2023-24 Bucks Season Thread

[nate82]

Celtics trade Smart to the Grizzlies:

https://www.spotrac.com/news/kristaps-porzingis-marcus-smart-traded-in-three-team-deal-1928/

Celtics Acquire
Kristaps Porzingis, #25 pick in 2023 Draft, future Golden State Warriors first-round pick

Grizzlies Acquire
Marcus Smart

Wizards Acquire
Danilo Gallinari, Tyus Jones, Mike Muscala, #35 pick in 2023 Draft

 

I wonder if a sign and trade is in the works for Middleton now?  Would have to take back a salary in the deal but a pick would be nice also.   

[Matt Breen]

I think Tyus Jones would be a good fit. More of a true point guard. Matching up value and money isn’t easy. Jones is set to make $14m. The obvious asset to go is Allen - but that’s only $9m in salary. We’d have to come up more. 
 

I’d like to see the club hold on to Pat C, Portis and Beauchamp. Plus resign Middleton and Lopez. Might be a tall order - but we shall see.

If Middleton isn’t brought back, a shooter would be nice to add.

[nate82]

21 minutes ago, reillymcshane said:

I’d like to see the club hold on to Pat C, Portis and Beauchamp.

I agree with Portis and Beauchamp but I don't want to see Connaughton back at all or Allen either. 

 

27 minutes ago, reillymcshane said:

If Middleton isn’t brought back, a shooter would be nice to add.

They would need to do a sign and trade with Middleton to do this.  Maybe a Brunson for Middleton, but I am not sure the Knicks would do that.

[Matt Breen]

37 minutes ago, nate82 said:

They would need to do a sign and trade with Middleton to do this.  Maybe a Brunson for Middleton, but I am not sure the Knicks would do that.

Brunson would be great, but I don't see why NY would do this - unless they have a backlog at guard. 

[Matt Breen]

Anyone have any realistic targets they'd like the Bucks to inquire about? Just curious what people have on their minds.

Thoughts on Gary Harris Jr. as a scorer?

Buddy Hield is also a guy who would - I think - fit well. Expensive - something like $19m - but last year of his deal.

How we acquire such players is another story...

[nate82]

40 minutes ago, reillymcshane said:

Brunson would be great, but I don't see why NY would do this - unless they have a backlog at guard. 

I believe Brunson and Barrett are redundant as they fill the same need at guard.  But I agree I don't see the Knicks doing this trade. 

46 minutes ago, reillymcshane said:

Buddy Hield is also a guy who would - I think - fit well. Expensive - something like $19m - but last year of his deal.

The Bucks would have to do a sing and trade with either Lopez or Middleton.  I don't believe the Pacers would have any interest in Lopez and to a lesser extent Middleton. 

Chris Paul just went to the Warriors for Poole, 2030 1st round protected top 20 pick and 2027 2nd round pick. 

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/37899665/sources-wizards-send-chris-paul-warriors-jordan-poole

[homer]

I like the draft pick from the little film I saw. He can't shoot but if he could he wouldnt  have been there at 36.

[Matt Breen]

17 minutes ago, homer said:

I like the draft pick from the little film I saw. He can't shoot but if he could he wouldnt  have been there at 36.

Yeah, everyone at this point is a project or has some major flaw.

[patrickgpe]

8 hours ago, homer said:

I like the draft pick from the little film I saw. He can't shoot but if he could he wouldnt  have been there at 36.

I'm fine with him as well, he seems like the kind of player every good NBA team needs. Maybe the coaches can improve his shooting a bit.  Nice pickup for only a 2030 2nd and cash. 

[CheezWizHed]

13 hours ago, reillymcshane said:

Yeah, everyone at this point is a project or has some major flaw.

Well, shooting is a major flaw in playing BBall. 😂  I was scratching my head last night; kind of hoping for a EU high-upside type that would sit in Europe for a year or two.  But both the guys we got were interesting physical specimens.  Between them and Beauchamp, hopefully one learns to shoot.  We certainly do have "a type" in drafting tendencies. 

