Milwaukee Bucks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Identify 14 Head Coaching Candidates

September 9th, 2020 at 12:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers are set to begin a wide-ranging search for a head coach that will include more than a dozen candidates, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. As Wojnarowski details, Indiana is looking to interview the following candidates as the team seeks a replacement for Nate McMillan:

Former Kings and Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger
Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool
Nets associate head coach Jacque Vaughn
Trail Blazers associate head coach Nate Tibbetts
Spurs assistants Becky Hammon and Will Hardy
Heat assistants Dan Craig and Chris Quinn
Mavericks assistants Jamahl Mosley and Stephen Silas
Bucks assistants Darvin Ham and Charles Lee
Sixers assistant Ime Udoka
Magic assistant Pat Delany

It remains to be seen whether the Pacers will be granted permission to speak with all of their potential targets. If they do, the team’s first round of virtual meetings would feature at least 14 interviews.

Many of the Pacers’ coaching candidates identified by Wojnarowski have been linked to other vacancies around the league. Vanterpool, Craig, Mosley, Silas, Ham, and Udoka, for example, are all believed to be interviewing for the Bulls’ job. Udoka and Ham have also been mentioned as potential 76ers candidates, as has Joerger. Vaughn was seriously considered for the Nets job before the team hired Steve Nash, while Hardy and Delany interviewed with the Knicks before they hired Tom Thibodeau.

Others on Indiana’s list, such as Tibbetts and Hammon, have interviewed in past years for various NBA head coaching openings. Only a couple candidates – Quinn and Lee – haven’t received head coaching consideration in the past, as far as I can tell. Meanwhile, Joerger and Vaughn are the only names on the list with previous head coaching experience.

Mike D’Antoni has also been mentioned as a potential target for the Pacers, but he remains active in the postseason with the Rockets and there’s no guarantee he’ll leave Houston when his contract expires.

Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard has spoken about wanting to hire a head coach who takes a “modern approach” to the game and has the ability to connect with younger players. McMillan’s old-school approach to offense was believed to be one reason why Indiana made a change.

Bucks Notes: Giannis, Budenholzer, Offseason, Korver

September 9th, 2020 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo badly wanted to play in Game 5 on Tuesday night despite his right ankle sprain, expressing a willingness to play on one leg. However, as Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes, the Bucks prioritized Antetokounmpo’s health over any potential short-term gain, and the reigning MVP appreciates the decision to protect him.

“We have people in the team sometimes that have a bigger say than you and they have to protect you,” Antetokounmpo said. “They have to protect your health no matter what and it’s good. There’s a lot of cases, previous cases in the past that put the team over the player’s health and I love my organization for that, I appreciate that they protected me.

“… I wanted to play. Everybody – you know I wanted to play, I know I wanted to play, my coach knows I wanted to play, but at the end of the day, our organization put my health over Game 5 and that’s big for me.”

With the Bucks’ season now over, all eyes will be on Antetokounmpo’s future. As we detailed late on Tuesday night, Giannis has already said he won’t ask to be traded, but we still don’t know whether or not he’ll sign a super-max extension when the club offers it this fall.

Passing on that extension would result in all sorts of Giannis-related trade speculation, writes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. However, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) outlines, it’s possible Antetokounmpo may prefer to wait on finalizing an extension even if he wants to remain with the Bucks. The same deal – a five-year max with the Bucks worth 35% of the cap and beginning in 2021/22 – would be available for Giannis during the 2021 offseason.

For now, teams are projecting no salary cap increase for the next couple years, per Marks. But by the ’21 offseason, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks would have a better idea of the cap outlook going forward. It’s possible at that time that the Defensive Player of the Year would want to sign a shorter-term contract to maintain flexibility and to potentially capitalize on a cap increase down the road by waiting to lock in a longer-term contract.

