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[Milwaukee Bucks]

Milwaukee Bucks Poll: Majority of fans don’t want Giannis trade

In this week’s Tuesday Tracker, we asked you for your opinions on the Giannis trade rumors, especially for what it means in the short term. We also asked about Bobby Portis, who becomes trade-eligible on Monday. Here are the highlights:

• I know that headline might sound obvious, but there is a sizeable chunk of the fanbase that wants to move on from Giannis regardless of how the superstar feels about Milwaukee. Nevertheless, 55% of our respondents think the Bucks shouldn’t trade him.
• 61% of voters think Giannis will remain on the roster after the February 8th trade deadline, but only 41% think he’ll stick through the summer to next season.
• Unsurprisingly, trust in ESPN is very low among the fanbase, with 75% of fans polled not believing the continued rumors put forth by their personalities like Shams Charania.
• A decisive 88% want the Bucks to explore trading Bobby Portis beginning next week, and 75% of them want that deal to include Kyle Kuzma. That would allow the Bucks to take back up to $45.1m in returning salary.
• Doc Rivers’ approval rating rose from 2% to 7% this week, but 80% still disapprove, which is essentially the same as last week. So some people shifted to undecided. Jon Horst’s is split at 39%.

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Thanks again for voting! Check back on Tuesday for another slate of questions.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-poll...ounmpo-trade-rumors-shams-charania-doc-rivers

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks vs. Celtics Player Grades: Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis combine for 58 in improbable win

The Milwaukee Bucks got a much-needed win after four days off, taking down their Eastern Conference rival, the Boston Celtics, 116-101. It’s the first win for the Bucks over the Celtics since the 2023-24 season, the same game Giannis went down with his left soleus injury. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.

View Link

Player Grades​

Kevin Porter Jr.​

32 minutes, 18 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds, 6/10 FG, 5/5 FT, -6

With Kuzma and Portis going off, someone needed to set them up, and that guy ended up being KPJ. When it was all said and done, he picked up his fourth career triple-double en route to the Bucks’ big win.

Grade: A-

Ryan Rollins​

26 minutes, 10 points, 7 assists, 2 steals, 5 fouls, 4/10 FG, +10

Give a lot of credit to the Celtics’ defensive duo of Jordan Walsh and Payton Pritchard; they made life tough for both Rollins and KPJ in spots. Credit to Rollins for sticking with it and finding his spots to make some big plays as the Bucks were mounting their comeback.

Grade: B-

Myles Turner​

28 minutes, 4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1/6 FG, 2/4 FT, +15

While it was one of his worst offensive games in a while, Turner really brought it defensively. He was able to take advantage of the Celtics’ overall lack of size and wall off the paint. Boston finished with just 28 points in the paint, and a huge credit has to go to MT.

Grade: C-

Kyle Kuzma​

31 minutes, 31 points, 6 rebounds, 13/17 FG, 4/5 FT, +12

What a game it was for Kuz. He scored 12 points in the second quarter, and then followed that up by scoring nine of the 11 points in an 11-0 run that allowed the Bucks to tie it in the third. He was aggressive inside, going 11/13 in the paint, and even knocked down a corner three. Heck of a game for Kuz on both ends.

Grade: A

Bobby Portis​

26 minutes, 27 points, 10 rebounds, 11/13 FG, 5/6 3PT, +12

This was, bar none, the best Bobby has been defensively all season. His passion was evident, and he put forth great effort all night long. His offense was just as good, if not better. Also, seeing him get in Jaylen Brown’s face was a beautiful sight.

Grade: A

Gary Trent Jr.​

28 minutes, 13 points, 2 rebounds, 5/9 FG, 3/6 3PT, +12

Trent got the start with AJ Green still out with that left shoulder contusion, and I thought it was a solid game from GT. He got the Bucks going offensively early and helped stem the tide after a rough opening six minutes.

Grade: B+

Gary Harris​

33 minutes, 0 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 0/3 FG, +26

This is one of the oddest stat lines you will ever see. +26 with not a single basket on the stat sheet is very uncommon; that said, Harris was solid in his role. The grade drags down due to the lack of offense, but he was a good matchup for the Celtics’ guards and played good perimeter defense.

Grade: C

Cole Anthony​

19 minutes, 9 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 4/6 FG, +9

The player who seemed forever glued to the bench had his best game in 4-6 weeks. He was locked nearly from the moment he got on the floor with Rollins and KPJ in foul trouble. He was good on both ends and took the right shots instead of just chucking bad looks.

Grade: B

Doc Rivers​

Doc said in the postgame presser that the last two days they worked on second-effort drills in practice, and it seemed to pay off. The Bucks were flying around the court and were executing well on the floor, and some of that credit definitely goes Doc’s way. Great work to get the message across that the team had been playing soft.

