Budenholzer's System Leads To Hot Start
The Bucks credit new coach Mike Budenholzer for their hot start, as Nick Friedell of ESPN relays. The Bucks’ offense has more structure than it did under former coach Jason Kidd and interim coach Joe Prunty, multiple players told Friedell and other media members. “We have multiple sets we can get into, we have — just more of a foundation to play off of rather than just freestyle,” guard Malcolm Brogdon said. The players are displaying trust in the system, which emphasizes 3-point shots and ball movement, Friedell adds. “I think teams are starting to take notice and realize we’re not the Bucks that we were when I first got here six years ago,” small forward Khris Middleton said. “We’re a totally different team even from last year.”
How Early Hot, Cold Streaks May Impact Traded Draft Picks
The Raptors, Nuggets, Bucks, Grizzlies, and Kings are among the NBA teams that have made the strongest impression in the first month of the 2018/19 season, outperforming expectations early in the year. On the other end of the spectrum, the Cavaliers and Mavericks have been among the league’s worst teams, underperforming expectations that weren’t all that high to begin with.
These teams all have something in common — they’ve traded away their 2019 first-round picks, often with protections on them. We still have about 70 games to go in ’18/19, so it’s way too early to determine exactly where those picks will fall, or even whether or not they’ll changes hands in many cases. However, based on what we’ve seen from those teams so far, we have a better idea of what to expect the rest of the way than we did a month ago.
Let’s take a look at how some of those early-season trades may affect 2019’s traded first round picks…
Toronto Raptors (11-1)
First-round pick traded to Spurs (top-20 protected)
Even with top-20 protection, this pick looks like a very safe bet to change hands. If the season ended today, it would be No. 30, since Toronto has the NBA’s best record.
Denver Nuggets (9-2)
First-round pick traded to Nets (top-12 protected)
After a season in which the Nuggets narrowly missed the playoffs, it wasn’t unreasonable for Brooklyn to hope this pick would fall in the mid-teens. Instead, with Denver looking like one of the Western Conference’s best teams so far, it may land well into the 20s.
Milwaukee Bucks (9-2)
First-round pick traded to Suns (top-3 protected; 17-30 protected)
The unusual protections on this pick will likely to prevent it from changing hands for a second consecutive year, since it projects to fall in the 17-30 range. If Milwaukee’s 2019 first-rounder doesn’t convey, the Bucks would owe the Suns their 2020 first-rounder, with top-7 protection.
Memphis Grizzlies (6-4)
First-round pick traded to Celtics (top-8 protected)
After finishing last season with a 22-60 record, the Grizzlies were no lock to take a major step forward in 2018/19. In the early going though, the club looks like a legitimate playoff contender. Assuming Memphis can remain in the postseason mix, even if it’s just on the outskirts, this pick should stay out of the top eight and get sent to Boston.
Sacramento Kings (6-5)
First-round pick traded to Sixers (if it’s No. 1 overall or if it’s less favorable than Sixers’ pick) or Celtics (if it’s more favorable than Sixers’ pick and isn’t No. 1 overall)
The Kings, who were expected to be one of the NBA’s worst teams entering the season, would generate some fascinating drama between the Sixers and Celtics if their pick ends up in play for No. 1 overall. However, Sacramento’s young roster has created more problems than anticipated for opponents so far, with the team occupying a playoff spot for now.
Despite the Kings’ hot start, a finish in the lottery still seems likely, but if Sacramento keeps exceeding expectations, the team’s first-round pick will almost certainly end up in Boston instead of Philadelphia, avoiding that No. 1 spot.
Los Angeles Clippers (6-5)
First-round pick traded to Celtics (top-14 protected)
This could be one to watch all season long — the Clippers currently hold a playoff spot in the West by one game, but teams like the Jazz, Lakers, Pelicans, and Rockets are right on their tail. If the Clips eventually fall out of the top eight in the West, they’ll keep their 2019 pick and would owe Boston their top-14 protected 2020 first-rounder. If L.A. keeps winning, the Celtics have a real shot at ending up with four first-rounders next spring.
Dallas Mavericks (3-8)
First-round pick traded to Hawks (top-5 protected)
After drafting NBA-ready prospect Luka Doncic and signing DeAndre Jordan, the Mavericks hoped to contend for the postseason and expected to lose this pick. Given the way Dallas has struggled so far, that no longer looks like a sure thing. I don’t view the Mavs as a bottom-five team in the NBA, but if they don’t turn things around soon, an aggressive second-half tank is a possibility. The Hawks would love for this pick to land in the back half of the top 10.
Cleveland Cavaliers (1-10)
First-round pick traded to Hawks (top-10 protected)
While Atlanta may luck out with the Mavs’ pick, the Hawks will probably have to wait at least one more year to get anything from the Cavaliers, who have the NBA’s worst record so far and aren’t exactly in position to turn things around. If the Cavs keep their 2019 first-rounder, they’ll owe the Hawks their top-10 protected 2020 pick.
