Bucks Co-Owner: “Our Goal Is To Keep Everybody”
Several players who started or played major minutes off the bench for the Bucks this season are headed for free agency this summer, but co-owner Marc Lasry remains hopeful that the franchise can keep its core intact, as he tells Frank Isola of The Athletic.
“Our goal is to keep everybody,” Lasry said. “And we’re going to do everything in our power to keep the nucleus of our team.”
While the Bucks may not retain “everybody” on their roster who will be a free agent this offseason, there are three key players the team figures to prioritize. As Isola writes, Khris Middleton is expected to be offered a maximum-salary contract or something close to it, and the team would also like to bring back Malcolm Brogdon and Brook Lopez. Nikola Mirotic and George Hill will also likely reach free agency.
Outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks in minutes during the Eastern Conference Finals, Middleton, Brogdon, and Lopez were the team’s three most-used players in that series vs. Toronto, so bringing them back will be Milwaukee’s No. 1 offseason goal. Brogdon’s modest cap hit (just under $2MM) and restricted status should help give the Bucks some cap flexibility as they weigh their options.
As for Antetokounmpo, he’s not up for a new deal quite yet, as his current pact runs through 2020/21. But he became eligible for a super-max extension by making an All-NBA team for a second straight year, and could sign that five-year extension during the 2020 offseason.
Like Lasry, Giannis recently said he’d like to see all the Bucks’ key free agents return. As long as the team proves it’s willing to invest financially to maintain a title contender, Milwaukee’s co-owner believes the team’s star will be interested in sticking around long-term.
“As long as we keep doing well and Giannis believes we’re doing everything we can to win I feel good about our chances,” Lasry said. “… I believe he wants to be here. I have no reason to believe otherwise.
Draft Decisions: Noi, Mack, German, Carvacho, Bolden
TCU forward Kouat Noi will remain in the draft, Jeff Goodman of WatchStadium.com tweets. The 6’7” Noi averaged 13.9 PPG and 4.9 RPG during his sophomore season. He has workouts upcoming with the Bucks, Kings and Clippers, Goodman adds. Teammate Desmond Bane will return to school, Goodman adds (Twitter link).
We have more draft news.
- Alabama swingman Tevin Mack has decided to withdraw from the draft, Goodman reports in another tweet. Mack averaged 9.0 PPG in his junior season.
- Northern Illinois guard Eugene German will return to school, Goodman adds in another tweet. The point guard averaged 20.4 PPG and 2.9 APG in his junior year.
- Indiana University guards Devonte Green and Aljami Durham and forward Justin Smith are all expected to return to school, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link).
- Colorado State’s Nico Carvacho will return to school, Rothstein reports in another tweet. The 6’11” center averaged 16.1 PPG and 12.9 RPG as a junior last season.
- Duke center Marques Bolden will remain in the draft, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets. He averaged 5.3 PPG and 4.5 RPG as a junior.
Community Shootaround: Khris Middleton
The Bucks intend to re-sign all of their top free agents after reaching the Eastern Conference finals. But is that the best course of action?
The biggest question mark surrounds Khris Middleton, generally considered the second-best player on the team behind MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo. Middleton will opt out of the last year of his contract, which would pay him $13MM, and head to unrestricted free agency.
Once marquee agents such as Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler come off the board, Middleton would be viewed as a nice consolation prize for teams with salary-cap space that don’t land one of the big stars. Middleton averaged 18.3 PPG and career highs of 6.0 RPG and 4.3 APG this season after posting an average of 20.1 PPG last season. Middleton is a career 38.8% 3-point shooter and, at 27, in his prime years.
The nagging question is can Middleton be the second-best player on a championship team? Middleton had a 30-point outburst in Game 4 against the Raptors but averaged 10.2 PPG in the five other games of the conference finals.
A max offer for Middleton would be an approximate $189.6MM commitment over five years; he could receive a max of $140.6MM over four years from another team. Whether he gets the max or something close to it, it’s going to be awfully expensive to retain him.
An alternative for the Bucks would be to shoot higher themselves and try to convince a big-name free agent to come their way. The other approach would be to absorb the salary of an All-Star caliber player in a trade with the savings they’ll get by allowing Middleton to sign elsewhere. That doesn’t seem to be the way the Bucks are leaning but it would be a bolder approach.