I did love that we could grab our 2nd rounder from 7 years in the future, throw in some cash and suddenly we have a high second rounder.  People really don't value them much.

[CheezWizHed]

Regarding Khris and the cap... as I read it, declining the option was the only way we could reduce his cap number.  He can now sign for less/year (longer years).  Thought I read someone speculating on Brooks and Mids coming back at lower numbers so the Bucks could get the mid-level exception back... but I don't remember seeing the numbers added up, so don't quote me on that. 

[BrewerFan]

3 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

Regarding Khris and the cap... as I read it, declining the option was the only way we could reduce his cap number.  He can now sign for less/year (longer years).  Thought I read someone speculating on Brooks and Mids coming back at lower numbers so the Bucks could get the mid-level exception back... but I don't remember seeing the numbers added up, so don't quote me on that. 

I've seen numerous executives throwing out 4/130 as a likely contract for Middleton. That...feels light, but assuming that's correct, you could start him out this year at ~29M or so. That'd be ideal. In that event, you could sign Lopez for the 3/54, bring Ingles back at 7.7(which I think is pretty important given his playmaking and shooting).

Then fill out with basically minimum salary contracts and you're still under that 2nd apron by like 2M.

You sign a player with the TPMLE and you lose the ability to make trades with multiple players or sign and trades or maybe as importantly, pick up players on the buyout market(not that this has yielded much fruit for the Bucks the last couple years, but there are generally a couple of valuable players each year who move teams).

 

I like the picks from last night though. It suggests to me that the Bucks really valued a guy who was an outstanding passer, defender, high energy player...basically a guy who's about as close as a match for Draymond Green as a prospect as you can get. It would lead you to believe the offensive plan won't simply be drive and kick. 

Livingston on the other hand, I think he is like a young Euro stash type player. 5 star recruit, likely going back to Kentucky to be the center point of that team, but they got a promise from the Bucks. 

 

And what I REALLY love is that Rich Paul and he called other teams and said, "please do not select Livingston, we have a team we'd like to go to."

Now if he was some stud, teams are going to laugh that off and make the move anyway, but it at least suggests he wanted to be here, we really wanted him here and he's actually got a very high upside.

 

I guess this draft could help the Bucks even next year IF they play the Celtics and IF they run plays offensively and move the ball. You have more big, athletic bodies who can defend Tatum and Brown. Other than that...it's hard for a 2nd round pick to really move the needle much.

[LouisEly]

19 hours ago, homer said:

I like the draft pick from the little film I saw. He can't shoot but if he could he wouldnt  have been there at 36.

Everyone looks good in highlights film.  It just seems odd that a 3rd-year college player averaging less than 7ppg as a starter goes #36 overall.  I could understand if he was a freshman or if he was behind other star players, but a 3rd year player and starter is a bit odd.

[CheezWizHed]

On 6/23/2023 at 6:26 PM, LouisEly said:

Everyone looks good in highlights film.  It just seems odd that a 3rd-year college player averaging less than 7ppg as a starter goes #36 overall.  I could understand if he was a freshman or if he was behind other star players, but a 3rd year player and starter is a bit odd.

Or a starter on Dick Bennett's WI team... 

This kind of tells me two things: 1) He gets hyped for his BB IQ, so I take that as REALLY high IQ.  2) Second round picks are such low value, they are given away for $$.  You have to take risks to find gold. 

[nate82]

Picking in the 2nd round of the NBA and even the later part of the 1st round is like picking in the 6th and 7th round in the NFL sometimes you find a nice bench piece and the majority of the time you find absolutely nothing. 

[BrewerFan]

12 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

Or a starter on Dick Bennett's WI team... 

