2024-25 Milwaukee Bucks thread

[owbc]

They need to ditch the neutral site if they want to make the tournament matter more. It could have been fun to host that at home. 

[adambr2]

On 12/16/2024 at 2:09 PM, young guns said:

It depends on how they feel about the title.  LeBron put a lot of effort in for last year's NBA cup and there's no way the money mattered to him.

I'm sure not everybody is this way, but if I’m LeBron, Giannis, or Lillard or another guy who doesn’t really need the money, my biggest motivation is winning that money for my teammates who make much less and that’s a pretty big motivator.

[homer]

1 hour ago, adambr2 said:

I'm sure not everybody is this way, but if I’m LeBron, Giannis, or Lillard or another guy who doesn’t really need the money, my biggest motivation is winning that money for my teammates who make much less and that’s a pretty big motivator.

Apparently, Giannis told Liam Robbins he would win to help him buy a house in Iowa.

"For me, as I was saying before the game and halftime, the money does not matter to me," Antetokounmpo stated. "It never mattered. If it mattered to me, I wouldn't be who I am, I wouldn't keep on pushing myself to the limit to improve every single year.

"But, I understand that this is life-changing money to people," Antetokounmpo added. "I'm happy we're able to give that to a lot of players within our team and not just players. The coaching staff, physios, and people that helped us win this trophy."

 

It is indeed life-changing money for someone like Robbins. Players on two-way contracts make half of the rookie minimum salary for that season, so he is set to earn $578,577 in 2024-25 with his deal.

Now, you might think this NBA Cup triumph will get Robbins about the same amount that he'll get from his two-way deal, but that's not the case. While the likes of Antetokoumpo and others on standard contracts will get $514,971, those on two-ways get half of it.

So, Robbins, who went undrafted in 2023 out of Vanderbilt, will get $257,485.50, which is still pretty good. The 25-year-old should be able to buy a house in Iowa with that money. 

https://fadeawayworld.net/nba/milwaukee-bucks/giannis-promised-two-way-player-liam-robbins-win-nba-cup-so-could-buy-house

[Joseph Zarr]

The development of A-Jax this season has been nothing short of phenomenal. The Bucks desperately needed him to take a step and, man, he has taken several. He is playing controlled - he is maximizing that absurd athleticism and he isn't losing control in doing so. If he can continue developing something off the dribble and to the hoop in addition to fine tuning that set shot 3, he becomes a true weapon. I think, for me personally (beyond Giannis just reaching newer other-worldly heights), it's the highlight of this early Bucks season. Credit to Doc for sticking with the young guns even with Midds returning. It had to happen but that certainly doesn't always mean it will happen in a professional sports League.

[valpocrewsader]

13 hours ago, SeaBass said:

>> 300K

the prize for winning the Cup was just shy of $515,000 per player

I think the 300K was referring to the difference in payouts for winning vs losing the final. 

[CheezWizHed]

15 hours ago, Joseph Zarr said:

The development of A-Jax this season has been nothing short of phenomenal. The Bucks desperately needed him to take a step and, man, he has taken several. He is playing controlled - he is maximizing that absurd athleticism and he isn't losing control in doing so. If he can continue developing something off the dribble and to the hoop in addition to fine tuning that set shot 3, he becomes a true weapon. I think, for me personally (beyond Giannis just reaching newer other-worldly heights), it's the highlight of this early Bucks season. Credit to Doc for sticking with the young guns even with Midds returning. It had to happen but that certainly doesn't always mean it will happen in a professional sports League.

AJG's evolution on defense is just as impressive.  Mainly because it unlocks time for him to spend raining 3s. 

Having both of these guys available to play to the strength needed is awesome.  Hopefully we continue developing these draft and develop guys because they really are key to getting another championship.  

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

AJG's evolution on defense is just as impressive.  Mainly because it unlocks time for him to spend raining 3s. 

Having both of these guys available to play to the strength needed is awesome.  Hopefully we continue developing these draft and develop guys because they really are key to getting another championship.  

I was pretty much referring to the whole game. But, yes. IMHO, the defensive growth is the most impressive. He has cut back on the ticky tack reach fouls and has become a legit shutdown menace. Glorious.

[patrickgpe]

I see a lot of online rumors that the bucks would be favorited to land CJ McCollum if New Orleans moves him. I think thats a good move for milwaukee, but would cost Middleton / Picks. 

In a possible trade, New Orleans could send McCollum and Daniel Theis to Milwaukee for Kris Middleton, MarJon Beauchamp and draft capital.

https://athlonsports.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/bucks-emerge-as-favorite-for-pelicans-c-j-mccollum-if-they-decide-to-move-him#:~:text=If the Pelicans were to,on the Portland Trail Blazers.

[sveumrules]

16 minutes ago, patrickgpe said:

I see a lot of online rumors that the bucks would be favorited to land CJ McCollum if New Orleans moves him. I think thats a good move for milwaukee, but would cost Middleton / Picks. 

In a possible trade, New Orleans could send McCollum and Daniel Theis to Milwaukee for Kris Middleton, MarJon Beauchamp and draft capital.

https://athlonsports.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/bucks-emerge-as-favorite-for-pelicans-c-j-mccollum-if-they-decide-to-move-him#:~:text=If the Pelicans were to,on the Portland Trail Blazers.

Giannis isn't trading Khris.

