RSS Bucks Team Notes

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Case study: How Cam Thomas can help the Bucks

ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 9: Cam Thomas #24 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the Orlando Magic on February 9, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It’s December 27, and the Brooklyn Nets are in Minneapolis taking on back-to-back Western Conference finalists Minnesota Timberwolves, led by the league’s premier shooting guard, Anthony Edwards. Ant gets to it early and often, showing off his complete package—finger rolls, free throws, pull-up threes, and driving layups. He lets the Nets know all about it too; trash-talk and smug smile straight from the set of Hustle.

From the visitors’ bench, Cam Thomas sees it all. He’s impatient—knees bouncing, eyes glancing to the scoreboard—waiting for his chance. After all, having started each of the Nets’ first eight games prior to going down with a hamstring strain (not to mention 74 of his previous 91 games), Thomas is not used to this. But with the Nets in the midst of a hot streak, winning six out of their last nine—including a 127-82 drubbing of the Bucks—coach Jordi Fernández is not going to rock the boat. It turns out to be the right move—Thomas obliterates the Wolves in just 19 minutes and, with it, provides everyone a lesson to heed.

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Since signing with the Bucks after being waived by the Nets, Bucks fans worldwide have pondered the same question: what can Thomas bring to Milwaukee? Well, what better way to see than a case study of one of his optimal performances? It’s time to get to class.

The numbers​

20 minutes, 30 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 turnovers, 9/15 FG, 3/8 3PT, 9/9 FT, +27. 123-107 win.

Thomas is a walking bucket, a microwave scorer who can and does keep the scoreboard ticking over—as his 30-piece in just 20 minutes attests. And while he isn’t the poster child for efficiency, he can score in just about any conceivable way. Let’s take a closer look.

Shot creation: Rim pressure​

Over his career, shots at the rim make up about a fifth (range of 16-21%) of Thomas’ shot profile, which places him in the bottom third of similar-positioned players (per Cleaning The Glass), and he’s not the most efficient in this zone either, typically converting at around 60%. But this doesn’t mean he can’t get there. Against the Wolves, he did just that, proving particularly damaging with his off-the-dribble game, putting downward pressure on the rim throughout the night. Thomas was especially effective when driving right, using bursts of speed, hesitation dribbles, and his strong frame—despite being just 6’3”, Thomas is a stout 210 pounds—to get past defenders and into the restricted area.

Not only does Thomas have the handles and quickness to get by defenders, but he can also finish through contact. In this one, he completed three and-one opportunities and got to the line a total of nine times, making them all. For his career, Thomas has ranked in the upper echelon of foul-drawers for his position, ranking as high as the 96th percentile in this category last year and currently sitting at the 81st percentile (per CTG). Considering the Bucks have struggled getting to the line all year—ranking 28th in the league in free-throw attempt rate, with only Giannis and Kevin Porter Jr. really getting there consistently—Thomas’ foul-drawing ability will be more than welcome. Just as importantly, when he gets there, he makes them (career 85.8%).

Shot creation: Mid-range​

As is the case with many elite scoring guards, Thomas relies heavily on the mid-range game—roughly 50% of his career shot attempts come from this area of the court. The good news is that he’s typically (more) efficient in this area, hitting between 41–53% on all mid-range shots for his career.

Against Minnesota, Thomas went to the mid-range much less frequently than he typically does, likely because he was so effective getting to the rim. He was, however, able to create space for a decent look at a floater and splashed a more customary stop-on-a-dime pull-up from the elbow. With the Bucks often finding themselves in scoring droughts, this ability will certainly prove useful.

Shot creation: Long range​

What about from three? According to Cleaning the Glass, Thomas typically takes about a third of his shots from downtown, with nearly all of these coming from above the break. From a Bucks’ perspective, he compares most similarly to KPJ, able to hit the tough ones that leave you in awe—just check out the first one in the clip below—but prone to cold streaks (there’s a reason his career three-point percentage sits at 34.3%). What he does offer, though, is the ability to create—and make—a shot when there isn’t one. And there’s always a need for that.

Off-ball scoring​

Let’s be frank, Thomas has always been a ball-dominant guy. But considering the Nets teams he’s been on, you can’t really blame him—and to force him into an off-ball role would negate many of the positives he does offer. Against the Wolves, Thomas showed at least some capabilities after giving up the rock. On the first, he times his cut perfectly, using the confusion of Michael Porter Jr.’s movement to create a passing lane for Day’Ron Sharpe—and again draws contact. On the second, he relocates behind the arc and makes the catch-and-shoot triple. So, he doesn’t have to pound the rock all the time.

Creation for others​

Thomas will never be confused with Steve Nash, but he can create effectively for others. His 21.8% assist percentage this year puts him in the 65th percentile among combo guards (per CTG), between guys like Derrick White (22.6%) and Amen Thompson (20.8%), and would rank fourth on the Bucks behind Giannis, KPJ, and Ryan Rollins. So, perspective and expectation play a role, but if you accept Thomas as a scorer first (and, let’s be honest, second—and maybe third), he can pleasantly surprise you with his ability to help others.

Against the Wolves, Thomas did this in a number of ways—kick-outs to three-point shooters, lobs, dump-offs, and finding the open man. Regardless of the pass type, each of these has one thing in common: Thomas weaponises the attention he draws from multiple defenders to create opportunities for teammates. More please!

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Thomas might not have been the trade deadline star many Bucks fans clamoured for, or even the Nets player they really wanted, but he’s not a bad consolation prize—especially considering Milwaukee didn’t have to give up anything to get him. Really, the move was a no-brainer. Offering elite shot-making and creation, the ability to get to the line, ball handling, plus comfort and confidence when the shot-clock is running down, Thomas has assets the Bucks absolutely need.

His overall impact is heavily reliant on one Doc Rivers, though. In an ideal scenario, Rivers gets Thomas to embrace a role as a bench scorer in a similar manner to many other “shoot first, ask questions later” guards. Fortunately, Rivers has experience to lean on, having coached Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams into Sixth Man of the Year awards while with the Los Angeles Clippers. And if that’s not enough to sway Thomas, Rivers just needs to show him his Wolves tape where, for one night at least, he was better than the best shooting guard in the world.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-analysis/59836/cam-thomas-milwaukee-roster-fit

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks vs. Thunder Player Grades: Dieng goes bang, six others drop double figures in statement win

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 12: Ousmane Dieng #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 12, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Milwaukee Bucks took down the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder 110-93 in what might have been their best team performance of the year. Granted, this was nowhere near OKC’s best team, missing a bunch of guys, including their two initiators in SGA and Jalen Williams, but the Thunder are tough to beat with whoever they’ve got. Having seven Bucks reach double-digit scoring just shows how well the team moved the ball and played off each other. Brilliant stuff. 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​

AJ Green​

38 minutes, 17 points, 3 assists, 6/14 FG, 5/11 3P, +17

If you watch closely, you can see how much AJ’s game has evolved this season—last night was a prime example. At Green’s size, getting his shot off is half the battle, and his trigger has gotten so much quicker, whether that be off the dribble or off the catch, but he keeps getting more and more off. His passing game—and particularly his ability to manipulate in the pick-and-roll—has also improved leaps and bounds. He had a play last night where he came hard off the pick, probed the drop big to the point where they slightly committed to him, which forced the corner defender to tag the roller, opening up the wing shooter, whom AJ promptly hit with his left hand. Scrumdiddlyumptious!

Grade: A

Kevin Porter Jr.​

31 minutes, 12 points, 7 assists, 3 steals, 3 turnovers, 6/15 FG, 0/1 3P, +12

A solid passing game from KPJ, but you hope for better efficiency and less turnovers (like he showed in the previous games).

Grade: C+

Bobby Portis​

29 minutes, 15 points, 3 assists, 12 rebounds, 6/11 FG, 3/6 3P, +19

After a few down games, Bobby played much better in this one. He took advantage of his size against the smaller OKC lineup, making the right play more often than not. Love the rebounding as well.