Grade: A-

Limited Minutes: Jericho Sims

Garbage Time: Andre Jackson Jr., Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Amir Coffey, Pete Nance

Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, AJ Green, Taurean Prince, Mark Sears, Alex Antetokounmpo

Bonus Bucks Bits​

• Doc Rivers talked pre-game about how much Taurean Prince has been involved with the team during his injury, as he’s basically become another assistant coach. Here are Doc’s full comments on what Prince has been able to do since he’s been out:

“I call him coach every day now because right now that’s what he is to our team. We are giving him responsibilities in that way, to check in on players and do different things like that. He wants to be around the team, which I think is important for him as well. We don’t know if you’re gonna play or not this year or even your future or any of that stuff; you’ve got a lot going on. So, we’re trying to take the burden off of him, as much as we can.”

• Bobby Portis picked up his first double-double of the season last night. It was the 81st double-double of his career as a reserve, tying him with Ray Tarpley for third all-time in that stat. He trails just Enes Freedom (86) and Detlef Schrempf (106) for No. 2 and No. 1 all-time.
• Speaking of Bobby, he picked up a technical foul after getting in the face of Jaylen Brown. This came after he hit a fadeaway jumper over Brown during the Bucks’ third-quarter run. Bobby talked about that moment and about the type of player he is:

“I’m an emotional player, I wear my heart on my sleeve, especially in big games like this. I just like to ball, I like to hoop. The gym is one of the places you can scream and be yourself. It’s not like a classroom where you have to be quiet. I’ve always been taught to play with swagger, play with emotion, and have fun.”

• Bobby also talked about the second-effort practices the Bucks went through over the last couple of days, joking that they practiced so long it was dark when they left.

“Practice starts at two on Tuesdays, but we were in there until five, and it was dark outside; it was dark when we came out. When we came in, guys did a lot of stretching, lifting weights, or got on the court for individual workouts, and then practice started at two, and once practice was over, I was lifting, and it was dark out there.”

• Kyle Kuzma had his first 30-point game as a Buck in this one.

Up Next​

The Bucks will take on another team from the Atlantic division, as they will head on the road for a one-game stop to take on the Brooklyn Nets. The game is this Sunday, with tip-off scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Central time, and you can catch it all on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...stats-bobby-portis-kyle-kuzma-kevin-porter-jr

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Rapid Recap: Nets 127, Bucks 82

Whatever good vibes came from the Milwaukee Bucks’ upset win on Thursday were summarily executed by the six-win Brooklyn Nets in embarrassing, ugly, and unforgivable fashion. Even without Giannis, a blowout to one of the East’s worst teams by record—not leading at any point—that’s missing Cam Thomas is inexcusable. No one Net had more than Egor Demin’s 17, while Gary Trent Jr. was the Bucks’ high man with 20.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap​

Several minutes of basket-trading fueled by pretty awful interior defense from both squads began this one. Each side also had trouble maintaining possession at such a quick pace, making for a sloppy start. Doc Rivers called his first timeout after a transition layup by Demin had Milwaukee down 17-12 just over four minutes in. The Bucks’ D tightened up for a moment, and Kevin Porter Jr. took the Michael Porter Jr. assignment, but they struggled to generate quality looks during the next shift. Then more turnovers and defensive miscues helped put the Nets up by double digits in the quarter’s closing minutes. Things stood at 37-25 in favor of the home team after one.

The Bucks still couldn’t control the ball in the second, turning it over on four of their first five possessions, and were quickly down 18 thanks to an 8-2 Nets run. In fact, Brooklyn constructed a 26-10 extended run over the break. Unfocused defense, poor shot creation, and undisciplined ballhandling kept Milwaukee from getting within 17 during the ensuing action. But Kuzma took command of the offense as Brooklyn went cold, igniting a 7-0 Milwaukee run to cut the deficit to 11. That was as close as the Bucks got, however. Putting the Nets at the line, bad shot selection, no rim protection, and general sloppiness had the Bucks trailing 65-48 at half.

Despite a promising couple possessions for Milwaukee early, Brooklyn built their advantage to as much as 22 in the third’s first several minutes. Trent and Ryan Rollins tried to shoot the Bucks back into it after not taking anywhere near enough threes in the first half, but the Nets’ shooters were just hotter: they were 7/14 from deep in the period. This was actually less about bad interior defense and turnovers as compared to the second quarter, but the results were worse. Brooklyn was ahead 29 at one point, and led 99-71 entering the fourth.

Brooklyn didn’t cool off from downtown as they ticked away the final 12 minutes. After they increased their lead to 32 with 9:24 remaining, Doc had seen enough and emptied his bench, and the Nets pushed it to as high as 45, where it finished. Forty. Five.