[patrickgpe]

@sveumrulesthat was my first reaction too. Looking at athlons trade, it fails the ESPN trade calculator anyway. Actually I can't figure out a way to make a trade for McCollum work....

[Underachiever]

The Bucks have draft picks?

[Samurai Bucky]

On 12/20/2024 at 12:24 PM, sveumrules said:

Giannis isn't trading Khris.

Middleton took over Thanasis' spot on the bench.

[Joseph Zarr]

I'm certainly not going to start a WNBA thread (no offense to any WNBA fans) and I don't see a miscellaneous NBA/WNBA thread. I personally am not a watcher of WNBA games but today my brother-in-law, Sydney Johnson, took the Head Coaching position for the Washington Mystics. He has worked incredibly hard for this opportunity - he's been coaching the FIBA USA Women's 3 v 3 for quite awhile and assisted (led the defense) the disaster that was Theresa Witherspoon in Chicago last season. I wanted to share we are all, by proxy, now Mystics 'fans'. Go ladies! Best of luck, Syd! He is most likely going to need it!😅

[nate82]

The WNBA still exists?

[Joseph Zarr]

4 hours ago, nate82 said:

The WNBA still exists?

I just found out today when my Sis called with the 'news'.😅

[nate82]

Another bad loss to a terrible team. 

[sveumrules]

Bucks are 7 W - 1 L over the past two weeks since the last post in this thread. Why do I feel like those two things are somehow related?

Their season essentially breaks down into four segments so far as we have reached the halfway point...

UGLY START (2 W - 8 L)
oRTG: 110.6 (19th)
dRTG: 115.7 (22nd)
netRTG: -5.1 (22nd)

EMIRATES CHAMPS (12 W - 3 L)
oRTG: 115.7 (10th)
dRTG: 110.0 (8th)
netRTG: +5.7 (10th)

POST CUP HANGOVER (3 W - 5 L)
oRTG: 106.3 (26th)
dRTG: 107.0 (3rd)
netRTG: -0.7 (16th)

BACK ON TRACK (7 W - 1 L)
oRTG: 120.7 (4th)
dRTG: 110.4 (6th)
netRTG: +10.3 (5th)

LAST 31 GAMES CUMULATIVE (22 W - 9 L)
oRTG: 114.5 (11th)
dRTG: 109.3 (5th)
netRTG: +5.2 (7th)

Defense has been holding it down since those first ten games, and the offense has mostly been there outside of the post-Cup stretch where Dame and Giannis missed four games each.

Keep everybody healthy, maybe make a stealth deadline move if there is one out there, and the Bucks have as good a chance as anybody at knocking off CLE and/or BOS in the playoffs.

[Joseph Zarr]

Gotta day the current whispers in the NBA Trade Deadline twitter verse are fairly vomit-inducing. 😅

I'm going to continue to ignore any and all Bradley Beal ideas with a vigorous passion.

[HarryDoyle]

Ironically the game tonight is postponed because of snow in New Orleans.

[sveumrules]

7 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Gotta day the current whispers in the NBA Trade Deadline twitter verse are fairly vomit-inducing. 😅

I'm going to continue to ignore any and all Bradley Beal ideas with a vigorous passion.

Don't really see any significant moves that make any sense.

Middleton and Lillard aren't going anywhere.

With Brook on an expiring and Bobby having a cheap player option maybe you move one of them for a younger, more athletic big that has a little more team control remaining? Who that is beats me, though.

For as much consternation as those four get for being some combination of too old and/or not good enough defensively, the Bucks have been a Top Five defense for the last 31 games now with all four of them playing big minutes (Lillard/Lopez) or rotation minutes (Portis/Khris).

[Joseph Zarr]

6 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

Don't really see any significant moves that make any sense.

Middleton and Lillard aren't going anywhere.

With Brook on an expiring and Bobby having a cheap player option maybe you move one of them for a younger, more athletic big that has a little more team control remaining? Who that is beats me, though.

For as much consternation as those four get for being some combination of too old and/or not good enough defensively, the Bucks have been a Top Five defense for the last 31 games now with all four of them playing big minutes (Lillard/Lopez) or rotation minutes (Portis/Khris).

Yeah, I am generally in favor of moving Patty Ice and Bobby in whatever manner.

I am generally very much not in favor of acquiring Bradley Beal at any costs. I am also not in favor of giving Horst the green light to move even more draft picks given his ugly history there. I am generally in favor of acquiring draft capital, however, if it helps Miami and Phoenix dabble in their madness. I am in favor of acquiring Ware or Dunn in any scenarios. I do not want to mess with the core's current chemistry, however. It is already good and appears to be getting even better.

[Joseph Zarr]

Admittedly, also, after Horst's (and the Bucks) absolute 'woof' of a Jae Crowder throw 5 2nd's for a clearly declining vet trade I am a wee nervous nearing Deadlines.😄

[GAME05]

And then you read "Well technically they can offer swaps of their swaps" and you realize maybe it's best if the team just sat this Deadline out.

[nate82]

5 hours ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Admittedly, also, after Horst's (and the Bucks) absolute 'woof' of a Jae Crowder throw 5 2nd's for a clearly declining vet trade I am a wee nervous nearing Deadlines.😄

To be fair 2nd round picks are nearly worthless in the NBA.

[Joseph Zarr]

According to Chris Haynes, who is quite tapped into the Bucks in recent years, there is zero legs to any of the Beal and Bucks rumors.