Grade: B

Ousmane Dieng​

36 minutes, 19 points, 6 assists, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, 1 steal, 0 turnovers, 7/12 FG, 3/6 3P, +16

Dieng continues to impress. He’s obviously shot the ball really well thus far, which is notable because he’s a career 30% three-point shooter. However, the part of his offensive game that impressed me the most last night was his ability to mix it up and take what the defence gave him. He drove with purpose off hand-offs, scoring once for himself and lobbing to the roller on the other. He curled hard off an off-ball screen and nailed a movement three. There was even a play where he got the rebound and immediately pushed it coast-to-coast before finishing at the rim with a nice Euro-step. I wrote in the preview that I wanted to see if he could “get places” against an elite defence, and he did exactly that. Oh, and then there’s the five stocks on defense. Whew!

Grade: A+

Kyle Kuzma​

28 minutes, 14 points, 5/15 FG, 2/6 3P, +8

Not the greatest offensive showing from Kuz, but he did hit some big shots at crucial moments. I also liked his defence; thought his physicality was great.

Grade: C

Cam Thomas​

20 minutes, 12 points, 2 assists, 5/13 FG, 1/6 3P, +15

This is the difference between what happens when Cam tries to score (in the iso-heavy way that he does) against a good defence vs. a mediocre one. Somewhat like KPJ, I suspect it’ll be a roller coaster ride this year watching Thomas. There will be high highs and low lows.

Grade: C-

Jericho Sims​

20 minutes, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 4/5 FG, +6

As Zac wrote in the player grades for the last game, Sims just looks so much more confident out there. Dare I say, it even looks like he’s having fun! Sure, the box score isn’t as spectacular as last game, but the way he’s attacking the glass and playing with physicality has been awesome to watch.

Grade: B+

Pete Nance​

24 minutes, 11 points, 7 rebounds, 4/6 FG, 3/5 3P, +4

Just another awesome game from Nance. I guess he’s just a capital-S shooter now!? He’s letting that thing go with confidence, man. I also love the way he’s playing with quick instincts. There was a play last night where he flashed high to receive the cross-court pass, flipped it to AJ Green (who was moving at speed before Nance even caught it), and screened for him. Green then threw it back on the short roll, and Nance had the wherewithal to quickly toss it to the corner before the help arrived.

Grade: A-

Darvin Ham​

Hey man, credit where it’s due. Ham (and Doc in previous games) managed the lineups really well. I’ve noticed, in general, they seem to be moving away from specialists like Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince, and (to an extent) Gary Harris in favour of “basketball players.” Meaning guys who can pass, dribble, shoot, and defend at a decent level, even if they aren’t elite at one of those skills. Ousmane Dieng is a good example of this sort of player. He’s probably not the standstill shooter that Trent is, but he’s a lot more playable in different contexts. And to be clear, Dieng still has to prove himself over the season, but speaking just as a conceptual matter. This is where basketball is heading; specialists will go by the wayside soon enough, if they haven’t already. Off the top of my head, think about Corey Kispert and Luke Kennard; these dudes just aren’t coveted the way they used to be.

Grade: A-

Garbage time: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Andre Jackson Jr., Gary Trent Jr.

DNP-CD: Gary Harris

Inactive: Alex Antetokounmpo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Taurean Prince, Myles Turner, Ryan Rollins

Bonus Bucks Bits​

• Mark Daigneault on Ousmane Dieng: “He was great. He was great last night too. We want guys to leave here and do well. We’re rooting for him. And he deserves that. He’s got a lot of good basketball ahead.” (Credit to Brandon Rahbar on Twitter for the quote).
• An underrated element of being tall and able to handle the ball is that you don’t have to be super explosive to get places on the court. Dieng can make simple reads well because he can pass over people. That said, I still think he needs to work on that part of his game to reach another level.
• If the Bucks keep winning, there’s going to come a point where I’m off “team tank.” I’m not there yet, but legit wins against quality teams will get me there. It’ll be hard to do “better” than 10th anyway; Chicago is playing like 13 guards and two centres right now. I’m joking, but seriously, that might actually be true!
• I found some of the OKC bench’s reactions to Dieng’s shotmaking throughout the game quite amusing.
• The Bucks were going at Jared McCain a lot, both as an on-ball and off-ball defender. They tried to hide him on AJ Green, which did not work.
• Nikola Topic. Welcome back, young fella.

Up Next​

Now all the teams get a long break with All-Star weekend coming up. The Bucks are back on February 20 against the New Orleans Pelicans; it’s a road game. Catch the action on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 7:00 p.m. Central.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...er-player-grades-stats-ousmane-dieng-aj-green

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks vs. Magic Player Grades: Cam Thomas explodes; KPJ triple-doubles and the Bucks win

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 11: Cam Thomas #24 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Orlando Magic during the fourth quarter at Kia Center on February 11, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Milwaukee Bucks got their revenge on the Orlando Magic last night in a performance that offers a lot of reasons for optimism moving forward. For at least one night, Jon Horst’s deadline deals made him look like a genius, with Cam Thomas leading the charge and Ousmane Dieng having a career night, among a plethora of Bucks who came up big. 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​

Myles Turner​

31 minutes, 5 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 2/4 FG, 1/2 3PT, +6

Turner wasn’t able to find many looks on offence, but boy did he show some cojones with that late three. His defence was strong all night too—he’s at least partly responsible for limiting Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. to a combined 6/23—and he was aggressive pursuing defensive rebounds. Overall, a quality performance from the big man.

Grade: B

AJ Green​

30 minutes, 6 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2/6 FG, 2/6 3PT, +1

After a top-notch performance to open the two-game series in Orlando, Green was held in check in this one. He looked threatening, and his gravity certainly helped, but he just wasn’t able to generate the same shot volume he did previously. Not a bad performance by any means, though.

Grade: C

Kyle Kuzma​

30 minutes, 15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 5/15 FG, 1/7 3PT, 4/4 FT, +6

Kuzma’s shooting line might make you wince, and there were certainly some questionable attempts, but it’s a little deceiving overall—he had to hoist at least a few late ones to beat the shot clock. Importantly, he didn’t let his inefficiency reduce his aggressiveness, which proved pivotal in a late go-ahead layup. Defensively, Kuz bodied up quite well too.

Grade: C+

Kevin Porter Jr.​

39 minutes, 18 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 blocks, 5/14 FG, 1/3 3PT, 7/7 FT, +11

Like Kuzma, Porter’s shooting line is an eyesore, but it’s hard to fault him too much considering his overall production, and he certainly wasn’t forcing shots like he sometimes does. His rim pressure was essential, keeping the scoreboard ticking over, and he was active on the boards and finding teammates—especially Sims—for easy finishes. But two other moments stand out most as difference makers—shaking off what looked like a painful corked thigh and coming across in help to swat Desmond Bane at the rim. “Leadership.” “Dawg.” Call it what you will, know it was big.

Grade: B+

Jericho Sims​

36 minutes, 17 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 6/6 FG, 5/5 FT, +8

Sims must have really thought his spot was up for grabs when the Bucks traded for Nick Richards because he has found a new level ever since. Last night, he was near-flawless, dominating the paint; using his power to throw down lobs and his strength to either grab rebounds or draw fouls battling for them. It’s so refreshing to see Sims play with such confidence. And fight. Zion, Pascal, and now twice against Paolo, Sims sure is making a name for himself as a stopper. You get an A!

Grade: A+

Cam Thomas​

25 minutes, 34 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 12/20 FG, 4/6 3PT, 6/6 FT, +6

What a way to introduce yourself! While the opening few minutes might’ve had you worried, Thomas quickly put those thoughts to bed, showing-out in his first real game as a Buck, and doing what he does best—fill it up. Drives to the rim, pull-ups, leaners, runners, treys. You name it, Thomas hit it, showing off the full offensive arsenal in a game where the Bucks absolutely needed it. In the third, he went supernova, and it if wasn’t for some timely Magic threes, his play could’ve easily led to the Bucks running away with it. Still, he came up big in the fourth too—and the bomb to end it was cinematic. You get an A!