Stat That Stood Out​

Milwaukee stunk at everything tonight, but whatever chances they had to get back into the game in the second quarter were undone by turnovers. In that frame, the Nets scored eight from the Bucks coughing it up six times, and their total edge in points off turnovers ended at 30-12.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-scor...ets-final-score-recap-doc-rivers-blowout-loss

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks may be looking to add talent next to Giannis

The Bucks’ 2025–26 season has not gone the way they wanted, especially in a year where they are trying to convince Giannis Antetokounmpo—eligible for an extension next fall—to stay around long term. They sit in the Eastern Conference’s 10th seed, Giannis himself is weeks away from returning as he recovers from a calf strain, and they just suffered a 45-point loss to the now 7-18 Brooklyn Nets where they scored just 82 points. Amid speculation and rumors about whether Giannis wants to stay, the Bucks appear to be looking to make another move to convince him. Per both Marc Stein and Eric Nehm, Milwaukee is keeping itself in the market to make another significant move to add around Giannis and contend this season. Stein had this to say on his Substack, The Stein Line, yesterday:

“Interested teams continue to wait for the Bucks to signal that they’ve made Giannis Antetokounmpo available. To date Milwaukee has not and has even countered with whispered messaging that it remains in the market for roster upgrades to help Antetokounmpo”

Nehm backed up that reporting from Stein on The Athletic today, saying the following about the type of player the Bucks are looking to add next to Giannis:

“Five months after the Bucks’ stunning decision to waive Damian Lillard en route to adding big man Myles Turner on a four-year, $107 million deal, it appears they aren’t waving the white flag on Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee just yet. Instead, league sources said they’re considering making yet another significant addition that might aid their chances of convincing him to stay.”

Both reporters made it clear that the Bucks are not currently looking to trade the two-time MVP anytime soon. According to Stein, while other teams believe that the Bucks will be fielding offers for Giannis before the trade deadline, he believes that it won’t happen until Giannis himself requests a trade:

“I have spoken to some teams who continue to express the belief that the Bucks will indeed ultimately opt to field pitches for Antetokounmpo at some point in January ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. The belief here at Stein Line HQ remains that it won’t happen until Giannis himself clearly directs the Bucks to do so.“

Looking at who the Bucks could potentially add, they seemingly already have a list of players they’ve been looking at well before today. As we’ve written about before, the Bucks have done background work on Sacramento Kings wing Zach LaVine and have kept tabs on Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons since the offseason. Sam Amick of The Athletic confirmed Milwaukee’s due diligence on LaVine on Friday.

This also isn’t the first time the Bucks were interested in adding LaVine via trade. At last season’s trade deadline, the Bucks were looking to add him in a potential three-team trade between them, the Bulls, and the Phoenix Suns as part of a potential Jimmy Butler trade. The deal was effectively killed by Bradley Beal, who refused to waive his no-trade clause to be sent to Chicago, making the money work.

They were also named as suitors for Chris Paul amid his feud with the Clippers, leading to him being sent home by the team. A deal for Paul seems unlikely, considering the long-standing beef between Giannis and CP3 and the 40-year-old point guard’s unwillingness to leave the West Coast during his final season in the NBA.

Several Bucks became trade-eligible today, including Bobby Portis, Gary Trent Jr., Cole Anthony, and Amir Coffey, among others. If the Bucks were to add LaVine at his high-priced $47.5m salary, they would need to not only include Kyle Kuzma’s $22.4m, but Portis’ $13.4m, and a minimum contract player like Anthony or Taurean Prince. The Bucks also have their 2031 and 2032 first-round picks available to trade, but considering the financial cost of a player like LaVine, under contract through summer 2027 at $49m, they would likely only have to part with one of those picks with heavy protections.

Let us know what you think of a talent upgrade via trade below. Also, make sure to head over to The Feed to submit your trade ideas for a chance to be featured in a future article.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-rumors/55925/milwaukee-bucks-nba-trade-rumors-convince-giannis-stay

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

10 Bucks become trade eligible

As we’ve discussed here at BH, December 15th is a key date for the Bucks’ ability to make roster moves. Per the CBA, any player signed this offseason as a free agent can’t be traded for the later date of three months after their signing or today unless they meet certain criteria, which I’ll get into in a bit. So it marks the unofficial beginning of trade season in advance of the February 5th deadline. But for now, here is every current Buck who, as of today, became eligible to be traded without their consent, since they all signed before September 15th:

• Cole Anthony
• Amir Coffey
• Gary Harris
• Kevin Porter Jr.
• Bobby Portis
• Taurean Prince
• Gary Trent Jr.
• Myles Turner

It bears mentioning that the four holdovers from last year on this list signed as free agents, not on extensions. That means Porter, Portis, Prince, and Trent all technically hit the market before deciding to remain in Milwaukee on brand new deals. Had they extended pre-free agency, their trade eligibility date could have been up to a year after they signed that extension.

You might notice that two names signed this offseason aren’t on the above list: Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Jericho Sims. While yes, they are indeed trade-eligible today for the same reason as those eight other guys, they gain an implicit no-trade clause because they signed for either a single season or two with a player option in the second. In this instance, players can waive their right to veto a trade, which Porter, Prince, and Trent did upon re-signing. Sims and Thanasis did not, so if the Bucks wanted to move them, they’d need to ask.

