Teletovic Isn't Coming Back In Near Future
- Forward Mirza Teletovic could be sidelined until late in the season, which would put the Bucks in the market for a shooter, Gery Woelfel of Woelfel’s Press Box reports. Teletovic was diagnosed with pulmonary emboli in his lungs earlier this month. Teletovic will be sidelined for at least three more months, sources told Woelfel. Without him, Milwaukee is vulnerable on the perimeter offensively. “They just don’t have outside shooters,” a veteran advance scout told Woelfel. “I see that as their biggest weakness.’’
Bucks Discuss Trade For McGee Or Pachulia
In their search for help at center, the Bucks have talked to the Warriors about JaVale McGee and Zaza Pachulia, reports Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
Rookie Jordan Bell has moved ahead of McGee in Golden State’s center rotation and now is considered a co-starter along with Pachulia depending on the matchup. McGee hasn’t been pleased with his playing time or the fact that he was only offered a minimum contract last offseason and wasn’t promised a starting job. Thompson said he hasn’t been a problem off the court, but the Warriors are willing to move him if they can get value in return.
Pachulia would be tougher to part with, as coach Steve Kerr considers him the team’s best defensive big man. Thompson believes the Bucks also asked about Bell, but were probably turned down right away.
The teams seem like natural trading partners with the Warriors having five centers on their roster and Milwaukee needing frontcourt help after parting with Greg Monroe in the Eric Bledsoe deal. Golden State has been moving toward smaller lineups with Draymond Green and Kevin Durant seeing time in the middle, so McGee is reduced to playing in garbage time. The 29-year-old is averaging a career-low 8.1 minutes through 29 games.
The Warriors will probably seek guard help in any deal, Thompson adds, as Stephen Curry‘s injury has exposed a lack of depth at point guard and a need for another outside shooter. The team will eventually need to open a roster spot for Quinn Cook, who is on a two-way contract and is expected to surpass his 45-day NBA limit.
Bucks Recall Forward D.J. Wilson From Herd
- The Bucks recalled D.J. Wilson from their G League affiliate, the team revealed on its official site. The forward has played sparingly with the big league squad this season, averaging just 3.6 minutes per game in 11 contests.
Knicks Rumors: Carmelo, P. Jackson, Porzingis
After a year of non-stop drama, there’s an air of optimism and hopefulness surrounding the Knicks that was noticeably absent during last season’s Phil Jackson vs. Carmelo Anthony standoff, writes Ian Begley of ESPN. While the Knicks have had played well, with a 16-14 record so far, their on-court success isn’t the only thing contributing to the positive mood within the organization, as one team source tells Begley.
“Everyone just seems a little lighter,” the source said. “The drama Phil created with Carmelo really affected the team and the joy factor.”
In an in-depth piece for ESPN, Begley revisits that Jackson-and-Anthony saga, highlighting some of the incidents and confrontations that ultimately led to both men leaving the franchise. Begley’s feature is worth checking out in full, especially for Knicks fans, but here are a few highlights:
- Some members of the organization knew back in summer 2015 that they wanted to trade Anthony, and by the following year, that sentiment was shared by virtually all of the Knicks‘ top decision-makers, says Begley. “The feeling in meetings was almost unanimous: They felt he just wasn’t a winning player,” one source said. “They thought they could turn everything around if they just moved him.” Anthony was aware of this stance, despite some of those execs insisting they were still on his side, which was a big reason why he soured on the organization.
- Jackson regularly interrupted Knicks practices and overrode Jeff Hornacek‘s instructions to ensure that the triangle offense was being implemented properly, despite two veteran players telling him directly that the system wasn’t working, per Begley.
- Jackson presided over mindfulness meditation training with the Knicks during his last year in New York, as he had done with his previous teams. However, some Knicks players didn’t take it seriously — during the final sessions, Anthony would sometimes pretend to be asleep when Jackson told the players to open their eyes, witnesses told Begley.
- During a March 12 loss to the Nets last season, Anthony and assistant Kurt Rambis blew up at each other during halftime. Anthony told Rambis that “this place is a f—ing joke,” and Rambis questioned Carmelo’s effort (in equally colorful language), according to Begley.
- After Kristaps Porzingis skipped his exit meeting in the spring, Jackson discussed possible trades involving the young big man. While those discussions were framed by some as Jackson teaching Porzingis a lesson, there were members of the front office in favor of moving the Latvian at the time, sources tell Begley.
- For a portion of the summer, Anthony strongly believed that he’d end up in Houston, expressing a belief that LeBron James would eventually join him and Chris Paul on the Rockets. Although the Rockets tried to make a deal, discussing one three-team iteration that would’ve involved Jabari Parker and the Bucks, it ultimately didn’t work out, resulting in the trade that sent Carmelo to the Thunder.