Grade: A+

Ousmane Dieng​

23 minutes, 17 points, 3 rebounds, 6/10 FG, 5/8 3PT, +6

Well, we just might have found one, folks. Despite seldom playing with the Oklahoma City Thunder over the past four years, being immersed in that championship environment has clearly rubbed off—Dieng looked like a seasoned vet last night, playing poised, taking the right shots, and holding up defensively. The career-highs stand out, but Dieng was also valuable as a release valve ball handler when KPJ or Thomas were forced to give it up. Just outstanding. You get an A!

Grade: A

Bobby Portis​

16 minutes, 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1/5 FG, 0/3 3PT, 2/2 FT, +1

Portis might have only played 16 minutes, but every one of them felt long. As Jack said in the previous player grades, the Magic are just a tough matchup for Bobby, and that’s okay. What isn’t, is picking up a technical foul in a one-possession game, getting called for a lane violation, and coughing it up twice in so few minutes. You know what you’re getting.

Grade: F

Doc Rivers​

Rivers pushed a lot of the right buttons last night, giving extended minutes to Thomas, Dieng, and Sims. He also managed Porter’s and Thomas’ minutes effectively, which was essential considering they were the only legitimate ball handlers available. Limiting Portis was crucial too, though for some reason he played him extensively in the fourth and it almost cost the Bucks the game. Overall, though, it was a well-coached game—and he even won a coach’s challenge!

Grade: B

Limited Minutes: Gary Harris, Pete Nance.

DNP-CD: Gary Trent Jr., Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Andre Jackson Jr.

Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ryan Rollins, Taurean Prince, Alex Antetokounmpo.

Bonus Bucks Bits​

• Dieng finished with a career-high five three pointers. If he can keep this up, he’ll be the starting small forward sooner rather than later. For what it’s worth, he’s confident. “I’ll shoot every time I’m open and yeah, I work on it and I know it’ll go in,” he said during post-game availability. We hope you’re right, ’Mane.
• Thomas’ 34 points were his second-highest total of the season, while his 60% shooting from the floor tied a season high. In his post-game media availability, he gave a very nonchalant, “Obviously everybody knows I can score,” but went on to talk about his playmaking as something that “gets underrated.” He’s not wrong.
• After grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds against Indiana, Sims scored a career-high 17 points in this one. Not a bad stretch for a guy who was looking like he might be on his way out of the league just a few weeks ago.
• As Morgan noted in the Stat That Stood Out, Milwaukee went a perfect 24/24 from the line. That, my friends, is rare.
• Averaging 24 minutes per game on the year, Portis played just 16 minutes for the second consecutive time. Again, just a bad matchup for the Mayor.
• He’s got a player option for next year, but the days of Gary Trent Jr. in Milwaukee seem to be numbered—despite Rollins not playing, Trent couldn’t get off the pine, receiving a DNP-CD for the second consecutive game.
• The Bucks dominated the rebounding battle 47-30 and also won the free throw battle (24/24 vs. 18/21). That’s progress!
• The Bucks won despite being out-shot by the Magic from three (20/47 to 14/36) and turning it over six more times (15 to 9). That’s… interesting.
• You’ve got to feel at least somewhat sorry for Pete Nance. Looking like a sure bet for a standard contract just a few days ago—after averaging 20.4 minutes per game over five games prior to heading to Orlando—Nance played just four minutes last night and 13 total over the two-game series.
• Mo Wagner continues to play annoyingly well against the Bucks, going for 12 points, five rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block. His brother Franz stunk it up, though. So, yeah, take that, Mo!

Up Next​

Right back at it, the Bucks take on the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight! You can find all the action on Prime Video—tip off is at 6:30 p.m. Central.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...tats-cam-thomas-kevin-porter-jr-ousmane-dieng

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Milwaukee Bucks Poll: Fans more optimistic about Giannis extension

Giannis Antetokounmpo at The 2026 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game held at the Kia Forum on February 13, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images) | Billboard via Getty Images

In this week’s Tuesday Tracker and our SB Nation Reacts survey, results are in from fan polling about the NBA trade deadline. Here are the highlights:

• Perhaps influenced by Giannis’ social media activity after the deadline, 57% of Bucks fans believe he will sign an extension with the team once he becomes eligible on October 1st, in a bit of a reversal from last week: seven days ago, 74% believed that the Bucks would still trade him this offseason, though most of those votes came in before the deadline.
• Another way of looking at this shift: 52% of respondents believe that the deadline’s circumstances increased the likelihood that Giannis will remain in Milwaukee next year, at least slightly. Compare that to 42% of those polled who believe it didn’t change anything.
• There is widespread satisfaction with the Cam Thomas signing, with 83% of Bucks fans in favor his minimum deal for the rest of the season.
• Even stronger is support for acquiring Ousmane Dieng in exchange for Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey, which is viewed favorably by 93% of voters.
• In light of this, Jon Horst’s approval rating rose above his disapproval rating for the first time since January 9th, with 44% approving and 36% disapproving. A week ago, those numbers were 25% and 50%, respectively.

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

Check out FanDuel, the official sportsbook of SB Nation.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-poll...o-cam-thomas-ousmane-dieng-jon-horst-approval

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Doc Rivers named Naismith Basketball HOF finalist, Marques Johnson named Veterans Committee finalist

MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 26: Jimmy Haslam, Marques Johnson, Junior Bridgeman and Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks pose for a photo during a press conference on September 26, 2024 at the Froedtert & Medical Science of Wisconsin Sports Science Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has been recongised as a finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame today for the Class of 2026 election. Aditionally, Bucks legend Marques Johnson has been named a finalist for the Veterans Committee. From Bucks PR:

A first-time finalist, Rivers is the winningest active NBA head coach. With a 1,183-846 (.583) coaching record, he ranks sixth in all-time wins among NBA head coaches after passing George Karl on Dec. 29, 2025. The 1999-00 NBA Coach of the Year, Rivers was named one of the 15 Greatest Coaches in NBA history in 2022 by a panel of 43 current and former NBA head coaches in collaboration with the National Basketball Coaches Association.

Joining Rivers as North American Committee finalists for the Class of 2026 are Joey Crawford (referee), Mark Few (coach), Blake Griffin (player), Kevin Johnson (player), Gary McKnight (coach), Dick Motta (coach), Kelvin Sampson (coach), Amar’e Stoudemire (player), Jerry Welsh (coach) and Buck Williams (player).

A three-time All-NBA honoree and five-time All-Star selection, Johnson played in 691 career games in 11 seasons with the Bucks (1977-1984), Clippers (1984-1987) and Golden State Warriors (1989-1990). He holds career averages of 20.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 34.3 minutes per game. The third overall pick by Milwaukee in the 1977 NBA Draft, Johnson helped lead the Bucks to the playoffs six times, including two Eastern Conference Finals appearances.

Johnson ranks among Milwaukee’s all-time leaders in several statistical categories, including second in offensive rebounds (1,468), fourth in total rebounds (3,923), fifth in defensive rebounds (2,455), fifth in field goal percentage (.530), eighth in total points (10,980), eighth in steals (697), ninth in minutes played (18,240) and 10th in blocks (439). A current TV analyst with Milwaukee, Johnson became the ninth player in Bucks history to have his jersey retired.

The Class of 2026 will be unveiled on April 4 at the NCAA Final Four.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-news...f-fame-marques-johnson-veterans-committee-nba

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Rapid Recap: Bucks 116, Magic 108

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 11: Cam Thomas #24 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball against Jase Richardson #11 of the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Kia Center on February 11, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Milwaukee Bucks got sweet, sweet revenge on the Orlando Magic, 116-108. In one of the most entertaining games all season, new acquisition Cam Thomas exploded for 34 points and Kevin Porter Jr. notched an 18-point, 10-rebound, 11-assist triple-double. Desmond Bane went off from deep with 31 points I guess, but it wasn’t enough.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap​

Desmond Bane splashed home a couple triples early to put Orlando in front. The absence of Ryan Rollins was sorely felt; KPJ was doing slightly too much and I wrote “Kuz crazy drive” in my notes four times. The Bucks were able to chip away at the lead thanks to free throws and the Magic sputtering, before not scoring for four minutes. That’s in part because Thomas entered the game and followed Kuzma’s lead. Jericho Sims’ heroic work on the offensive boards didn’t cancel out another two Bane threes. A woof of a 24-20 after one.