Here’s more on Giannis and the Bucks:

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype spoke to a pair of GMs, two team executives, and a scout about the Bucks’ outlook, including Giannis’ future, Mike Budenholzer‘s status, and the rest of the club’s roster. The consensus among Scotto’s sources is that it’s hard to read too much into bubble results and that Milwaukee shouldn’t be in a rush to make major changes. “I think they’re good enough to win,” an Eastern Conference GM said. “We definitely overreact to certain things. They’re a contending championship team. It’s like OKC back in the day. Play it out. If Giannis leaves, he leaves. His brother is on the team, for crying out loud.”
Another Eastern Conference executive who spoke to Scotto offered the following assessment: “If it were my decision, I think you run it back next year with the same squad. I think over the summer, Giannis will learn to extend past the 3-point line consistently. Then, if things aren’t looking good at the deadline next year, you see what you can get for (Khris) Middleton, (Eric) Bledsoe, (Donte) DiVincenzo.”
John Hollinger of The Athletic isn’t convinced that Budenholzer’s coaching style is destined to fail in the postseason. Hollinger concedes that the Bucks head coach made some mistakes against Miami, but contends that a bad matchup and some bad luck largely contributed to the club’s early playoff exit.
Veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver, whose contract with the Bucks is expiring, told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link) that he’ll talk to his family before making a decision on his NBA future. His teammate Marvin Williams announced on Tuesday night that he has decided to retire, but it’s not clear if the 39-year-old Korver will follow suit.

Giannis Says He’s Not Looking To Leave Milwaukee

September 8th, 2020 at 11:01pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of the Bucks‘ second-round elimination at the hands of the Heat, speculation about Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s future in Milwaukee will begin to ramp up. However, the star forward tells Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that he has no intention of asking to be traded as he prepares to enter the final year of his current contract.

“It’s not happening. That’s not happening,” Antetokounmpo said. “Some see a wall and go in (another direction). I plow through it. We just have to get better as a team, individually and get right back at it next season.”

While his comments to Haynes conveyed his commitment to Milwaukee in stronger terms, Antetokounmpo also hinted during his post-game media session on Tuesday night that he has no plans to leave the Bucks, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).

“Hopefully we can learn from this and get better as a team,” Giannis said. “… Hopefully we can build a culture in Milwaukee for many years that we can come out here and compete every single year for a championship.”

The Bucks have had the NBA’s best regular-season record in each of the last two seasons, but were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago by Toronto after taking a 2-0 lead in the series. This time around, the fifth-seeded Heat knocked them out in the Eastern Semifinals in a near-sweep, raising more questions about the Bucks’ ability to win in the postseason — and about whether Giannis might be looking for an exit ramp.

Although he won’t be eligible for free agency until 2021, Antetokounmpo will be eligible this offseason for a super-max contract extension. The value of that five-year offer is in flux due to the uncertainty surrounding the NBA’s salary cap going forward, but the deal would be significantly more valuable than what any rival suitor can offer him as a free agent, and the Bucks plan to put it on the table as soon as they can.

Even if Antetokounmpo doesn’t immediately accept that offer, that doesn’t mean his days in Milwaukee will be numbered. Multiple sources are adamant that the Bucks wouldn’t trade Giannis even without an extension, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN, who suggests the club would instead focus on convincing the reigning MVP to stay.

Whether or not Giannis re-ups with the Bucks when he becomes extension-eligible, general manager Jon Horst figures to exhaust every possibility when it comes to upgrading the roster this fall. Marc Stein of The New York Times tweets that some rival teams believe Milwaukee will look into trading for point guard Chris Paul if the Thunder make him available.

Antetokounmpo’s future will almost certainly be one of the hottest topics of the NBA offseason, but he’s not entertaining the speculation for now, telling Haynes that he’s focused on getting his sprained ankle healthy and getting back to work.

“If winning a championship was easy, everyone would have one,” Giannis said to Haynes. “We lost. Everyone saw that we lost. It’s disappointing, but what are we going to do? We’re going to keep working. I’ve got confidence in my teammates.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Marvin Williams To Retire

September 8th, 2020 at 9:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA forward Marvin Williams has decided to call it a career, telling Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link) that he’s retiring as a player.

Williams, 34, was the second overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft. He began his career by spending seven seasons with the Hawks before moving on to play for the Jazz, Hornets, and Bucks over the course of his 15-year career.

Although he never developed into the sort of star player Atlanta may have hoped for when drafting him ahead of Deron Williams and Chris Paul in 2005, Williams was an exemplary teammate and a reliable role player, averaging 10.2 PPG and 5.2 RPG on .443/.361/.808 shooting in 1,072 career regular season games (28.1 MPG).