NBA Super-Max Candidates To Watch In 2018/19
The Designated Veteran Extension, as we explain our glossary entry on the subject, is a relatively new addition to the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. It allows players with 7-9 years of experience, who would normally qualify for a maximum starting salary of 30% of the cap, to qualify for a “super-max” contract that starts at 35% of the cap, a level normally reserved players with 10+ years of experience.
A player who has seven or eight years of NBA service with one or two years left on his contract becomes eligible for a Designated Veteran Extension if he meets the required performance criteria and hasn’t been traded since his first four years in the league. A Designated Veteran contract can also be signed by a player who is technically a free agent if he has eight or nine years of service and meets the required criteria.
The performance criteria is as follows (only one of the following must be true):
- The player was named to an All-NBA team in the most recent season, or in two of the last three seasons.
- The player was named the NBA MVP in any of the three most recent seasons.
- The player was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in the most recent season, or in two of the last three seasons.
With those criteria in mind, it’s worth keeping an eye on several players who could qualify for a super-max veteran contract with their play this season. Let’s dive in and examine a few of those guys…
Players who already qualify for a super-max contract:
- Anthony Davis (Pelicans)
Davis can’t yet sign a Designated Veteran Extension, but his All-NBA appearances over the last two seasons have ensured that he’ll qualify, even if he somehow doesn’t earn another All-NBA nod in 2018/19.
As of next July, the Pelicans will be able to offer Davis a contract extension that tacks an additional five years onto his $27.09MM salary for 2019/20. Based on the NBA’s latest cap projection for 2020/21 ($118MM), that five-year extension would be worth a staggering $239.54MM.
Players who could qualify for a super-max contract by meeting the criteria in 2018/19:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Bradley Beal (Wizards)
- Andre Drummond (Pistons)
- Draymond Green (Warriors)
- Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers)
- Klay Thompson (Warriors)
- Kemba Walker (Hornets)
Technically, any player who earns an All-NBA spot in 2018/19 and meets the contract criteria can qualify for a super-max, but the players listed above are probably the only legitimately viable candidates. And even in this group, guys like Beal and Drummond are a real stretch — if they were to improbably make an All-NBA team, their clubs still probably wouldn’t put Designated Veteran Extension offers on the table, since they’re not bona fide superstars.
Thompson and Walker will both be unrestricted free agents in 2019, so if they meet the DVE criteria, they’d be eligible for five-year contracts with their respective teams worth up to a projected $221.27MM. Lillard and Green are still under contract for at least one more year beyond this season, but they’d qualify for super-max extensions if they meet the criteria — Lillard could get an extra four years, while Green could get five.
A team can only give Designated Veteran Extensions to two players, so the Warriors wouldn’t be able to offer both Thompson and Green super-max contracts, since Stephen Curry already has one. On the plus side, Kevin Durant won’t figure into this equation for Golden State, since he has 10+ years of experience. A deal starting at 35% of the cap for Durant wouldn’t count toward the Dubs’ super-max limit.
Finally, while Antetokounmpo can qualify for a super-max by earning All-NBA honors this season, he wouldn’t actually be able to sign such a deal until 2020, since he’ll only have six years of experience at the end of the 2018/19 campaign. Essentially, he’d be in the same spot that Anthony Davis is in now.
Players who can no longer qualify for a super-max contract because they were traded:
- Jimmy Butler (Timberwolves)
- Kyrie Irving (Celtics)
- Kawhi Leonard (Raptors)
Butler, Irving, and Leonard are probably more worthy of a super-max investment than most of the players in the above group, but they no longer qualify because they were traded while on their second contracts — Butler from the Bulls, Irving from the Cavaliers, and Leonard from the Spurs. They’ll need to reach 10 years of NBA experience before qualifying for a starting salary worth up to 35% of the cap.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Stephen Curry Compares Bucks To Warriors Without Mark Jackson
- Stephen Curry believes this season’s Bucks are similar to the Warriors in their first season without Mark Jackson. “They’re very similar to four years ago here,” Curry said, according to Mark Medina of the The Mercury News (Twitter link). “A change of scenery sometimes helps. You get a little boost of energy, a little shift in focus and perspective. And that little bit (of a) difference can unlock something. It’s still early. They’re taking care of business like they should. It’s important when you have that much potential to get off to a good start.”
Bucks Apply For Teletovic Cap Relief
10:14pm: The Bucks have submitted a petition for cap relief to the league office, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The application is expected to be approved, Woj adds.
10:06am: It has been one full year since Mirza Teletovic last appeared in an NBA game, meaning the Bucks are now eligible to apply to have his remaining cap hits removed from their books, as cap expert Albert Nahmad notes (via Twitter).
Teletovic, who signed a three-year, $30MM contract with Milwaukee in 2016, was limited to 10 games last season due to a medical condition diagnosed as pulmonary emboli in both lungs. He had a similar health scare a few years ago when he developed multiple blood clots in his lungs and has since opted to retire as a player. When the Bucks waived him last season, they stretched his $10.5MM salary for 2018/19 across three seasons.