Milwaukee started strong with three turnovers in two minutes. Then Cam went nuclear, while Orlando mostly responded in kind; but hey, at least offense was happening. Despite Anthony Black picking up where he left off on Monday, the Bucks got within two after Turner’s first shot of the game (at the 3:23 mark). Ousmane “Lanky Smoove” Dieng splashed his third (!) and fourth (!!) threes—more threes in a half than DJ Wilson ever made in a game—on the way to the Bucks barely reclaiming the lead 52-51 going into the break.

The Bucks mostly held a small lead in the third. AJ Green and Jalen Suggs traded threes early, alongside some patented Jericho oops courtesy of KPJ. Fun things were happening: Dieng set a career high in threes, Paolo Banchero missed the first FT of the game around the nine minute mark, and the Tough Shot Express officially returned in the form of Cam Thomas. Indeed, Thomas pulled some ridiculous antics as Milwaukee built a game-high lead of eight. Another Suggs three left it 88-83 Bucks after three.

Milwaukee slowly frittered away their lead, with Mo Wagner sinking a couple buckets and Bane living up to his name. But the Bucks were bending without breaking, powered by Jericho’s career high in points alongside truly incredible free-throw shooting (nearly cracking the Top 25 all-time for most makes without a miss!). It went down to the wire before a Turner three (his second make of the game!) and a CAM THOMAS three put the dagger into Orlando. Let’s go Bucks!

Stat That Stood Out​

24/24 free throws baby! Gotta take advantage of Giannis being out, lol.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-scor...er-jr-desmond-bane-ousmane-dieng-jericho-sims

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

The Bucks have a separation-of-powers problem

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 21: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Fiserv Forum on January 21, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Not four years ago, the Bucks had an elite on-court product, massively spurred by stability and synergy from ownership on down. Now, despite the recent good form, the team is overall in a much worse spot, and while some of the reasons for that have been beyond the Bucks’ control, many have been within their control. Over the last three or so years, this franchise has made avoidable error after avoidable error, largely culminating in the current product.

What I noticed while investigating these errors is that many share a common theme: a lack of synergy between the franchise’s different arms and, in some cases, power brokers. More specifically, there was either a lack of conviction by the arm with decision-making responsibility to go with its gut, or an arm without that responsibility overruled the arm with it, resulting in a bad decision. Therefore, I decided to dive deep into three examples of this phenomenon in the following areas: coaching hires, injury management, and possibly even the drafting process. Let’s begin with coaching hires.

A heck of a mess: The post-Budenholzer hiring debacle​

The Budenholzer-to-Griffin-to-Rivers fiasco was easily the most consequential example of how a lack of organisational synergy left the Bucks in a hot mess. Whatever you may think in hindsight, it was widely accepted in 2023 that coach Bud’s time had come, and a new voice was needed. The initial search was far-reaching, but in the end, the Bucks’ brain trust settled on three finalists: Nick Nurse, Kenny Atkinson, and Adrian Griffin.

Of course, they went with Adrian Griffin, who would go on to be about as incompetent as one can be in the top job, getting fired halfway through the first year of his three-year contract (yes, I know, 30-13 record; that was not because of anything he did, and I’ll stand on that forever). When you think about it, the only logical explanation as to why they didn’t just wait to fire Griff at the end of the year—when the replacement options would be plentiful—was that he was creating so much tension that it simply could not wait, which is bonkers.

So, who gets the blame for Griffin’s hiring? Marc Stein’s reporting states that Horst wanted Nurse, but Giannis wanted Griffin, and that won out. Now, you might think that’s your answer right there: Antetokounmpo is to blame. Sure, Giannis definitely deserves some blame; knowing his opinion carries such considerable weight, he probably should’ve done more homework. But overall, you’ll seldom hear me criticise a player for doing anything other than their play. My knee-jerk reaction is to blame Horst for not trusting himself, because his instincts about Nurse being the man for the job were probably right.

Then again, in the front office’s defence, the context of the 2023 offseason was clearly very relevant to Horst’s decision-making. The Bucks had just gotten bounced in the first round, and rumors were swirling about Antetokounmpo’s future (almost as much as they were in 2020) because he was extension-eligible. Therefore, it was understandable for the Bucks’ brain trust to both involve Giannis in the process and weigh his opinion so heavily that his preference overrode the GM’s.

Looking back, this leaves you in a pickle when evaluating if there was a “right move” or not. On the one hand, the Griffin era was an abject failure from a team standpoint, and it also led to utter chaos following his ouster. Injuries or not, the team was never going to be a contender under AG (or his replacement), which we sometimes forget is the entire goal behind all of this. On the other hand, assuming the initial coaching hire influenced Antetokounmpo’s decision to sign the extension (which, to be fair, we don’t actually know for certain), the Griffin hire was objectively a successful move!

But let’s move on from that and briefly discuss the Doc Rivers hire in more detail. There were a few options on the table. Nick Nurse had taken the head job in Philly, so he was out, but Kenny Atkinson was still available. Kevin O’Connor’s reporting states that Horst wanted Atkinson but was overruled by the ownership group, who wanted Doc Rivers. So once again, the lack of synergy reared its ugly head. The front office wanted one guy, whom they had already vetted extensively, but were overruled by the ownership group.

Which leads us to where we’re at now. The Rivers hire has gone about as expected. Had Giannis signed the extension under Nurse or Atkinson, the franchise at large would likely be in a much better position right now. However, the reality is that we don’t know if he would have signed under another coach, as crazy as that sounds in hindsight, making Horst’s decision to hire Griffin easily defensible. Who to blame for the Doc hire, though, seems pretty unambiguous. Giannis was not a factor, and Horst had a strong candidate ready to go; unfortunately, ownership decided they wanted to run point on that one, completely bungling it.

Playing with fire: Questions around the injury management of Giannis​

I can apply this framework to the situation that has played out with Giannis’ continued calf injuries. In his recent interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Antetokounmpo admitted he returned too early from his initial calf injury this season, which we can only assume led to his reinjury about a month ago (at least in part). My question is: knowing what we know about calf injuries, how was there any world in which he returned in anything other than tip-top condition the first time around?

Look, I’ll guess that the 65-game rule for award eligibility had something to do with it from Giannis’ end. Not that it matters, but my personal response to that is blunt: I don’t care. He needs to know that his health is more important than some award (p.s., this is why the 65-game rule is stupid, but I digress). But then there’s the more pressing questions surrounding the game in which he reinjured that calf, the main one being: why was he allowed to continue playing when it was clear he wasn’t right? The broadcast kept pointing it out; those watching could see it. Heck, Doc even admitted it himself!

“I thought he was favoring it for most of the second half. I asked our [medical staff] five different times. I didn’t like what my eyes were seeing, personally. Giannis was defiant about staying in. On that one play, seeing him try to run down the floor, to me, I’d had enough. I didn’t ask, I just took him out.“

And yet and still, Rivers didn’t take him out until right at the end when he couldn’t move? Oh, how noble of him. Doc referred to notifying the medical staff “five different times,” and they also didn’t demand he come out? Huh? Going back through some of Antetokounmpo’s postgame quotes from that night made me incredibly frustrated.

“I don’t like to quit. I couldn’t explode, jog, get on my toes, so I was jogging on my heels. I didn’t have the same explosiveness, but I still felt like I could help. But then at the end, when it popped, I had to get out.”

“I was feeling it [for] a majority of the game, but I did not want to stop playing. But at the end, I could not move, so I had to stop.”

It is baffling to me that he wasn’t taken out the second he felt discomfort (in a random game in a lost season, no less). The man fully admitted he wasn’t feeling right for a majority of the game, was changing his running biomechanics because of it, and people did nothing because they presumably didn’t want to be the “bad guy” and save him from himself. That is crazy to me. What makes Antetokounmpo so great is that he’ll do anything to win, including playing through pain—it’s the Bucks’ duty of care to stand in his way. And judging from these quotes, how could there be any other conclusion than that they failed in that duty of care?