That leads us to our question of the day: Should the Bucks go all out to re-sign Khris Middleton or should they seek another star to pair up with Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Bucks Notes: Giannis, Middleton, Snell
Now that their season is over, the Bucks will shift their focus to free agency, as several of the team’s key contributors don’t have contracts for the 2019/20 season. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is locked up through 2020/21, said today in his end-of-season session with reporters that he doesn’t want to get involved in front office decisions, but he hopes Milwaukee can re-sign all of its top free agents (Twitter link via Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).
“Obviously, I want everybody back,” Antetokounmpo said, per Malika Andrews of ESPN.com. “Great fricking team — unselfish players that play basketball the right way. They’re winners. We had a great atmosphere. We didn’t have no — I want to be polite. I want to say the A-word — we didn’t have no buttheads. Obviously, I want everybody back. I’m going to let my teammates know that.”
Khris Middleton, perhaps the Bucks’ most important free-agent-to-be, spoke today about having unfinished business with Giannis and the Bucks as a whole, tweets Velazquez. That doesn’t necessarily guarantee he’ll be back though. As Andrews tweets, Middleton said that his top two priorities will be what’s best for his family, followed by his fit.
Here’s more on the Bucks:
- Although Antetokoumpo was disappointed not to win the Eastern Conference Finals, he’s confident that the Bucks are in position to make more noise in the playoffs in future seasons. “I think it’s just the start of a long journey,” Antetokounmpo said after Saturday’s loss, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “We’re going to get better. We’re going to come back next year and believe in who we are, believe in what we’ve built this year, and hopefully, we can be in the same situation and be the ones moving forward.”
- Prior to the end of the Eastern Finals, Gery Woelfel of Woelfel’s Press Box wrote that some NBA officials believe the Bucks are eager – or even “desperate” – to dump Tony Snell‘s contract. Snell is owed $11.59MM in 2019/20 and $12.38MM in 2020/21. “I think the only way they can move him is if they package him with a pick,” one NBA executive told Woelfel. “But [the Bucks have] already traded two [future] No. 1s, so that won’t be easy to do that, either.”
- It will be interesting to see how imperative it is for the Bucks to move off of Snell’s deal. If Milwaukee re-signs Middleton, Malcolm Brogdon, and Brook Lopez (or Nikola Mirotic) to lucrative contracts, getting rid of Snell’s money could help the team avoid the tax. But if even one of those players departs, keeping Snell on their books for another year may not hurt the Bucks.
Winning Will Affect Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Contract Decision
Giannis Antetokounmpo became eligible for a super-max extension this week, but the Bucks may need a trip to next year’s NBA Finals to convince him to accept that deal, writes Malika Andrews of ESPN.
Milwaukee fell just short of that goal this season, falling to the Raptors in six games after posting the league’s best regular season record. A source tells Andrews that winning big is important to Antetokounmpo and that at least reaching the Finals will be a factor as he considers his future.
Antetokounmpo qualified for the super-max extension with a first-team selection on this year’s All-NBA squad, but he won’t be able to accept it until he has seven years in the league, which will happen after next season. It would be a five-year deal starting at 35% of the salary cap with a projected total value of about $247.3MM.
Since his rookie year, Antetokounmpo has expressed an affection for Milwaukee, Andrews notes, even moving his mother to the city. However, winning will be the prime consideration in his next contract, and he will have to be convinced that the Bucks can be perennial contenders.
Over the past year, Milwaukee GM Jon Horst made an effort to maximize Antetokounmpo’s talents by surrounding him with shooters and hiring coach Mike Budenholzer, who builds his offense around the 3-pointer. Brook Lopez and Pat Connaughton were among the key additions, while Eric Bledsoe and Malcolm Brogdon were told to shoot more often from long distance to create more inside space for Antetokounmpo.
Keeping the core of this year’s team together won’t be easy as the Bucks face several difficult free agent decisions. Lopez is due for a significant raise after playing for $3.382MM, and sources tell Andrews that re-signing him will be a priority.
Milwaukee also appears likely to pay whatever it takes to keep Khris Middleton, but may not be able to afford Brogdon as well. George Hill and Nikola Mirotic will also be free agents, and the organization is facing luxury tax concerns after giving Bledsoe a four-year, $70MM extension in March.
Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Conference Finals
Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we take a look at players from the conference finals:
Patrick McCaw, Raptors, 23, SG (Down) — Signed to a one-year, $786K deal in 2019
McCaw’s season has been a head-scratcher. He leveraged his way out of Golden State, signed a non-guaranteed offer sheet with Cleveland, got cut loose shortly thereafter and then signed a minimum contract with Toronto. He may get his wish to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, but no one will be knocking down his door on July 1. He suffered a thumb injury late in the regular season, was ineffective in some postseason appearances, and has missed the last couple of games for “personal reasons.” McCaw might not even find a guaranteed offer this summer.