You might also notice that Ryan Rollins, who signed a new deal this offseason, isn’t on the list. That’s because his contract meets the criteria I mentioned above: re-signing with his previous team, a raise of over 20%, not a minimum contract, and the team using Early Bird rights to re-sign him. This gives him a different eligibility date than everyone else: January 15th.

Finally, by virtue of signing an extension in October, AJ Green is ineligible to be dealt for six months. That would fall in April, and since the trade deadline is February, he must remain a Buck through the remainder of the season. He actually is the only Buck who can’t be traded this year; all 17 other rostered players (including two-way guys, who count for $0 in outgoing/incoming salary) can, at some point.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-rumors/55921/milwaukee-bucks-trade-eligible-players-2025-2026

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks vs. Nets Player Grades: KPJ cools down in blowout

A 127-82 disembowelment by the hapless Nets should cost at least one of the Bucks below their jobs, regardless of Giannis being out. And I’m not talking about any player. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below. Fire Doc.

View Link

Player Grades​

Myles Turner​

24 minutes, 9 points, 3 rebounds, 0 blocks, 2/4 FG, 0/2 3P, 5/6 FT, -21

Another pretty invisible game because of a coaching staff not putting Turner in position to succeed. Often nowhere near the rim on defense since his job is apparently to switch onto smaller guys while rollers beat Buck guards inside. Fire Doc.

Grade: C-

Kevin Porter Jr.​

30 minutes, 5 points, 7 assists, 6 turnovers, 4 steals, 2/13 FG, 0/5 3P, -21

After three steals in the first six minutes, KPJ’s positive contributions to this game were over. I know he’s been on a tear recently and they need his offense, but I felt he devolved into a chucker last night. Just bad shot selection and plenty of careless turnovers too, though he wasn’t alone in that regard. On the other end, he overhelped often and lost his man a few times. Fire Doc.

Grade: D

Ryan Rollins​

22 minutes, 11 points, 5 assists, 2 turnovers, 5/11 FG, 1/5 3P, -28

Had a few nice drives to the rim when the game was still within reach, but that’s about it. He gambled for steals too often, which just resulted in easy Nets buckets. Fire Doc.

Grade: C

Kyle Kuzma​

28 minutes, 13 points, 7 rebounds, 6/11 FG, -18

Kuzma began a perfect 4/4 from the field, so you can see how he faded a bit. He did his level best to will Milwaukee back into it during the second quarter alongside Trent. Fire Doc.

Grade: C+

Gary Trent Jr.​

29 minutes, 20 points, 2 steals, 7/14 FG, 4/8 3P, -17

Leading all scorers, it was in large part due to GTJ’s shotmaking that the Bucks were briefly within 11 in the second quarter. This and the Boston game are easily the best he’s looked since the season’s opening week. Fire Doc.

Grade: B

Bobby Portis​

16 minutes, 10 points, 3 rebounds, 4/7 FG, 2/3 3P, -16

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised at Portis going from heavily engaged on defense against the Celtics back to his lackadaisical ways. His entry in the first quarter was when the floodgates started to open, as Brooklyn kept getting to the rim with ease. Fire Doc.

Grade: C-

Cole Anthony​

20 minutes, 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assists, 4 turnovers, 4 fouls, 0/4 FG, 3/4 3P, -27

A couple of his ugly turnovers late in the first quarter were big reasons the Nets built an early 12-point lead. When Anthony is bad, he’s bad. He’s only getting minutes because AJ Green is out—he can’t be logging DNP-CDs soon enough. Fire Doc.

Grade: F

Jericho Sims​

30 minutes, 7 points, 7 rebounds, 3/4 FG, -29

Having supplanted Trent as the plus/minus scapegoat of this team, I don’t know what the Bucks need to be doing to play better when he’s on the floor. Because despite his rebounding and athleticism, he’s not helping them at all. Even with Giannis out, he should play fewer minutes. Fire Doc.

Grade: D+

Andre Jackson Jr.​

15 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1/6 FG, 0/5 3P, -16

Pre-garbage time entrant in the third, though the game was out of reach then too. Got some shots up but didn’t distinguish himself. I get wanting to try him out over Anthony, but it’s not as if Ajax had any more success defensively than other Bucks. Fire Doc.

Grade: C-

Doc Rivers​

How much worse does it have to get? How many losses do they have to compile before Jon Horst finally stops the bleeding here? How many times do fans need to tweet Fire Doc? This man is one of the five highest-paid coaches in the NBA and has no answers. His players are undisciplined, he doesn’t have them ready, his staff’s schemes don’t work at all without Giannis, and they obviously need something when he’s not on the floor. He hasn’t been a good coach since before the Clippers acquired Kawhi Leonard. The Boston win was an aberration thanks to outlier shooting in the second half. The Pistons game looks flukier and flukier by the day. Rivers needed to be canned two weeks ago, and the longer he stays, the more this franchise’s future slips away. He is not helping keep the big fella with these results.