The former UNC standout appeared in another 59 playoff contests, including 10 with Milwaukee this summer. He played his last NBA game on Tuesday night, recording 11 points and eight rebounds in the Bucks’ season-ending loss to Miami.

At age 34, Williams would likely still be able to get a minimum-salary contract on an NBA team this offseason if he wanted to extend his career. However, he had spoken back in January about considering retiring at the end of this season. At the time, he said he was interested in pursuing a role in international basketball outreach once his playing days were over.

“I like the Junior NBA (program) where you are basically a camp counselor all around the world,” Williams told Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. “Basketball Without Borders, I’ve done a couple of those: I went to Africa and I went to Indonesia. … Any opportunity I get to travel and work with kids? That’s what I would love to do.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NBA Announces 2019/20 All-Defensive Teams

September 8th, 2020 at 6:26pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The NBA has officially announced its All-Defensive teams for the 2019/20 season. Unsurprisingly, Defensive Player of the Year (and possible repeat MVP) Giannis Antetokounmpo was the leading vote-getter with 195 total points. Players receive two points per First Team vote and one point per Second Team vote.

This is the Bucks forward’s second consecutive appearance on the All-NBA First Team. Antetokounmpo was listed on 98 of 100 ballots from the 100 broadcasters and writers who comprised this year’s voting panel. 97 of those voters awarded him a First Team vote.

Lakers forward Anthony Davis was featured on every ballot and received a total tally of 187 points (including 87 First Team votes). Sixers guard Ben Simmons tallied 185 points with the third-most votes this year. Jazz center Rudy Gobert, the 2018 and 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, was fourth with 95 total votes (85 First Team), for 180 total points. Celtics guard Marcus Smart rounded out the All-Defensive First Team with 152 points, including 57 First Team votes.

Gobert’s inclusion on the All-Defensive First Team has earned him a $500K bonus, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. Antetokounmpo’s Bucks teammates Brook Lopez (67 points) and Eric Bledsoe (59 points) each made the All-Defensive Second Team.

Here are the full voting results for the All-Defensive First and Second Teams, with each player’s point total noted in parentheses:

First Team:

Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, Bucks (195)
Anthony Davis, F, Lakers (187)
Ben Simmons, G, Sixers (185)
Rudy Gobert, C, Jazz (180)
Marcus Smart, G, Celtics (152)

Second Team:

Kawhi Leonard, F, Clippers (128)
Brook Lopez, C, Bucks (67)
Bam Adebayo, F/C, Heat (61)
Patrick Beverley, G, Clippers (60)
Eric Bledsoe, G, Bucks (59)

You can find the full voting results right here.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Out For Game 5

September 8th, 2020 at 4:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss Game 5 of the Bucks‘ second-round series vs. the Heat on Tuesday night due to his sprained right ankle, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Antetokounmpo, who suffered his ankle sprain during Game 3 and re-aggravated the injury in Game 4, had been listed as questionable and was doing everything he could to return to the court, with head coach Mike Budenholzer telling reporters this afternoon that Giannis’ status would be a game-time decision. However, the quick turnaround from Sunday’s game apparently didn’t give the ankle enough time to heal.

Milwaukee managed to pull out a victory in Game 4 despite not having Antetokounmpo available for the second half, but extending the series again without the reigning MVP will be a tall task. Facing a 3-1 deficit, the Bucks will be eliminated with a loss. A win would force a Game 6 on Thursday and would give Giannis another opportunity to return.

While the Bucks will be without their leading scorer and rebounder, the Heat got some better injury news today. Jae Crowder (ankle), Tyler Herro (hip), and Kelly Olynyk (knee), who had all been listed as questionable on the injury report, are all expected to play tonight, per head coach Erik Spoelstra (Twitter link via Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel).

Opinion: Don't Risk Giannis By Playing Him

September 7th, 2020 at 8:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tyler Herro hit some huge shots late in the Heat’s overtime loss to the Bucks during Game 4 on Sunday. He’s still not guaranteed of playing on Tuesday, according to NBA.com’s injury report. The rookie shooting guard is listed as questionable for Game 5 on Tuesday due to a right hip bruise. Two other Miami rotation players – forward Jae Crowder (left ankle sprain) and center Kelly Olynyk (right knee bruise) – are also considered questionable for Game 5.