Deveney: Bucks May Be Willing To Gamble In Trade Market
- Having already rolled the dice on Eric Bledsoe, the Bucks are looking to take another step toward legit contention and may be willing to gamble again before the deadline, says Deveney.
[SOURCE LINK]
Bucks Assign D.J. Wilson To G League
- The Bucks have sent 2017 first-rounder D.J. Wilson on his second G League assignment of the year, the team announced today in a press release. Wilson will get a chance to suit up for the Wisconsin Herd tonight against the Grand Rapids Drive.
Kilpatrick Happy With Bucks; Parker Talks Rehab
Prior to signing a two-way contract with the Bucks earlier this week, Sean Kilpatrick had never been under contract with Milwaukee, but his arrival still felt like something of a reunion, as Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. Kilpatrick played for the Bucks’ Summer League team in 2015, and developed relationships with players and coaches who are still in the organization.
“As soon as I walked in it was like, basically, ‘Welcome back.’ It feels like home here. All the guys are receptive towards me,” Kilpatrick said. “When my agent called me and gave me the options, I said, ‘There’s no way I can turn a situation like this down.’ … [The Bucks] didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger when it came to me, so I think with me being here, I think it’s something I didn’t want to pass up at all.”
After playing on a standard NBA contract in Brooklyn, Kilpatrick will begin his tenure with the Bucks as a two-way player. Still, we’ve already seen multiple players around the NBA this season parlay two-way contracts into full-fledged roster spots. A strong showing for the Bucks – and the Wisconsin Herd – could result in Kilpatrick following a similar path.
- Jabari Parker practiced on Tuesday with the Bucks‘ G League affiliate for the second straight day as he continues to work his way back from an ACL tear. According to Rich Rovito of The Associated Press, Parker said he’s “holding up really good” and suggested he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The former second overall pick is still on track to return in February.
Parker Assigned To G League
- The Bucks have assigned 2014’s second overall pick Jabari Parker to the Wisconsin Herd, its G League affiliate, per an official report from the team. Parker, who hasn’t played since tearing his left ACL in February, will likely attempt to practice with the Herd tomorrow in Milwaukee.
Bucks Waive Gary Payton II, Sign Sean Kilpatrick
DECEMBER 18, 10:54am: The Bucks have made it official, announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived Payton and signed Kilpatrick to a two-way deal.
DECEMBER 16, 11:32pm: The player the Bucks are targeting is Sean Kilpatrick, who was waived by the Nets last week, Haynes tweets. Brooklyn released the fourth-year shooting guard to open a roster spot for the Jahlil Okafor trade. Kilpatrick was a part-time starter last season, averaging 13.1 points over 70 games, but his playing time was cut drastically this season and his scoring average dipped to 4.9 points in 16 contests.
10:58pm: The Bucks are planning to waive guard Gary Payton II, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN. Haynes adds that getting rid of Payton is “not a popular move” among teammates (Twitter link).
Payton inked a two-way contract with Milwaukee in October, which limits him to 45 days in the NBA. He will reach that total Monday and would have to be signed to an NBA contract to continue playing for the team. The Bucks have a full 15-man roster with 14 guaranteed contracts.
Haynes’ report is confirmed by Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, who tweets that the Bucks want to use Payton’s two-way slot to sign another player and believe they need to act fast to make sure they get him. That player’s NBA time will be pro-rated, which will amount to about 30 days.
Payton has appeared in 11 games this season and has made six starts. He is averaging 2.4 points in about nine minutes per night.
Payton first joined the Bucks in April of last season. He was cut in October, but agreed to the two-day deal after clearing waivers.
Mirza Teletovic Diagnosed With Pulmonary Emboli In Lungs
Mirza Teletovic continues to be hampered by health problems, with the Bucks announcing today in a press release that the veteran power forward has been diagnosed with pulmonary emboli in both lungs. Team physicians discovered Teletovic’s condition after he experienced “unusual fatigue” this week.
Back in January of 2015, Teletovic had a similar health scare when he was diagnosed with multiple blood clots in his lungs. That issue sidelined him for the remainder of the 2014/15 regular season, but in this case, the Bucks haven’t ruled out him out for the year.
According to the team, Teletovic will begin a rehab program following a 10-day rest period. No specific timetable was provided for his return, but hopefully he’s able to get back on the court at some point this season, or is at least good to go for the start of 2018/19.
Teletovic, 32, has already missed the Bucks’ last 16 games as he recovers from an arthroscopic procedure on his knee. So far this season, he has been limited to 10 games, averaging 7.1 PPG with a .467 3PT% in 15.9 minutes per contest.
With Teletovic out and Greg Monroe no longer on the roster, Milwaukee figures to keep its eye out for a possible frontcourt addition as the February 9 trade deadline nears.