George Hill, Bucks, 33, SG (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $57MM deal in 2017
Hill’s $18MM salary becomes guaranteed if he’s still on the roster July 1. The Bucks have too many free agent concerns to bring him back at that number, but Hill has reinforced that he’s a solid rotation player after a disappointing regular season. Hill averaged 14.2 PPG in the conference semis against Boston. Throwing out his Game 1 clunker against Toronto and he’s averaged 13.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 2.0 APG over the past four games, hitting some clutch baskets along the way. He’ll attract attention on the open market, though he’ll have to settle for less than his previous deal.
Alfonzo McKinnie, Warriors, 26, SF (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $2.7MM deal in 2018
Seems like every role player that coach Steve Kerr has thrown out there in the postseason has provided some quality minutes. McKinnie certainly fits that description. He was getting here-and-there minutes, then became more valuable with Kevin Durant sidelined. He grabbed nine rebounds in 21 minutes in Game 3 against Portland, then contributed 12 points in the clinching overtime victory in Game 4. McKinnie has a non-guaranteed salary next year but it’s difficult to see him getting cut loose considering the Warriors need to surround their stars with low-cost options. He can be a restricted free agent in 2020 if he receives a qualifying offer.
Enes Kanter, Trail Blazers, 27, C (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $653K deal in 2019
Kanter rode the roller coaster during the playoffs. The Blazers would have never made it to the Western Conference finals without him in the wake of Jusuf Nurkic‘s injury. Following Game 1 against the Warriors though, Kanter saw limited minutes as coach Terry Stotts opted to ride stretch four Meyers Leonard. Kanter’s ability to put up numbers earned him a big contract with the Thunder — recall he was making $18.6MM this season before working out a buyout with the Knicks. But his defensive deficiencies are also apparent in today’s NBA. It will interesting to see how much executives value his positives on the open market.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Grizzlies Interview Bucks’ Jenkins For Head Coaching Job
Yet another name has surfaced in the Grizzlies‘ head coaching search, as Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports (via Twitter) that Bucks assistant Taylor Jenkins has interviewed for Memphis’ open coaching position.
This is the first we’ve heard of Jenkins receiving head coaching consideration, but he has quietly built a strong résumé over the course of his NBA career.
Beginning in 2007, Jenkins spent several seasons with the Spurs, eventually being promoted to the head coach of the franchise’s G League team in Austin. As Chris Herrington of The Memphian points out (via Twitter), that makes Jenkins the third former G League head coach interviewed by the Grizzlies this spring, joining Alex Jensen and Nate Tibbetts.
Following his time in San Antonio, Jenkins joined Mike Budenholzer‘s staff in Atlanta, serving as a Hawks assistant beginning in 2013. A year ago, he made the move to Milwaukee, once again working under Budenholzer as an assistant for the Bucks.
Jenkins is the sixth known candidate to have interviewed for the Grizzlies’ head coaching vacancy, along with Jensen, Tibbetts, Jarron Collins, Igor Kokoskov, and Adrian Griffin.
Community Shootaround: Warriors’ Finals Match-Up
After a hard-fought series win over the Rockets in the Western Conference Semifinals, the Warriors made quick work of the Trail Blazers without superstar Kevin Durant en route to a fifth straight NBA Finals appearance behind outstanding play from the trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
This group seems destined to win another championship, regardless of whether Durant (or DeMarcus Cousins for that matter) returns, and it remains to be seen whether the Bucks or Raptors will be able to give Golden State a challenge in the finals.
So we’re asking you tonight whether you think Toronto or Milwaukee stands a realistic chance against the Warriors.
Which team matches up better with Golden State? Will the Warriors get another sweep regardless of who they face? Do they need Durant back in order to win it all?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!
NBA Announces 2018/19 All-NBA Teams
The NBA has formally announced the All-NBA First, Second, and Third Teams for the 2018/19 season, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden leading the way as the two unanimous selections for the First Team.
The full All-NBA teams are listed below, with their vote totals in parentheses. Players received five points for a First Team vote, three points for a Second Team vote, and one point for a Third Team vote, so Antetokounmpo and Harden scored a perfect 500 — First Team nods from all 100 voters.