Given Teletovic’s health problems, the Bucks may be able to eliminate those $3.5MM annual cap charges through 2020/21. In order for Milwaukee to receive that cap relief, an independent physician or a Fitness to Play panel would have to rule that it would be a medically unacceptable risk for the 33-year-old to attempt to return to action.
Removing Teletovic from their cap wouldn’t have a major impact on the Bucks’ situation this season. As Nahmad observes (via Twitter), the club is currently $5.2MM below the luxury tax line, so that difference would increase to $8.7MM without Teletovic. The extra $3.5MM could be more useful in one of the next two seasons if it contributes more directly to the Bucks reducing a potential tax bill or gaining cap room.
While we wait for word on whether Milwaukee applies for and receives cap relief for Teletovic, it’s also worth watching Jodie Meeks‘ situation, Nahmad adds (via Twitter). Meeks, who entered the season having served six games of a 25-game suspension, will remain on Milwaukee’s suspended list through the team’s 19th game of the season, which falls on November 24. At that point, the Bucks will have to trade or waive Meeks or another player on the 15-man roster in order to avoid exceeding the 15-man limit.
Eric Bledsoe Enjoying His Time With Bucks
Eric Bledsoe, who can hit the free agency after the season, is enjoying his time in Milwaukee. The Bucks are 8-1 and the point guard has never enjoyed this kind of success during his NBA career.
“Everything’s a learning experience. We’ve got a great bunch of guys in this locker room that are willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the team and it’s fun playing that way,” Bledsoe said (via Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).
This time last year, Bledsoe was stuck in a slow rebuild in Phoenix, having let the world know via Twitter that he was in a place he didn’t want to be. His reputation took a hit for the Salon tweet but it’s not something he’s still concerned about.
“That’s life, bro,” Bledsoe said. “Everybody is not going to like you. Some people aren’t going to like you and some people like you. You can’t go through life worrying about stuff like that both on and off the court.”
Bledsoe was sent to Milwaukee for Greg Monroe and a pair of draft picks last November and he has thrived since coming to the Bucks. Velazquez notes that in 80 games with the team, Bledsoe is averaging 17.4 points, 5.2 assists and 1.9 steals in 31.0 minutes per game.
All is going well on the court and off of it, as Bledsoe is enjoying Wisconsin. His wife and children have moved to Milwaukee, a change from last season where his family remained in Phoenix.
“I’m blessed, man,” Bledsoe said. “I’ve got my family here to support me, I’ve got great teammates, a great coaching staff. Everything is in the right direction…I’m living my dream.”
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/3/18
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Celtics recalled rookie center Robert Williams from their Maine affiliate, according to a tweet from the team.
- The Nets have sent rookies Rodions Kurucs and Dzanan Musa to their Long Island team, tweets Brian Lews of The New York Post. Kurucs is returning from a sprained ankle he suffered October 20.
- The Suns shipped rookie guard De’Anthony Melton to their affiliate in Northern Arizona, the team announced on its website.
- The Clippers assigned guards Tyrone Wallace and Jerome Robinson to Agua Caliente, relays Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register.
- The Bucks sent Sterling Brown to their G League affiliate in Wisconsin, the team announced on Twitter.
GM Jon Horst Explains Option Decisions On Maker, Wilson
- Speaking to Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Bucks GM Jon Horst explained why his team exercised its 2019/20 rookie scale options on Thon Maker and D.J. Wilson.
Antetokounmpo Clears Concussion Protocol
- Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has cleared concussion protocol and is expected to play tomorrow in Boston, according to Matt Velazquez of The Journal-Sentinel. Antetokounmpo has missed one game so far after being elbowed in the head Saturday. “It’s kind of scary because, you know, you get hit in the head and you feel pain for 10 seconds,” he said. “But it was lingering and I had a headache the next day and it was kind of bad, but at the time, I felt – I’m Giannis – I felt great. I wanted to play. … I think the NBA medical staff did a great job protecting me, keeping me out of the game.”
Bucks Exercise 2019/20 Options On Maker, Wilson
The Bucks have picked up the 2019/20 rookie scale options for former first-round picks Thon Maker and D.J. Wilson, according to Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Twitter). Velazquez suggests that the Bucks “love” both players and consider them important parts of the club’s present and future.
Maker, the 10th overall pick in the 2016 draft, had a promising rookie season, but didn’t take a noticeable step forward in 2017/18 and has seen inconsistent minutes so far this season. Still, the 21-year-old big man has plenty of upside and his fourth-year option isn’t expensive, with a cap hit of $3,569,643, making the decision a fairly easy one for the Bucks.
The decision to pick up Wilson’s $2,961,120 third-year option is a little more surprising. The second-year forward played just 71 total minutes in his rookie season and hasn’t seen any action so far this season.
Wilson, the 17th pick in the 2017 draft, has been slowed by a hamstring issue this year, but it’s not clear if he’ll be part of the rotation even when he gets healthy, as there were rumblings during the preseason that he wasn’t even a lock for the regular season roster. However, the Bucks are apparently still high enough on him to guarantee his 2019/20 salary.
NBA teams must make their final decisions on rookie scale options for 2019/20 by Wednesday.