Sliding doors moment: Was Milwaukee about to select Kyshawn George before Jon Horst stepped in?​

Something in the media surfaced recently that made me question how the Bucks’ drafting process works and whether that department is another lacking trust and synergy. And I want to be clear upfront that I am putting on my tinfoil hat and 100% speculating here, which I don’t love to do, but honestly, I just had to put this in writing. My question is: how trusted are the scouts, who work exclusively on the draft, to make selections on draft night?

What prompted this thought for me? Well, I listen to the Old Man And The Three podcast. Recently, they recorded an episode with some of the Washington Wizards’ young core: Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr, and Bilal Coulibaly. On the podcast, each player discussed their pre-draft process and the teams they worked out with and/or had interest from. George (14:45–15:03) singled out just one team, Milwaukee, as the franchise he believed was likely to select him:

“To be honest, I had a couple teams that I had really, really, really good feedback [with], and it was kind of my floor, and they didn’t pick me”

“Which team?”

“The team was Milwaukee, actually. I had an individual workout with them; that went pretty well. Had pretty good feedback from them. And then after [they didn’t pick me], I was like, ‘oh, I guess we’re going to have to see.’”

Whether you, like many online, read that as a “promise” from the Bucks or not, it’s clear that, at minimum, there was significant interest. Of course, Milwaukee would select AJ Johnson instead, and Washington would snap up Kyshawn George with the very next pick. Now, hearing that reminded me that the Bucks themselves made an all-access video of their 2024 draft. I rewatched this video out of curiosity and found quite an interesting nugget (2:08–2:17) relating to their picking Johnson, and that was the wording Jon Horst used to announce it:

“With what we see on the board, we’re going to go for a big swing here. We’re going to change the board a little bit. We’re going to take AJ Johnson.”

Again, I have no way of confirming this, but it seems relatively clear that Horst made an executive decision to override the draft board and, by his own admission, “swing.” Recall that AJ Johnson was not seen as a first-round pick by the NBA at large, evidenced by his not receiving a green room invite (unlike Kyshawn George). Would he really have been rated as a first-round guy by the Bucks? Regardless, the pick missed by a country mile and, in hindsight, the Bucks were lucky to get off AJ when he still had “intrigue.”

Granted, teams miss in the 20s all the time, but this one hurt a little extra because we know from George’s own admission that he was nearly a Buck. Ironically, this situation is eerily similar to the 2022 draft, when, per the Zach Lowe Show (51:05–52:05), the Bucks worked out Andrew Nembhard twice and also loved him, only to use their pick on MarJon Beauchamp. To put it bluntly, Milwaukee identified two studs late in the first round who’d each go ~20 spots higher in a redraft, were reportedly at the 10-yard line with both, only to pass on them for two busts who’d go ~20 spots lower in a redraft. Sliding doors, man. Sliding doors.

And sure, this isn’t really the same as the other separation-of-powers arguments I’ve made, as Jon Horst does play a key role in scouting and drafting; these aren’t “separate arms” getting in each other’s way. It also could very well be a one-off situation. But it’s fair to say that scouts, unlike Horst, are singularly focused on the draft year-round, and thus their opinions should hold a lot of weight in this specific area. If Horst indeed overrode the draft board to take a consensus second-round prospect at 23, he’d better have been confident that the prospect would turn out good (or even average!), which they did not. Not even close.

---

Well, there you have it. I think it’s more than fair to say a lack of synergy and trust from top to bottom in the Bucks organisation has played a key role in their demise. It’s clear that as the franchise approaches another major inflection point in the offseason, that can no longer continue. At the same time, it’s not all bad. The Bucks have made a bunch of shrewd moves around the edges that help to make up for these mistakes. Unearthing Ryan Rollins and AJ Green has, in many ways, saved them. Ousmane Dieng’s first few games have been beyond exciting. Kevin Porter Jr. and Cam Thomas are both flawed but awfully talented. There’s a lot to be excited about, but no franchise runs well when different factions are on different wavelengths.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...ian-griffin-giannis-kyshwan-george-aj-johnson

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

What happened to the Bucks’ once-prolific three-guard lineup? Part 1

SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 22: AJ Green #20, Gary Trent Jr. #5 and Kevin Porter Jr. #3 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 22, 2025 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

In the Bucks’ third preseason game, not only did Giannis make his preseason debut, but so did the starting lineup of Kevin Porter Jr., AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr., and Myles Turner around the two-time MVP. Playing these three guards together is curious, and a bit unconventional: Trent and Green have (or at least had, last year) overlapping skillsets, and neither was big enough to be a true three. But a similar small-ball “death lineup” with the three guards was so effective late last year that it became the talk of the offseason: Marques Johnson called the guard trio “the triumverate” in his appearance on our podcast Deer Diaries, as well as on his own, Hear District.

After Damian Lillard went down with deep vein thrombosis late in the year and missed the last fourteen games, the lineup of Porter, Green, Trent, Giannis, and Bobby Portis in Brook Lopez’s stead became an increasingly key part of victories, particularly during their season-ending eight-game win streak. It never started a game, but was the closing lineup for several important wins, notably against Minnesota and Detroit. We didn’t actually see that much of those five—after all, Porter didn’t join the team until February—but by the numbers, it was perhaps their most successful group, according to two sources:

• NBA.com Lineups Tool: 42 minutes, 144.6 offensive rating, 93.4 defensive rating, +51.2 net rating
• Cleaning The Glass: 88 possessions, 151.1 offensive rating, 96.6 defensive rating, +54.6 net rating

NBA.com ranked KPJ/Green/Trent/Giannis/Portis eighth in the entire league among lineups that played at least 30 minutes. CTG ranks it 100th percentile in net rating and offensive rating, and 95th in defensive rating. Compare these numbers with every lineup that played more minutes than them:

Lineup	Poss.	Net	%tile	ORtg	%tile	DRtg	%tile
Lillard/Jackson/Prince/Giannis/Lopez	653	-2.2	34th	110.9	27th	113.0	52nd
Lillard/Prince/Kuzma/Giannis/Lopez	428	+6.7	57th	116.4	45th	109.6	64th
Lillard/Trent/Prince/Giannis/Lopez	388	+1.3	44th	122.4	68th	121.1	22nd
Rollins/Prince/Kuzma/Giannis/Lopez	294	+13.0	73rd	130.3	89th	117.2	34th
Lillard/Green/Trent/Portis/Lopez	250	+20.4	86th	122.8	70th	102.4	87th
Lillard/Green/Prince/Giannis/Lopez	225	+16.9	80th	115.0	40th	89.2	93rd
Lillard/Trent/Prince/Portis/Lopez	167	+3.7	51st	120.4	63rd	116.7	37th
Lillard/Trent/Middleton/Giannis/Portis	112	+34.1	98th	141.1	99th	107.0	74th
Lillard/Green/Trent/Giannis/Lopez	108	+17.7	82nd	125.9	78th	108.3	70th
Lillard/Jackson/Middleton/Giannis/Lopez	96	-4.5	30th	107.3	18th	111.8	56th
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Sims	96	+4.2	51st	106.3	17th	102.0	88th
Lillard/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Sims	92	-27.2	3rd	101.1	8th	128.3	8th

If Doc had given them more run, they’d still probably be elite, even with some regression. Among groups with at least 100 possessions, the league’s best was the Clippers’ James Harden, Kris Dunn, Norm Powell, Amir Coffey (lol), and Ivica Zubac at +47.7 in 121 possessions. Hell, with the minimum set to 88 possessions, the Portis group was still tops—the only higher net belonged to one also broken up last offseason: Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, Tari Eason, and Alperen Sengun in Houston. No other lineup came very close to these Bucks and Rockets “death lineups,” unless you lowered the threshold even further to find ones like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Joe, Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Jalen Williams in OKC at +63.0 in 73 possessions.

