Jason Kidd Extension Details
The Pistons and the Bucks are both interested in Cavs unrestricted free agent Matthew Dellavedova, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst relayed during an appearance on ESPN colleague Zach Lowe’s podcast. “They [Cleveland] could’ve signed Matthew Dellavedova to a $2MM or $3MM a year contract and now I think someone is coming in with a $10MM offer sheet. For some reason, and I got a pretty good idea why, the Milwaukee Bucks attended Cavs games in the playoffs like they were a fan of the team. They had scouts there…[coach] Jason Kidd came to one of the games. I think the Bucks have zeroed in on Dellavedova. I think they intend to offer him a bunch of money. The Detroit Pistons were hanging around in the playoffs a lot, sending scouts. They weren’t sending scouts to evaluate J.R. Smith, I think they intend to go after Dellavedova,” Windhorst opined.
- Kidd’s contract extension with the Bucks is worth $16.5MM in guaranteed money over three years and there are performance bonuses included in the pact that could increase that amount, Charles F. Garnder of The Journal Sentinel relays.
Bucks Resisting Trade Pitches For Parker, Middleton
- The Celtics are going after several established veterans in trade talks, offering up the No. 3 overall pick as part of their proposed packages. So far though, they have been rebuffed by the Bulls (Jimmy Butler), Jazz (Gordon Hayward), and Bucks (Jabari Parker and Khris Middleton), says Stein.
- According to Stein, the Bulls have shown little interest in sending Butler to the Celtics, the Bucks regard Parker and Middleton as “untouchables,” and the Jazz are telling interested teams that Hayward isn’t available. The Suns have also made an effort to pry Hayward from Utah, Stein writes.
Bucks Turning Away Suitors For Parker, Middleton
- The Jazz have told interested teams that Gordon Hayward isn’t available and won’t be traded, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets. The Bucks are also turning away teams calling about Jabari Parker and Khris Middleton, Stein adds.
Bucks Ink Jason Kidd To Contract Extension
JUNE 21st, 5:18pm: The contract extension is official, the team announced. “Our goal remains to be a consistent contender for NBA Championships and we believe that Jason Kidd is the right man for the job,” said Bucks co-owner Wes Edens. “In terms of preparing, developing and relating to today’s players, we think there is no better fit to lead our young and talented roster. We are excited that Jason will continue to call Milwaukee his home.”
“I truly believe that continuity is extremely important in our business, so I’m very happy for Jason and the Bucks organization to continue the partnership we have,” said GM John Hammond. “Jason and his staff work tirelessly to help our players grow and develop and I look forward to working with them to build our roster into a consistent contender.”
JUNE 13th, 6:27pm: The extension is done and Kidd will receive $18MM over three years after completing the final season of his current deal at $5MM, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reports.
2:28pm: In his full story on extension talks between Kidd and the Bucks, Wojnarowski writes that the deal would add three years to Kidd’s current contract, taking him through 2020.
2:14pm: The Bucks and head coach Jason Kidd are putting the finishing touches on a new contract, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. According to Wojnarowski, it’s expected to be a three-year, $15MM+ extension for Kidd.
Kidd, who became the Bucks’ head coach in 2014, has one year remaining on his initial contract with the team, a three-year pact which was believed to be worth in the neighborhood of $5MM annually. It sounds like the head coach’s new deal with Milwaukee will have fairly similar terms to his old one, though it’s not clear if the two sides will tack on three new years, locking up Kidd through the 2019/20 season, or if they’ll tear up the old contract and have the new three-year deal take effect next season.
In his first year with the Bucks in 2014/15, Kidd led the team to a 41-41 record and a playoff berth. The franchise took a step backward this past season in a more competitive Eastern Conference, finishing with a 33-49 record. However, with a handful of young building blocks in place, there’s still plenty of optimism for the future in Milwaukee.
In the wake of the Bucks’ disappointing 2015/16 season, Kidd received a public vote of confidence from team ownership, with co-owner Marc Lasry suggesting an extension may be on the horizon. Wojnarowski subsequently reported in late May that Milwaukee was working on a new deal for its head coach.
Bucks Notes: Draft, Middleton, Workouts
- While plenty of reports have suggested Thursday could be a busy trade night around the NBA, Bucks general manager John Hammond isn’t expecting much movement at the top of the board, telling reporters that “people feel good about this draft” (Twitter link).