Grade: F

Limited Minutes: Gary Harris, Fire Doc

Garbage Time: Amir Coffey, Pete Nance, Fire Doc

DNP-CD: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Fire Doc

Inactive: Alex Antetokounmpo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, AJ Green, Mark Sears, Fire Doc

Bonus Bucks Bits​

• Fire Doc.
• Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez came down with the flu earlier in the day and wasn’t on the sidelines for this one. Assistant Steve Hetzel took his place.
• Fire Doc.
• This is the fewest points the Bucks have scored since losing to the Heat 97-79 on January 14, 2018.
• Fire Doc.
• While Brooklyn shot the ball predictably well, it’s not as if they tore the cover off it (52.9% FG%, 44.2% 3P%). The disparity, though, is a major story: the Bucks shot just 39.2% and 22.9% from three. Both are season lows by 0.8% and 6%, respectively.
• Fire Doc.
• Brooklyn’s offense ranks 24th per Cleaning The Glass with a 112.8 offensive rating. Milwaukee matadored them to 129.6, while posting 82.8 for themselves.
• Fire Doc.
• Only the Clippers’ loss 98-79 loss to the Warriors in late October has a lower losing team point total this year.
• Fire Doc.
• Gary Harris played only six minutes, all in the first half. He looked fine and even hit a three while the game wasn’t out of hand, but I guess Doc decided to go bigger? Didn’t work.
• Fire Doc.
• Rim defense was a major issue in the first half, with 36 points in the paint for the Nets and 28 for the Bucks. In the third, Brooklyn really fell off inside… because they shot 7/14 from deep and outscored Milwaukee 34-23, all but putting the nail in this one.
• Fire Doc.
• Like I said in the rapid, the Bucks did everything poorly as a team. I could go on about the 20-13 turnover differential, the 24-13 fast break differential, but this is nothing new. Doc hasn’t fixed it, and won’t. Time to find someone new, even if it’s just Darvin Ham.
• Fire Doc.

Up Next​

Thanks to the NBA Cup, the Bucks will have another three-day break between games before hosting the Raptors for the first time this season after splitting the first two matchups in Toronto. Tip is at 7:00 p.m. CST and viewable on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.

Fire Doc.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...rades-kevin-porter-jr-doc-rivers-blowout-loss

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Taurean Prince likely done for the year, Bucks apply for disabled player exception

The Milwaukee Bucks have now officially lost one of their key reserves for the rest of the season. Per Eric Nehm of The Athletic, the Bucks have applied for a disabled player exception for Taurean Prince, effectively ruling him out for the rest of the season. Prince played in just eight games this season before suffering a herniated disk in his neck that required surgery. Prince spoke to the media last Thursday for the first time since the injury, and had this to say about the decision to have surgery in the first place on November 13:

“It was definitely a tough process, definitely tough getting the news,” he said. “The only way to hoop again would be to get the surgery. So, that was my mindset from the jump. And really just taking everything in and knowing how serious of a situation it was, so just being thankful that I’m still here to speak and be able to have an opportunity to hoop again.

I’m gonna play again, for sure.”

The disabled player exception, if approved by the league, allows a team to either sign a player to a one-year deal or trade for a player on a one-year deal who is making the same money (or less) than 50% of the disabled player’s salary. In this case, the Bucks could sign or trade for someone on a contract of just under $1.7m, since Prince is making $3.3m. Milwaukee is well below the first apron with about $16.8m in space, so no worries about being right up against the first or second apron if they choose to add a player, and they have $11.5m in room beneath the luxury tax.

We’ve seen other teams apply for this exception in recent years, including this year. The Chicago Bulls applied for it after rookie Noa Essengue was ruled out, and they also did it back in July of 2023 when Lonzo Ball was still recovering from multiple knee surgeries. We’ve also seen it denied in the past, with the New York Knicks being denied by the league for Mitchell Robinson in the 2023–24 season because there was optimism at the time that he could play, according to Woj.

In the games that Prince was able to suit up for, he averaged 6.1 points and 1.6 rebounds, shooting 44.7% from the field and 42.9% from the three-point line. In July, Prince signed a one-year veteran minimum deal with a player option in the second year, which seems to loom large after this news. We’ll see if the Bucks decide to add a player if granted by the league, but if they do so, it will most likely be via free agency.