Of course, Lopez left this offseason, and Turner assumed his mantle. The logic went that slotting Turner alongside Giannis and the guards, rather than Portis or Lopez, would work. Ergo, if you ask most Bucks fans online last offseason which five players they wanted Doc Rivers to play from the jump this year, their answer was Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Turner. That’s indeed what they got, as we saw in the season opener against Washington. But we haven’t seen it at a tipoff since, thanks in part to KPJ’s and Giannis’ injuries, plus Ryan Rollins’ emergence. In fact, since Porter sprained his ankle on opening night, that fivesome has played just 10 more minutes in only two games.

It’s been exceptional in the little time we’ve seen it: Cleaning The Glass, which filters out heaves and garbage time, has their net rating at +43.2 in 37 possessions, with a 154.1 offensive rating (both rank in the 100th percentile leaguewide) and a 110.8 defensive rating (85th). NBA.com has them at +48.9 in 17 total minutes this year, with an offensive rating of 156.8 and a defensive rating of 107.9. When asked how Porter, Green, and Trent were gelling so far in the preseason, here was Doc from his comments on October 12th, when we first saw them start with Giannis and Turner:

“They like it… They gotta keep moving to ball… there’ll be nights where we can’t go with three guards. When we go with [Kyle Kuzma] or [Amir Coffey] or [Taurean Prince]. But for the most part, we think we can do it. Our guards got a lot of toughness about them, so we think we can do it.”

Well, it turns out there were a lot of those nights, but Doc isn’t necessarily wrong. In all lineups where the three guards have played together, CTG gives them a +3.8 net in 129 possessions, though that’s based on defense: their defensive rating is 105.5, in the 97th percentile. Perhaps because of Trent’s decline, their offensive rating is a putrid, way down in 11th. That’s still a good lineup, but of course, these stats are buoyed by the opening-night starting five that includes Giannis. Remove that lineup from the equation, and you have eight with even stinkier offense—a 91.3 offensive rating (oth)—and elite defense—a 103.3 defensive rating (99th). That results in a -12.0 net over 92 possessions (8th). None of those eight other lineups include Giannis, meaning he’s barely played alongside these three guards this year.

Milwaukee has used last year’s +54.6 net “death lineup” (featuring Portis only once this year), not even for a full minute. That’s not too surprising because of injuries to two of its key members, so what about its effectiveness with Turner? Given his similar scoring ability and vastly superior defense to those of Portis, it’s easy to infer that swapping Turner in would work swimmingly. Similar formula: three guards with three-and-D capability, a big who also has an outside shot, and two ballhandlers, one of whom is freaking Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Nevertheless, I’m probably not the only one who both wanted the KPJ/Green/Trent/Giannis/Turner quintet on opening night, but also wondered if the success with Portis—and by extension, starting three guards—was a mirage. So I decided to do a little exercise comparing lineups from one year to the next around the league and see how they fared. But I had some parameters to set, given how relatively little the Portis group actually played. Even though they use minutes instead of possessions and don’t filter out garbage time, here I used NBA.com’s stats because I could set my minimum to 30 minutes.

Given the amount of annual roster turnover in the NBA, it’s not easy to find lineups that succeeded significant action in their first year and kept it up with a similar or larger minute load the following season. Trickier yet was to find a killer group that went from much more limited exposure—like our Portis example—to a modestly featured group. Or from under 100 minutes to a starting lineup that played most of the season. It would be even more cumbersome to go back years and years using these parameters. For now, let’s stick to 2023–24 and 2024–25, so we have full-season data. How did groups translate their success in limited playing time to the next league year? Here’s what I found:

Lineup	Team	MP	23–24 Net	MP	24–25 Net	Diff.
Mitchell/Allen/Strus/Garland/Wade	CLE	55	19.8	48	8.3	-11.5
LeVert/Niang/Mitchell/Struss/Mobley	CLE	42	10.4	72	-18.5	-28.9
SGA/Dort/Joe/Holmgren/J. Williams	OKC	101	16.0	53	4.7	-11.3
SGA/Dort/Wiggins/Holmgren/J. Williams	OKC	34	20.2	31	8.6	-11.6
SGA/Dort/Joe/Wallace/J. Williams	OKC	32	31.1	58	33.2	+2.1
Horford/White/Pritchard/Hauser/Tatum	BOS	31	50.8	38	-9.6	-60.4
Horford/White/Porzingis/Brown/Tatum	BOS	118	16.2	36	-9.4	-25.6
Horford/Holiday/Porzingis/Brown/Tatum	BOS	55	13.6	36	10.1	-3.5
Horford/Holiday/Porzingis/Brown/White	BOS	56	17.2	77	11.4	-5.8
Horford/Holiday/Porzingis/Tatum/White	BOS	87	13.0	56	8.0	-5.0
Horford/Holiday/Pritchard/Tatum/Hauser	BOS	105	16.8	31	10.2	-6.6
Holiday/Tatum/Kornet/Pritchard/Hauser	BOS	96	33.7	38	38.8	+5.1
Brown/White/Kornet/Pritchard/Hauser	BOS	34	20.9	39	7.8	-13.1
Holiday/Porzingis/Brown/Tatum/White	BOS	623	11.0	357	0.0	-11.0
Turner/Nembhard/Toppin/Haliburton/Nesmith	IND	36	19.3	47	26.7	+7.4
Turner/Siakam/Nembhard/Haliburton/Mathurin	IND	104	0.2	435	11.9	+11.7
Gordon/Jokic/Murray/Porter/Braun	DEN	28	8.6	426	10.6	+2.0
VanVleet/Brooks/Green/Sengun/Thompson	HOU	27	17.9	323	-7.6	-25.5

I threw in a weaker example from 2023–24—the +0.2 net Pacers group with Siakam—because of all the lineups I found that stayed together over both seasons, that one improved the most, from net-neutral to solidly above average. Granted, a few of these were only moderately successful in the first place, though it comes as little surprise that the best teams are generally keeping these groups together—it’s why those teams are good, after all. On the surface, the stats aren’t very encouraging; only five of the 18 lineups improved. And on average, their net dropped by 10.6 points per 100 possessions.

The good news is that 12 of these 18 lineups were at least productive (for reference, CTG says any lineup with a net of +10 or better was at least in the 64th percentile last year). And all these teams had at least one in 2023–24 that was really good, at +15.1 or better in at least 100 possessions, the top 20% of the league. Only three of those lineups improved in 2024–25, but the really elite groups—+31 or better, 95th percentile on up—stayed elite, except for the Boston example with Pritchard.

It’s worth pointing out that several more of the best 2023–24 lineups were broken up by player movement, most notably with Julius Randle and Isaiah Hartenstein leaving the Knicks, plus Josh Giddey leaving the Thunder. But much like the Bucks did with Turner, those teams replaced those guys with serious talent, so let’s see if any of the best 2023–24 lineups benefited from a personnel upgrade the following season. This will be a bit inexact (New York was especially tricky because of the Mikal Bridges acquisition), but I sought out successful 2023–24 lineups from teams that incorporated a high-profile offseason acquisition into similar 2024–25 lineups, or at least lineups that featured prominent returning players. I considered some other moves, like Paul George to Philadelphia, but there was too much turnover on these teams’ rosters between seasons to find similar-enough lineups. Anyway, onto the numbers, with offseason additions in bold (for the Knicks’ purposes, we’ll treat Quentin Grimes for Cam Payne as a wash):