This kind of tells me two things: 1) He gets hyped for his BB IQ, so I take that as REALLY high IQ.  2) Second round picks are such low value, they are given away for $$.  You have to take risks to find gold. 

Jackson was mocked from last 1st down to 40. Even in last years way too early...he was mocked to the Bucks at ~37 IIRC.

He's not a scorer. He sounds like if everything goes right just a glue guy who makes everyone better. But I don't think they're even really really hoping he becomes a 35% 3 point shooter or a reliable scorer. It sounds like pretty much nobody does. 

 

Horst talked about how they're changing the way they're going to play and they need players for that and he was a perfect fit. Sounds like they have much higher hopes for Livingston, but at least both are big, physical players who you could probably play as PFs if you went with a smaller lineup and they can switch on just about everything.

 

I don't think it'd impact Lopez(these two picks certainly shouldn't) but Horst also talked about switching.  If Houston gets ridiculous and is offering Lopez 20M a year for 3 or the Lakers do, maybe they're planning on playing a different style. Still thinking he's coming back, but hypothetically, you have Jrue, Beauchamp, Middleton, Jackson and Giannis, you can switch and Tatum/Brown aren't going to tear you up.

Plus, we've been a good shooting 3 point team for a couple years, we get to the playoffs and it falls apart and we have Middleton who can shoot(and that's hit or miss) and then usually one other player. Hill, Brogdon, maybe Connaughton another series or Lopez part of another. So unless they pull off some trade for some dynamic 3 point shooter, they're probably thinking a great passing, lock down defender who's athletic and can play that dunkers spot right away, he has some value.

 

It's not exciting, but they did with their title on the strength of their defense more than anything.

[BrewerFan]

12 hours ago, nate82 said:

Picking in the 2nd round of the NBA and even the later part of the 1st round is like picking in the 6th and 7th round in the NFL sometimes you find a nice bench piece and the majority of the time you find absolutely nothing. 

It can also actually save you some money. The Bucks picked the Kalaitzakis on a partially GTD deal to limit their salary cap liability. They actully cost less than an UDFA or a vet minimum...but if has to be a 3 year partially GTD deal, so you have to take some money from the MLE or Bi-Annual as they did with Kalaitzakis. But he cost them roughly 900K. That's the cheapest you can sign a player to. So when you're getting hit with 4.25M for every million you're over, plus now you have that 2nd apron to deal with, you're hoping the players will become something, but it also makes more sense.

 

I do think they targeted both of these players. It's easier to see how they work on a team like Boston or GSW or any team who's best player is also a shooter(Pho another example). But they have...some plan. I can't really see what it is at this point other than just running it back and hoping Middleton and Lopez sign for a little less, but, we'll see).

[nate82]

Sexton's name keeps on popping up in connection with the Bucks.  The only problem is that the Jazz haven't really made him available.  I think the Bucks would want to put a package that would include two of Connaughton, Allen or Carter but I am not sure that would be enough for the Jazz. 

[nate82]

Bucks Summer league roster has been announced and there are some familiar names on the roster.

https://www.nba.com/bucks/news/milwaukee-bucks-announce-roster-for-nba-2k24-summer-league-2023

[nate82]

Middleton has resigned with the Bucks on a 3-year $102m deal:

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2023/06/30/khris-middleton-resign-milwaukee-bucks-3-years-102-million/70369213007/

[HarryDoyle]

Sounds like Lopez will not be back.

[nate82]

Carter to the Bulls on a 3-year $20m deal.

Ingles to the Magic on a 2-year $22m deal.

Bucks are rumored to be in on Christian Wood. 

[nate82]

Lopez back with the Bucks on a 2-year $48m deal.

 

https://www.fox6now.com/sports/bucks-resign-brook-lopez.amp

[nate82]

Lillard has requested a trade and his preferred destination is not Milwaukee.  Miami is the likely landing spot for Lillard.

[HarryDoyle]

I guess the old codgers are going to give it one last college try. Or two.