- Hammond spoke a little more about the Bucks‘ draft and trade options, telling reporters that Milwaukee is targeting three or four players with the No. 10 pick, and hasn’t ruled out a big man at that spot (Twitter links via Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Hammond was also asked about rumors that the Celtics may be targeting Khris Middleton, and while he declined to comment on that report, he noted that many Bucks players have “great value around the league” (Twitter links via Gardner).
- Wes Washpun (Northern Iowa), Fred VanVleet (Wichita State), Retin Obasohan (Alabama), Marcus Georges-Hunt (Georgia Tech), Cinmeon Bowers (Auburn), and Gracin Bakumanya (Democratic Republic of Congo) participated in a workout for the Bucks today, the team announced in a press release.
Bucks Shopping Greg Monroe
TUESDAY, 11:48am: While the public stance from the Bucks brass is that they’re satisfied with Monroe, league sources tell Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times that the team is “eager to move on” from him. According to Woelfel, because teams around the NBA know the Bucks want to move Monroe, he doesn’t have a ton of trade value. “They’re not going to get a lottery pick for him,” one GM said. “Not even a late lottery pick.”
Still, despite the fact that Monroe is not a major trade asset, some NBA officials believe he could land the Bucks a mid- or late-first-round pick. One agent tells Woelfel that he’d be “shocked” if Monroe remains on Milwaukee’s roster through the offseason.
MONDAY, 10:57am: Less than a year after signing him as a free agent, the Bucks are shopping Greg Monroe “hard,” reports Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops and The Associated Press (via Twitter).
Monroe, who turned 26 earlier this month, was his usual effective self during his first season in Milwaukee, averaging 18.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per 36 minutes to along with a .522 FG%. However, while Monroe was a productive low-post scorer and rebounder for the Bucks, his defense was lacking and he didn’t provide much rim protection.
In our Bucks offseason preview, Dana Gauruder observed that Monroe’s defensive shortcomings could prompt the team to explore the trade market for him, as was reportedly the case at last season’s trade deadline. Although Milwaukee ultimately told Monroe he wouldn’t be moved at that time, at least one report suggested that he would have been obtainable if a trade partner had been willing to give up a “decent” first-round pick.
It remains to be seen what sort of package the Bucks will seek if they move Monroe this offseason, but he’ll enter the 2016/17 season on an expiring contract of sorts. The ex-Piston is Milwaukee’s highest-paid player, with a $17.146MM cap hit for the coming year. He also has a $17.884MM player option for 2017/18, though there’s a good chance he’ll turn down that option and return to the open market a year from now, with the salary cap on the rise.
In addition to figuring out whether or not Monroe fits into their plans next season, the Bucks will also have to determine what to do with Michael Carter-Williams, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Carter-Williams will be extension-eligible, but he was the subject of a few trade rumors earlier this year, and may not have a long-term future in Milwaukee.
Bucks Work Out Seven Prospects
- The Bucks also worked out several players today, conducting an individual workout for Michigan State’s Deyonta Davis and a group session for six other prospects. As announced in a press release, those six players were Matt Costello (Michigan State), Isaiah Cousins (Oklahoma), Demetrius Jackson (Notre Dame), Gary Payton II (Oregon State), Diamond Stone (Maryland), and Isaiah Whitehead (Seton Hall).
- The Bucks formally broke ground on their new downtown Milwaukee arena over the weekend, according to a report from Genaro C. Armas of The Associated Press. The project is expected to cost approximately $524MM, and the club is expected to begin playing games in the new building at the start of the 2018/19 season.
Bucks Eyeing Malachi Richardson
- Whether or not the Bucks seriously consider Malachi Richardson as early as No. 10 in next week’s draft remains to be seen, but Milwaukee is fond of the former Syracuse wing, and director of scouting Billy McKinney has had his eye on Richardson for a while, writes Rick Braun of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Latest Draft News
- The Bucks have a group workout scheduled today for Wade Baldwin (Vanderbilt), Dejounte Murray (Washington), Carrington Love (UWBG), Ron Baker (Wichita State), Goodluck Okonoboh (UNLV) and Prince Ibeh (Texas), the team announced.
- Milwaukee will also hold an individual workout today for former Michigan State guard Denzel Valentine, the team announced.
Latest Draft Workout News
- On Thursday, the Bucks held a group workout for Malachi Richardson (Syracuse), Isaia Cordinier (France), Stefan Moody (Mississippi), Maodo Lo (Columbia), Georges Niang (Iowa State) and Guerschon Yabusele (Rouen), Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders tweets.