Some notable free agents, including multiple Old Friends, include:

• Alec Burks
• Talen Horton-Tucker
• Torrey Craig
• Jae Crowder
• Markieff Morris
• Trey Lyles
• Bol Bol
• P.J. Tucker

We’ll see if the Bucks opt to use the exception, but until then, we hope that Prince recovers fully and is back on an NBA court in 2026.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-news...lwaukee-bucks-apply-disabled-player-exception

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks might be going ‘big game hunting’ in the trade market

A couple of days ago, Eric Nehm and Marc Stein reported that the Bucks were looking to add a player next to Giannis in the trade market. Today, Jake Fischer of the Stein Line has more news about what the Bucks are looking to do this season. Fischer reiterated that the Bucks rebuff that Giannis had in any way requested a trade or that they were fielding offers for the two-time MVP, and that the Bucks are looking to add a piece next to him to turn their season around. According to a rival GM whom Fischer spoke to, the Bucks have their sights set high on whom they want to add:

“Now Milwaukee is messaging that it wants to be buyers at this deadline to try to get Giannis more help. Even with no clear return-from-injury timetable yet in place for Antetokounmpo, Jon Horst’s front office continues to hold onto hope that assembling a puncher’s chance contender remains viable in the wide-open Eastern Conference. One rival general manager I spoke to went so far as to say that the Bucks had convinced him that “they’re going big-game hunting.”

There have been plenty of names floated around. I mentioned yesterday that, based on other reports, the Bucks have done background checks on Zach LaVine, kept tabs on Anfernee Simons, and have been named as a potential suitor for Chris Paul. Yet, Fischer dropped another name that the Bucks have been and are interested in pursuing:

“Another player who has been on Milwaukee’s radar under the same premise both this season and in previous years is Trail Blazers swingman Jerami Grant.”

Grant makes sense as a big wing who can score and defend, and would be a good fit next to Giannis. Grant does have a hefty price tag this season and in the future, earning $32 million this season, $34.2 million next season, and a player option for $36.4 million for the 2027-28 season, when he turns 33. The only potential problem with getting a deal for Grant going is that, according to Fischer, he has become a favorite of Blazers GM Joe Cronin. As for the financials of the deal, it would have to start with Kyle Kuzma’s $22.4 million and either adding Bobby Portis to the deal or two minimum contract players, like Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony, plus some draft capital tied to it.

Fischer did go on to name Andrew Wiggins, Dejounte Murray, and Marcus Smart as three other players the Bucks could go after in a speculative sense, since they’re players whom they’ve targeted in the past. He reports that the Bucks regularly called the Golden State Warriors about Wiggins’ availability before the deal that sent Jimmy Butler to the West Coast and Wiggins to Miami. The same was true of Murray during his time with the Atlanta Hawks before his trade to the New Orleans Pelicans. Murray hasn’t played at all this season after suffering an Achilles tear in January of this year. There is some hope within the Pelicans organization that he could make his debut in January, according to Fischer. A deal for Smart is unlikely given the Lakers’ need for a point-of-attack defender and the fact that they already got him on a favorable deal in the buyout market.

A surprise name that popped up in Fischer’s report was that the Bucks tried to trade for the Dallas Mavericks’ P.J. Washington while he was still with the Charlotte Hornets. However, a deal won’t materialize this season for Washington, as he signed a contract extension before the season, making him ineligible for a trade until next off-season.

Regardless of who they decide to pursue, the Bucks are seemingly going to be aggressive in adding an impact player to convince Giannis to stay and sign an extension this upcoming offseason.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-rumo...ng-trade-market-nba-trade-market-jerami-grant

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Milwaukee Bucks Poll: Should the Bucks tank or trade for reinforcements to help Giannis?

Never say “things can’t get worse.” I heard this after the Wizards loss two weeks ago. We quote and maybe even take as truth this inherently incorrect statement for whatever reason, perhaps because we don’t fear extinction (truly the worst outcome for humanity). In terms of NBA basketball, well… we’re seeing it now after perhaps the most damning defeat of Bucks basketball in a decade.

I won’t even say this in regard to Doc Rivers (Fire Doc). There are doubtlessly many coaches who would do a better job with this roster; to think otherwise is a disservice to the dozens of talented coaches around and outside the league who deserve a chance. Please do not construe this as a grass-is-always-greener statement in Doc’s favor: it could always be worse. It could be Jim Boylen (not the former Bucks assistant and interim coach in 2013, but the Bulls’ sideline boss from 2018–20) or something.

In this week’s Tuesday tracker, we begin by focusing on the near-term future of this team vis-à-vis their direction and what might convince Giannis to stay in Milwaukee. Then we look back on the last two-plus years of decision-making and see who or what you think might be responsible for all this.

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As always, this poll will be open until midnight Central on Friday, and we’ll post the results later that day. Thanks for voting!

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-poll...k-or-trade-for-reinforcements-to-help-giannis

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Giannis injury timeline extended to 4-6 weeks

For the first time since his injury back on December 3, Giannis Antetokounmpo spoke with the assembled media. Outside of addressing the constant rumors surrounding his status with the team, he gave an injury update that Bucks fans didn’t want to hear. He revealed that the injury was actually a soleus strain, the same injury that knocked him out of the playoffs in the 2023-24 season. He expects his timeline to return will be 4 to 6 weeks from the date of the injury, rather than the 2 to 4 weeks that Shams Charania of ESPN initially reported.