The Bucks shouldn’t risk their future by allowing Giannis Antetokounmpo to play again in their second-round playoff series, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports opines. Milwaukee has little chance of winning three consecutive games and playing Antetokounmpo — who is listed as questionable for Game 5 with a sore right ankle — could do more damage than good. Goodwill cites Grant Hill and Kevin Durant as examples of players who tried to play through pain in the playoffs and wound up with more serious injuries.

Bucks Haven’t Ruled Out Giannis For Game 5

September 7th, 2020 at 4:22pm CST by Luke Adams

4:22pm: Antetokounmpo is being listed as questionable for Game 5, according to Shams Charania of Stadium (video link), who reports that Giannis is feeling similar to how he felt heading into Game 4. That’s promising news for the Bucks, since Antetokounmpo was available to start Game 4.

2:43pm: After re-aggravating his right ankle sprain during Sunday’s game vs. Miami, Giannis Antetokounmpo was unable to return to the game. However, the Bucks still haven’t ruled out their star forward for Game 5 on Tuesday, per Eric Woodyard of ESPN.

Head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters today that Antetokounmpo is receiving treatment “around the clock” in the hopes that he can be available on Tuesday. The Bucks’ sports performance group is expected to closely evaluate the reigning MVP with both the short- and long-term in mind, according to Woodyard, who notes that the club doesn’t want the injury to turn into anything more serious.

After leaving Game 4, Antetokounmpo was encouraging the Bucks’ medical staff to tape up his ankle and let him return to the court, but he was unable to plant or jump off his right foot, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

“I know how hard he’s gonna work. I know how hard our sports performance group’s gonna work. It’s just impossible to say, but I guess, yeah, there’s hope,” Budenholzer said today. “We’re not ruling him out; so I guess until he’s ruled out, you have hope. Again, he’s gonna do everything he can to make himself available, and we’ll just see how the next 30 hours go.”

The Bucks trail the Heat 3-1 in their second-round series, so a loss on Tuesday would end their season. A win would force a Game 6 on Thursday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Re-Injures Ankle, Doesn’t Return To Game 4

September 6th, 2020 at 3:47pm CST by JD Shaw

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo sustained a right ankle sprain and didn’t return to Game 4 against the Heat on Sunday.

The injury occurred as Antetokounmpo landed awkwardly while attacking the basket during the second quarter, and it’s the same ankle he injured during Game 3 on Friday. He was previously listed as questionable to play in the contest.

“When he went down,” coach Mike Budenholzer said (as relayed by ESPN’s Malika Andrews), “all our hearts just stopped for a second.”

Prior to exiting the game, Antetokounmpo recorded 19 points and four rebounds in over 11 minutes of work, attacking the basket and playing noticeably aggressively with hopes of leading his team to victory. He encouraged the Bucks to tape up the ankle and let him return, but he couldn’t jump or plant off the sprain, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Antetokounmpo later left the arena in a walking boot, Andrews adds in a separate tweet.

Despite losing their star player, the Bucks still rallied to win 118-115 in overtime to keep their season alive. They were led by Khris Middleton (36 points), Eric Bledsoe (14 points, six assists) and Brook Lopez (14 points, five rebounds). Game 5 will be played on Tuesday night, with nobody around Milwaukee daring to rule Antetokounmpo out yet, Wojnarowski adds.

Bucks Need More Than Giannis To Win NBA Title

September 6th, 2020 at 3:29pm CST by JD Shaw

The Bucks will need more than a Most Valuable Player to win the NBA championship, ESPN’s Eric Woodyard writes. Milwaukee has struggled against a well-coached and disciplined Heat team, trailing 0-3 in the series with little sign of bouncing back to this point. “You have to fight and scrap for everything because [the opponent knows] exactly who you are,” Bucks veteran Kyle Korver said. “We know all of each other’s tendencies, and you develop this like … whether it’s real or not, this personal match with the guys that you’re guarding. That stuff is real. This is seven games in a row and there’s no secrets. If we call out the play, they call out the play. They know exactly where we’re gonna go, what we’re trying to accomplish, and it just magnifies as the series goes on.”