All-NBA First Team
- Guard: James Harden, Rockets (500)
- Guard: Stephen Curry, Warriors (482)
- Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (500)
- Forward: Paul George, Thunder (433)
- Center: Nikola Jokic, Nuggets (411)
All-NBA Second Team
- Guard: Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers (306)
- Guard: Kyrie Irving, Celtics (195)
- Forward: Kevin Durant, Warriors (358)
- Forward: Kawhi Leonard, Raptors (242)
- Center: Joel Embiid, Sixers (372)
All-NBA Third Team
- Guard: Russell Westbrook, Thunder (178)
- Guard: Kemba Walker, Hornets (51)
- Forward: Blake Griffin, Pistons (115)
- Forward: LeBron James, Lakers (111)
- Center: Rudy Gobert, Jazz (89)
As we detailed in March, this year’s All-NBA selections have significant financial implications for several players. Here’s a breakdown of how several All-NBA candidates were impacted:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo is now eligible for a super-max extension with the Bucks, which he can sign in 2020. It would start at 35% of the cap in 2021/22 and would extend his contract by five years.
- Damian Lillard is now eligible for a super-max extension with the Trail Blazers, which he can sign in 2019. It would start at 35% of the cap in 2021/22 and would extend his contract by four years.
- Kemba Walker is now eligible for a super-max contract with the Hornets, which he can sign in 2019. It would start at 35% of the cap in 2019/20 and would be for five years.
- Bradley Beal, Klay Thompson, Nikola Vucevic, and other super-max candidates who didn’t earn All-NBA honors aren’t eligible for super-max contracts (or a super-max extension, in Beal’s case). Thompson’s and Vucevic’s maximum contracts this summer would start at 30% of the cap.
- Karl-Anthony Towns‘ extension with the Timberwolves, which goes into effect in 2019/20, will start at 25% of the cap, rather than 30%, because he didn’t earn All-NBA honors.
Beal and Thompson received the most All-NBA votes of any guards who missed out on the All-NBA teams, receiving 34 and 27 points respectively. Sixers guard Ben Simmons got seven points, while no other guards had more than four.
LaMarcus Aldridge (Spurs) and Danilo Gallinari (Clippers) were the runners-up at forward, receiving 17 and seven points, respectively. Pascal Siakam (Raptors) had four points, while no other forwards had more than three.
At center, Towns received 20 points, followed by Vucevic at four and Pistons center Andre Drummond with three.
Interestingly, the 15 players named to the All-NBA teams for 2018/19 were the same 15 players that Hoops Rumors readers voted for in our end-of-season All-NBA polls last month. The only differences were George swapping places with Durant and Irving flipping spots with Westbrook.
The full and official All-NBA voting results can be found right here.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Poll: Which Team Will Win Bucks/Raptors Series?
When we asked for conference finals predictions 10 days ago, before each series had gotten underway, the Bucks were the clear choice in the Eastern Conference over the Raptors. In that poll, Milwaukee received just over 64% of the vote, while Toronto received less than 36%.
Now, with the series tied at two games apiece, the series is essentially in the same place it was then — it’s simply a best-of-three instead of a best-of-seven. We also have four games worth of data at our disposal, even if it’s not clear what conclusions we should – or can – draw from that data.
Are the Bucks the team we saw in Game 2, when they dominated the Raptors on both ends of the court en route to a 22-point win? Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 30 points and 17 rebounds in that contest, but he got plenty of help from his supporting cast, with Ersan Ilyasova, Nikola Mirotic, Malcolm Brogdon, George Hill, and Khris Middleton all scoring double-digit points.
The Raptors, meanwhile, got 31 points from Kawhi Leonard in that game, but only two other players – Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell – scored more than eight.
Since the series shifted back to Toronto though, the Bucks’ stars and role players alike struggled with consistency, with no Milwaukee players stringing together two consecutive great games. It was the Raptors’ depth, on the other hand, that thrived in Game 4, as the team cruised to a 120-102 victory despite getting only 19 points out of Leonard.
With the series back in Milwaukee tonight, the Bucks will be looking to rebound, and the odds are in their favor — they haven’t lost three straight games all season. Additionally, Leonard looks like he’s favoring a leg injury, and Lowry is still battling a left hand issue.
Still, Lowry has played through his injury and looks as effective as ever, while Leonard’s defense on Antetokounmpo has made the MVP candidate look uncomfortable. Giannis will need more help from struggling point guard Eric Bledsoe and other role players to advance.
What do you think? With the Eastern Conference Finals all tied up at 2-2, which team do you expect to win the series and represent the East in this year’s NBA Finals?
Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts.
Which team will win the Eastern Finals?
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Milwaukee Bucks 55% (817)
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Toronto Raptors 45% (681)
Total votes: 1,498
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.