The main difference between calf and soleus strains, and the reason I think the timeline got bumped by two weeks, is the way these injuries occur. Soleus strains typically occur from overuse in endurance athletes like Giannis.

With Giannis now out even longer than expected, it’s almost guaranteed that he will not qualify for an All-NBA team for the first time since the 2015-16 season. He will miss more than 17 games, which is the number allowed for him to play 65 games in a season. He also won’t qualify for the MVP race for the first time since that same season. He’s already missed 10 games this season and was ruled out for tonight’s game against the Toronto Raptors, bringing that total to 11 games. He would’ve needed to come back for the New Year’s Eve game against the Washington Wizards, but that’s unlikely to happen. Going off the original timeline, Giannis could’ve been back in the January 4 game against the Sacramento Kings. Now with the extra two weeks, he will either return later during the Bucks’ four-game West Coast trip or when the Bucks return to Milwaukee to play the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 13.

Milwaukee has not been good with Giannis out of the lineup this season. They’ve put up a record 2-8 in games he doesn’t play and 3-9 in games he doesn’t finish. The Bucks currently sit at 11-16 and 11th in the Eastern Conference, a half game back of the Chicago Bulls for the 10th seed. In the 17 games Giannis has played this season, he showed why he was in contention for the MVP award, averaging 28.9 points per game, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists while shooting 63.9% from the field and 43.5% from the three-point line (1.4 3PA).

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-news...ded-4-6-weeks-milwaukee-bucks-nba-injury-news

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks vs. Raptors Player Grades: Big nights from Portis and Turner go unrewarded as Porter’s turnover struggles persist in close loss

The hits keep on coming for the Milwaukee Bucks, as they couldn’t win their second-to-last home game of December, losing to the Toronto Raptors 111-105. Even with good offensive games from a couple of bigs, Milwaukee couldn’t get back over the hump to complete the comeback. The Bucks are 1-2 against the Raptors this season and have lost two straight to the team up north. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.

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Player Grades​

Kevin Porter Jr.​

40 minutes, 22 points, 13 assists, 4 rebounds, 7 turnovers, 7/18 FG, 2/6 3PT, +2

While the counting numbers look solid for KPJ, this wasn’t his best day. At times, it felt like he was pressing and doing too much to put the Bucks on his back. He must clean up the turnovers—and it better be sooner rather than later.

Grade: C+

Myles Turner​

31 minutes, 21 points, 6 rebounds, 6/14 FG, 4/10 3PT, 5/6 FT, -9

Turner was a man on a mission in the first half, attempting 10 total shots. He looked much more in flow with the offense and was the Bucks’ leading scorer at the break with 15 points. Then his shots dried up in the second half, and he would’ve only scored three points if not for a late bomb.

Grade: B

Ryan Rollins​

28 minutes, 17 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 7/15 FG, 3/7 3PT, +7

For the first time since the season opener, Rollins came off the bench for the Bucks. He was solid as ever and was better than KPJ at times. Still a head scratcher as to why Doc opted to play him off the bench.

Grade: B+

AJ Green​

24 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2/5 FG, -3

It was AJ Green’s first game back in 13 days, and it showed. Green didn’t move well and didn’t get his first three-point attempts until the fourth quarter. Hopefully, this game will get the ball rolling in the right direction for Sunday.

Grade: C-

Gary Trent Jr.​

30 minutes, 3 points, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1/8 FG, 1/5 3PT, -15

After a strong run of form from Trent, he had himself a stinker last night. GT had open looks; he just couldn’t bury them. Put this game in the rearview mirror for Trent against his former team.

Grade: D-

Bobby Portis​

39 minutes, 24 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals, 9/16 FG, 3/6 3PT, +3

I know there are things about Bobby’s game to criticize, but he’s been great offensively for the Bucks. It’s arguably been his best season in that department.

Grade: B+

Jericho Sims​

26 minutes, 6 points, 7 rebounds, 4 fouls, 4 turnovers, 3/4 FG, -6

We saw the good and bad with Sims last night. He can be a good roller at times, he rebounds the ball well enough, and his hops are something to marvel at. But why Doc continues to play him such heavy minutes (tonight not withstanding with Kyle Kuzma out) baffles me.

Grade: C-

Gary Harris​

21 minutes, 7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3/4 FG, -9

One of the better defenders on Ingram last night, Harris was solid on both ends. He continues to be a surprise contributor, considering where he was in the rotation at the start of the season.

Grade: B

Doc Rivers​

Doc gave an interesting answer when asked why he sent Rollins to the bench to start the game. It was to have a fresh guard on the court at all times to counter the Raptors’ ball pressure, and the numbers with Rollins and KPJ haven’t been good sans Giannis. Benching him just didn’t seem like the right move, and it appears it won’t be changing anytime soon.