Lineup	Team	MP	23–24 Net	MP	24–25 Net	Diff.
Anunoby/Hart/McBride/Grimes/Achiuwa	NYK	41	20.9
Anunoby/Hart/McBride/Payne/Towns	NYK	39	10.6	-10.3
Anunoby/Hart/Brunson/Grimes/Achiuwa	NYK	41	45.5
Anunoby/Hart/Brunson/McBride/Towns	NYK	84	34.4	-11.1
Randle/Grimes/Robinson/Hart/Brunson	NYK	109	-12.2
Towns/Anunoby/Payne/Hart/Brunson	NYK	98	25.7	+37.9
Randle/Anunoby/Hartenstein/Hart/Brunson	NYK	41	60.2
Towns/Anunoby/Payne/Hart/Brunson	NYK	98	25.7	-34.5
SGA/Wallace/Joe/J. Williams/K. Williams	OKC	55	35.6
SGA/Wallace/Joe/J. Williams/Hartenstein	OKC	38	-24.1	-59.7
SGA/Dort/Joe/Wallace/J. Williams	OKC	32	31.1
SGA/Dort/Hartenstein/Wallace/J. Williams	OKC	316	15.9	-15.2
SGA/Dort/Giddey/Wallace/J. Williams	OKC	35	-3.4
SGA/Dort/Hartenstein/Wallace/J. Williams	OKC	316	15.9	+19.3
SGA/Dort/Joe/J. Williams/Holmgren	OKC	101	16.0
SGA/Dort/Hartenstein/J. Williams/Holmgren	OKC	167	15.0	-1.0
SGA/Dort/Giddey/J. Williams/Holmgren	OKC	799	10.2
SGA/Dort/Hartenstein/J. Williams/Holmgren	OKC	167	15.0	+4.8
SGA/Wallace/Joe/Wiggins/J. Williams	OKC	42	5.8
SGA/Wallace/Hartenstein/Wiggins/J. Williams	OKC	30	-1.9	-7.7
Conley/Gobert/Towns/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	641	7.9
Conley/Gobert/Randle/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	714	3.2	-4.7
Conley/Gobert/Towns/Edwards/Alexander-Walker	MIN	124	7.6
Conley/Gobert/Randle/Edwards/Alexander-Walker	MIN	45	31.2	+23.6
Alexander-Walker/Gobert/Towns/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	106	6.4
Alexander-Walker/Gobert/Randle/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	146	8.0	+1.6
Alexander-Walker/Reid/Towns/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	44	44.5
Alexander-Walker/Reid/Randle/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	78	-3.5	-48.0

Coincidentally, these examples are all teams that added a new big man. These lineups’ net dropped by an average of 7.5 points per 100—better, but still not good. Again, most of the new lineups were great overall, though: eight of the 14 were at least +15.0. And ones that were excellent in small sample sizes were generally still great with more playing time. As before, these are some of the league’s teams, adding to groupings that already proved effective.

You might think I’ve strayed from the premise of this article a bit, but there were plenty of three-guard lineups above in OKC and New York. In part two, we’ll figure out whether three guards is still a look Milwaukee should use, with or without Turner. Spoiler alert: Gary Trent Jr. is exactly not part of the answer. And we’ll see if these patterns still hold when other teams add a prominent big man to their lineups, much like the Bucks did this offseason.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...porter-jr-aj-green-gary-trent-jr-ryan-rollins

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

What happened to the Bucks’ once-prolific three-guard lineup? Part 2

MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 30: Ryan Rollins #13, AJ Green #20, Myles Turner #3 and Kyle Kuzma #18 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrates during the game against the Golden State Warriors on October 30, 2025 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images

Late in the 2024–25 campaign, the Bucks featured a three-guard look that was quite effective, even in the playoffs: Kevin Porter Jr., AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr., Giannis, and Bobby Portis. It was so intriguing that many fans thought the answer this year would be to replace Portis with newcomer Myles Turner and run with it. But while that lineup has been good, we’ve barely seen it thanks to injuries and ineffectiveness. Still, we’ll attempt to figure out how playing three guards is going this year.

Yesterday, we found that when the best lineups stayed together over the 2024 offseason, they remained pretty good, even with a drop-off from increased playing time. That generally held when these teams swapped or added significant talent to their rotations too, improving their holdover lineups on paper. It also held when said talent came in the form of a big man.

But that was only entering last season. To get a handle on how it’s gone in recent years, we’re going to increase the scope here. I looked at teams that made a significant frontcourt acquisition the previous offseason, particularly additions who regularly played the five, then I compared how they integrated with smaller or less-talented groups from one year to the next. This dates back to offseason big man additions since 2018:

Lineup	Team	MP	Year 1 Net	MP	Year 2 Net	Diff.
Horford/G. Williams/Brown/White/Tatum	BOS	117	13.1
Horford/Porzingis/Brown/White/Tatum	BOS	118	16.2	+3.1
Horford/Smart/Brown/White/Tatum	BOS	432	12.2
Horford/Porzingis/Brown/White/Tatum	BOS	118	16.2	+4.0
Horford/R. Williams/Brown/White/Tatum	BOS	69	44.9
Horford/Porzingis/Brown/White/Tatum	BOS	118	16.2	-28.7
Horford/Brogdon/Brown/White/Tatum	BOS	48	2.0
Horford/Porzingis/Brown/White/Tatum	BOS	118	16.2	+14.2
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Vanderbilt	UTA	133	15.7
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Collins	UTA	256	4.3	-11.4
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Kessler	UTA	79	-0.1
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Collins	UTA	256	4.3	+4.4
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Beasley	UTA	37	-3.8
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Collins	UTA	256	4.3	+8.1
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Conley	UTA	30	30.4
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Sexton/Collins	UTA	256	4.3	-26.1
Olynyk/Clarkson/Markkanen/Horton-Tucker/Kessler	UTA	41	18.4
Collins/Clarkson/Markkanen/Horton-Tucker/Kessler	UTA	84	-22.1	-40.5
Russell/Towns/Vanderbilt/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	155	-4.6
Russell/Towns/Gobert/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	260	4.0	+8.6
Russell/Towns/Beasley/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	104	11.9
Russell/Towns/Gobert/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	260	4.0	-7.9
Russell/Towns/Beverley/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	76	10.7
Russell/Towns/Gobert/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	260	4.0	-6.7
Russell/Towns/Okogie/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	45	-0.9
Russell/Towns/Gobert/Edwards/McDaniels	MIN	260	4.0	+4.9
Thompson/Smart/Brown/Tatum/Theis	BOS	95	-4.3
Horford/Smart/Brown/Tatum/Theis	BOS	59	33.9	+38.2
Thompson/Smart/Brown/Tatum/G. Williams	BOS	32	30.1
Horford/Smart/Brown/Tatum/G. Williams	BOS	61	-13.7	-43.8
Valaciunas/Anderson/Melton/Morant/Bane	MEM	50	14.0
Adams/Anderson/Melton/Morant/Bane	MEM	60	-25.2	-39.2
Redick/Favors/Ingram/Ball/Hart	NO	94	-10.7
Redick/Adams/Ingram/Ball/Hart	NO	46	20.0	+30.7
Bledsoe/Henson/Middleton/Giannis/Brown	MIL	32	20.7
Bledsoe/Lopez/Middleton/Giannis/Brown	MIL	130	-10.4	-31.1
Bledsoe/Henson/Middleton/Giannis/Snell	MIL	606	5.8
Bledsoe/Lopez/Middleton/Giannis/Snell	MIL	67	3.5	-2.3
Bledsoe/Henson/Middleton/Giannis/Brogdon	MIL	224	13.0
Bledsoe/Lopez/Middleton/Giannis/Brogdon	MIL	597	5.7	-7.3
Bledsoe/Henson/Snell/Giannis/Brogdon	MIL	40	-23.4
Bledsoe/Lopez/Snell/Giannis/Brogdon	MIL	35	61.7	+85.1
Livingston/West/Iguodala/Thompson/Green	GS	139	9.4
Livingston/Cousins/Iguodala/Thompson/Green	GS	67	13.2	+3.8
Durant/Pachulia/Curry/Thompson/Green	GS	414	8.5
Durant/Cousins/Curry/Thompson/Green	GS	268	13.1	+4.6

These aren’t all elite teams by any means, but does the pattern above—the best lineups fell off but were still generally very good, and increased exposure lowered net ratings overall—hold? Well, lineups that shifted their biggest guy down the positional spectrum, then installed their shiny new big man in place of a guard or wing, sometimes saw a nice jump. Look at the Celtics replacing Malcom Brogdon with Kristaps Porzingis in 2023, then further down the list, Tristan Thompson with Al Horford in 2021. A post-ACL tear DeMarcus Cousins elevated some Warriors holdovers too.

