds (via Twitter).

After spending his first three NBA seasons with the Nuggets, Craig signed a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract with the Bucks during the 2020 offseason.

Undrafted out of the University of South Carolina Upstate in 2014, Craig began his pro career in Australia, where he played for several NBL teams from 2014-2017. He signed a two-way deal with the Nuggets in 2017, and eventually earned his way onto Denver’s regular 15-man roster.

The defensive-oriented Craig, 30, played in just 18 games with the Bucks, averaging 11.2 MPG as an occasional perimeter defender off the bench. He did improve his three-point shooting this season, connecting on 36.4% of his 1.2 long-range attempts per night. He could help spell starting Suns wings Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges in a limited role.

Phoenix’s 26-12 record currently makes the team the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, and if Craig can have a good showing as a reserve for a potential powerhouse, he could attract some interest when he returns to free agency this summer.

The Bucks have been active today with trades, having also agreed to send backup point guard D.J. Augustin and reserve power forward D.J. Wilson to the Rockets in exchange for forwards P.J. Tucker and Rodions Kurucs. That move also involves a series of draft picks and swaps.

Thanks to these two deals, the small-market Bucks are now $3.5MM below the hard salary cap, as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter). Milwaukee also now has two open roster spots, which could serve the team well in future trades or in the buyout market this season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Which Bucks May Be Moved By Deadline

March 17th, 2021 at 5:53pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Eric Nehm of The Athletic breaks down the Bucks‘ roster as the trade deadline nears, appraising which players are most likely to be traded, which are untouchable, and which occupy the murky real estate in-between. Nehm pinpoints Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday as the team’s three untouchable players. Donte DiVincenzo and Brook Lopez, the team’s other two starters, would be moved only for a high-level difference-maker in return, Nehm suggests.

Trade Rumors: Hill, Ariza, Tucker, Hawks, Collins, Celtics, More

March 15th, 2021 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

Multiple playoff contenders have interest in Thunder veterans George Hill and Trevor Ariza, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. According to Charania, the Clippers are among the teams eyeing Hill.

Neither Hill nor Ariza is active right now for the Thunder. Hill hasn’t played since January 24 due to a right thumb injury, while Ariza has been away from the team all season, having been acquired in an offseason trade as a salary throw-in. Hill shouldn’t be out too much longer though, and there’s no indication that Ariza isn’t healthy.

The Thunder have been focusing on developing their young players, so Hill and Ariza are expendable. However, Charania notes that the team would be fine with retaining Hill, who is under contract for 2021/22 at a reasonable price ($10MM).

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from Charania:

The Rockets continue to discuss possible P.J. Tucker trades with teams like the Bucks, Heat, and Lakers, but the Nets are no longer believed to be actively involved, writes Charania. A Brooklyn deal for Tucker likely would’ve involved injured guard Spencer Dinwiddie.
The Hawks have made trade inquiries in recent weeks about wing players, per Charania. The team is currently missing two of its top young forwards, De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish, due to injuries.
Hawks big man John Collins is among the potential trade targets being eyed by the Celtics, but Atlanta’s asking price is high, according to Charania, who says the team is seeking a high first-round pick and/or a talented young player. Collins is eligible for restricted free agency this summer.
The Pistons are after a second-round pick in exchange for veteran shooting guard Wayne Ellington, says Charania. Ellington is having a nice year in Detroit, with 10.6 PPG and a .422 3PT%.
Heat guard Avery Bradley and Grizzlies forward Gorgui Dieng are receiving interest from several teams, sources tell The Athletic.

Bucks Sign Axel Toupane To Two-Way Contract

March 15th, 2021 at 8:00am CST by Arthur Hill

MARCH 15: The Bucks officially signed Toupane to his two-way deal on Sunday, per a team press release.

MARCH 13: The Bucks will sign swingman Axel Toupane to a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The 28-year-old played for Santa Cruz during the just-completed G League season, averaging 17.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists in nine games. He was in training camp with the Warriors before being waived in December.

Toupane has previous NBA experience, playing 21 games for the Nuggets during the 2015/16 season, and two games each for the Bucks and Pelicans in 2016/17. He had been playing overseas before joining the G League this year.

Milwaukee has a two-way slot open after waiving Jaylen Adams last week. A report prior to the All-Star break suggested that Myles Powell would fill that slot, but that deal was never made official.

P.J. Tucker Away From Rockets, Expected To Be Traded

March 12th, 2021 at 12:25am CST by Luke Adams

Rockets forward P.J. Tucker is away from the team and there’s a belief that he has likely played his last game with Houston, head coach Stephen Silas said after Thursday’s game in Sacramento, his club’s 14th straight loss.

“P.J.’s not with the team,” Silas said (video link via Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston). “He traveled here (to Sacramento), but is traveling back to Houston (instead of accompanying the team to Utah). We’re going to try to figure out something that works for him and works for us, in terms of him not being on the team anymore.

“I was under the assumption that he was going to be playing tonight, and he didn’t play. And that was disappointing. But it’s no secret that it’s been a rough year. He’s been professional… But at this point we’re going to do what’s best for the group and what’s best for P.J., and that’s probably not having him here.”

Prior to Silas’ post-game presser, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon had reported that Tucker, who is “increasingly frustrated” about not having been traded to a contending team, was a healthy scratch and that there was uncertainty about whether he’d return to the lineup at all. Silas essentially confirmed that report after the game, suggesting that both sides are on board with the divorce.

“He decided he was just not really with it, and we decided that’s a good idea — let’s move on,” Silas said, explaining why Tucker didn’t practice with the team on Wednesday and didn’t play vs. the Kings on Thursday (video link via Berman).

Unlike other players that have been pulled from their teams’ lineups in recent weeks, such as Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, and LaMarcus Aldridge, Tucker has a very manageable expiring salary, worth just under $8MM. As such, it shouldn’t be too tricky to find a taker for him, despite the fact that he’s having a down year.

While he’s still a solid defender, the 35-year-old isn’t contributing much on offense this season, averaging a career-low 4.4 PPG with a .314 3PT% in 32 games (30.0 MPG). Tucker believes joining a contender would allow him to display his value in ways he hasn’t been able to on the struggling and rebuilding Rockets, a person familiar with his thinking told Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

According to Woj and MacMahon, the Rockets have engaged in several trade discussions with teams about Tucker in recent weeks, including the Bucks, Lakers, Heat, and Nets. The Sixers, Jazz, Nuggets, and Timberwolves have also been cited as clubs with potential interest in the veteran forward, as Houston seeks a young, productive rotation player.

Sources tell ESPN that the Rockets thought they were in position to sign Tucker to an extension earlier in 2020/21, having offered $17MM ($10MM guaranteed) over two seasons. However, they balked when Tucker’s camp countered with a fully guaranteed two-year, $24MM deal.

The Tucker situation is the latest unfortunate development in what’s turning into a nightmare of a season for the Rockets, who already had to deal with a prolonged push from superstar James Harden to be traded.

Houston has slumped badly with Christian Wood out due to an ankle sprain, and the club’s injury situation has gone from bad to worse within the last couple days. As Feigen details, John Wall was hit on the side of his left knee in a scrimmage on Wednesday and was ruled out for Thursday’s game, while fellow guard Eric Gordon strained his groin vs. Sacramento and will undergo an MRI (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.