Grade: D+

DNP-CD: Cole Anthony, Amir Coffey, Andre Jackson Jr., Pete Nance, Mark Sears, Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma, Taurean Prince, Alex Antetokounmpo

Bonus Bucks Bits​

• Bobby Portis officially sits alone in third place for double-doubles by reserves in NBA history. He recorded his 82nd double-double, passing Roy Tarpley, and is only four behind Enes Freedom for second place (86).

• The Bucks had the game within four points, 88-92 with 7:01 left in the fourth quarter. That was the closest they got, as the Raptors went on a 9-3 run in one minute and 56 seconds of game time to take a 10 point lead. Bobby was asked what went wrong in that stretch and why they couldn’t get over the hump:

“We couldn’t string together consecutive stops. We had a lot of energy going on from the second quarter on; the ball was moving, guys flashing (to the ball), just playing their roles. Then on defense, we couldn’t string together enough stops, three, four in a row, couldn’t get a kill (three stops in a row). I feel like we would get two and then they would hit a janky shot or a put-back, that’s just how the game went.”

• The Bucks are now 2-9 in games without Giannis this season.
• Despite that record, Doc said that the Bucks are getting closer to finding what they to win without him.

“I think we’re starting to figure out, and we’re not there, who plays best in the non-Giannis minutes. That’s something, if we can get Giannis back healthy for the rest of the year, I think it will serve well for us.”

• The Bucks are now 1-2 in the Cream City jerseys this season.

Up Next​

The Bucks will begin a five-game road trip against the six-seed in the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves, for the first time this season. The game is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 21, with tip-off at 6:00 p.m. Central time; it will be televised on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...ats-bobby-portis-myles-turner-kevin-porter-jr

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Rapid Recap: Raptors 111, Bucks 105

The Milwaukee Bucks have now dropped two games in a row, falling to the Toronto Raptors 111-105; it is their second loss to the Raptors this season. Bobby Portis had 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Bucks, while KPJ had 22 and Myles Turner had 21. The red-hot Brandon Ingram led all scorers with 29 points on 50% shooting, while his running mate Scottie Barnes had 24 points and 11 rebounds.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap​

There was a big lineup shift even before tip, as Doc Rivers opted for Gary Trent Jr. over Ryan Rollins to split time with him and Kevin Porter Jr. The idea didn’t seem to work well early, as the Bucks fell behind in a hurry against the Raptors; Toronto went on a 15-4 opening run. Once Rollins checked in, the Bucks went on an 8-0 run to bring the game back within three, 12-15. Toronto, particularly Brandon Ingram, shot hot from three-point range, going 3/3 from deep and helping keep the Raptors ahead. When the dust settled, Milwaukee trailed by just six points, 31-25, heading into the second quarter.

The two sides went back and forth in the early parts of the second frame. With 6:56 left to go, the Raptors had outscored the Bucks just 12-11 and held a seven-point lead before Rivers called a timeout to reset his group. Milwaukee did make a bit of a run thanks to Myles Turner, getting the lead down to just four, but a layup from Sandro Mamukelashvili and an Ochai Agbaji three pushed the lead back out to eight points. Despite falling behind, the Bucks were able to claw their way back into the game, going on a 12-4 run to tie the game with 1:35 left, thanks to a Rollins three-pointer. That tie didn’t last long, as Scotte Barnes made a layup and Agbaji hit a three to send the Raptors into the locker room up 57-52.

Before most of the fans could get back in their seats from halftime, the Bucks got a rally going. Bobby Portis and Myles Turner hit back-to-back threes to give the Bucks their first lead of the game, 59-57, just 75 seconds into the third. Toronto took the lead back after getting their first free throw of the game after Barnes converted the and-one opportunity. Despite the Bucks keeping it close for most of the quarter, the Raptors were able to rattle off an 11-5 run to take an eight-point lead, 82-74, in the late stages of the third quarter. The Bucks trailed by seven heading into the fourth quarter, 76-83.

The home team stayed in contact with the visitors through the opening minutes of the fourth, thanks to a 9-5 run over three minutes, getting them back within four points. Then, the Bucks went cold at one of the worst times of the game. They went 1/3, all from KPJ, as the Raptors went on a 9-3 run to take a ten-point lead, 101-91, with 5:05 left in the game. Milwaukee couldn’t dig out of the hole they made for themselves, with Shead nailing the dagger three to end this one.

Stat That Stood Out​

21-4. That’s the free throws attempted discrepancy between the Bucks and the Raptors in the second half. The Raptors didn’t get their first free throw until the second half, after the Bucks took 12 in the first half. While they went just 14/21, it was the lift Toronto needed to put the Bucks away.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-scor...jr-myles-turner-brandon-ingram-scottie-barnes