On the other hand, newcomer Rudy Gobert plus lesser defender Karl-Anthony Towns lineups in Minnesota were a mixed bag, as were groups that added John Collins alongside one of Utah’s returning bigs, Kelly Olynyk or Walker Kessler. Even Lopez couldn’t elevate two of the Bucks’ better quintets in 2017–18, though they were still solid (the 20.7 net with Sterling Brown looks quite fluky).

Generally, though, new big men lineups did fit the pattern I mentioned: the four-returnees-plus-one-new-guy groups averaged a 1.5 points per 100 possessions decrease in their net rating. And when previous-year lineups saw an uptick in minutes, their net decreased 73% of the time. But the truly elite groups didn’t usually maintain a standard of excellence. Of all the fivesomes with net ratings above 12 (usually around 80th percentile), nearly all sank to league average or below in net, except for the Porzingis crews.

We now finally arrive to this year’s Bucks. Unfortunately, only two Milwaukee lineups with Turner replacing Lopez and the other four not changing have carried over from 2024–25 to 2025–26 thus far. The sample size is far too small to glean anything from:

Lineup	MP	24–25 Net	MP	25–26 Net	Diff.
Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Lopez	17	75.8
Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Turner	17	48.9	-26.9
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Lopez	43	-9.8
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Turner	4	18.3	+28.1

Though Giannis may be returning soon, we may not get more data on last year’s three-guard trio since Trent seems to have been replaced by Cam Thomas in the rotation. But it’s really Rollins who has replaced him in the Bucks’ three-guard groups, which they have used a lot this year: they’ve played 373 minutes together, which CTG defines as 754 non-garbage time possessions. They have a very solid 119.9 offensive rating and 111.0 defensive rating; a +8.9 net rating, good for the 90th percentile. Their most successful and most used groups slot Giannis alongside Portis, Turner, or Kuzma, though using Portis and Turner together has also worked in small doses (only seen in four games):

Lineup	Possessions	Net Rtg	%tile	ORtg	%tile	DRtg	%tile
Rollins/Porter/Green/Giannis/Turner	356	13.6	81st	123.0	74th	109.4	74th
Rollins/Porter/Green/Kuzma/Turner	99	-17.6	12th	104.0	11th	121.6	26th
Rollins/Porter/Green/Giannis/Portis	94	30.2	96th	120.2	62nd	90.0	99th
Rollins/Porter/Green/Sims/Turner	87	4.1	54th	114.9	38th	110.9	68th
Rollins/Porter/Green/Portis/Sims	36	-2.0	37th	133.3	96th	135.5	3rd
Rollins/Porter/Green/Kuzma/Portis	28	-59.1	0th	96.4	2nd	155.6	0th
Rollins/Porter/Green/Portis/Turner	26	32.6	98th	115.4	42nd	82.8	100th
Rollins/Porter/Green/Kuzma/Giannis	19	31.6	97th	142.1	100th	110.5	70th

Of the four lineups that are made up of returning players from 2024–25, only one saw any action last year: the one at the very bottom, with just five possessions. But the third lineup down, with its +30.2 net, is probably the best analogue for Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Portis, and the top lineup is the closest we’ll get to Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Lopez. If we use Rollins as our Trent equivalence (not too far off, given Trent’s excellent shooting last year and scratch defense), here’s how they compare across seasons:

Lineup	Poss.	24–25 Net	Poss.	25–26 Net	Diff.
Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Lopez	34	88.2
Porter/Green/Rollins/Giannis/Turner	356	13.6	-74.6
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Lopez	84	-7.4
Porter/Green/Rollins/Kuzma/Turner	99	-17.6	-10.2
Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Portis	88	54.6
Porter/Green/Rollins/Giannis/Portis	94	30.2	-24.4
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Portis	33	61.5
Porter/Green/Rollins/Kuzma/Portis	28	-59.1	-120.6
Porter/Green/Trent/Portis/Lopez	22	-58.2
Porter/Green/Rollins/Portis/Turner	26	32.6	+90.8
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Giannis	58	-6.3
Porter/Green/Rollins/Kuzma/Giannis	19	31.6	+37.9
Porter/Green/Trent/Kuzma/Sims	96	4.2
Porter/Green/Rollins/Kuzma/Sims	3	133.3	+129.1

In a sense, the Bucks’ small-ball “death lineup” didn’t go anywhere, if you just replace Rollins with Trent, and the three-guard “triumverate” still exists with him alongside Porter and Green. The sample sizes of Porter/Green/Trent/Giannis/Portis and Porter/Rollins/Green/Giannis/Portis are now about the same, and though it’s seen a net falloff of 24.4, it’s still 96th percentile. That’s in line with findings from other teams dating back several years: the best lineups fell off but remained generally very good, and increased exposure lowered net ratings overall.

And as much as we’ve bemoaned the Bucks’ lack of size on the wing, playing AJG as an undersized three has actually worked pretty well as long as he has the right frontcourt: CTG gives lineups with Green playing alongside two smaller guards (not just Rollins and KPJ, but also small doses of Cole Anthony and Cam Thomas) a +7.8 net. What you don’t want, though, is him plus another non-ballhandling guard (-28.6 in 35 possessions). Or worse yet, one of Trent or Gary Harris moving up a spot to the three (-9.4 in 1228 possessions).

Rollins’ emergence has been so critical to the Bucks this year, as roster construction and an injury to Taurean Prince have dictated that they play three guards very often. Though they can now play bigger on the wing when necessary, thanks to Ousmane Dieng, it’s still a good weapon. One question moving forward is how it will work with Thomas: playing next to any of Rollins, KPJ, or Porter, will he bring enough offense to keep three-guard lineups above water? If so, how high above even, and who do they need in the frontcourt? We’ll check on this down the road, provided Doc doesn’t abandon the three-guard look, which he shouldn’t, even if playing that small is usually a necessity.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...green-gary-trent-jr-ryan-rollins-myles-turner

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Milwaukee Bucks Poll: What are the futures of Cam Thomas and Ousmane Dieng?

Feb 11, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Cam Thomas (24) is fouled by Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson (11) during the second half at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Bucks’ final two games before the break were a coming-out party for their only deadline trade acquisition, Ousmane Dieng. A combined 13/22 from the floor—with 8/14 from deep—resulting in 36 points over 59 minutes, plus 14 boards, 4 blocks, 6 assists, and 0 turnovers. A career-best three-point performance in the second Orlando game. Certainly something to dream on in the years ahead.

Those two weren’t a coming-out party for Cam Thomas, not because he was a meh 5/13 (12 points) in the OKC win, nor because he took over with a game-high 34 in Orlando the night before. It’s because that’s what the dude does—he apparently introduces himself as “a bucket,” after all. Well, this Bucket also appears to be the spark Milwaukee desperately needs in non-Giannis minutes, and he might be a long-term fit with the team moving forward.

But both guys are free agents this summer. Dieng will be a restricted free agent if the Bucks extend an $8.8m qualifying offer, meaning they can match any contract another team presents him with in the offseason. If they decline that QO (like they did with Ryan Rollins in summer 2025), he’ll be unrestricted and can sign anywhere. But in either case, Milwaukee owns his Bird rights, so they can pay him any amount up to the max without worrying about the salary cap, whether it’s their own contract offer or another team’s.

With Thomas, however, the Bucks only have Non-Bird rights, since he just changed teams in free agency. That means they’d have to use an exception to give him a new deal in July (since they don’t project to have cap room), and here are their options…

• The full (non-taxpayer) midlevel exception: starting salary between $6.1m and $15.1m, up to four years
• The taxpayer midlevel exception: starting salary of $6.1m at most, up to two years
• The biannual exception: starting salary of $5.5m at most, up to two years
• The Non-Bird exception: starting salary of $3.6m, up to four years

In this week’s Tuesday Tracker, let’s look ahead to the summer and pick the Bucks’ best option with these two: should they re-sign them or not? If yes, how? We also have a bonus question about the All-Star game format, and of course, the debate between tanking and going for the playoffs.

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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-polls/60679/milwaukee-ousmane-dieng-cam-thomas-tanking-nba-playoffs

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

How Ousmane Dieng fits in with the Milwaukee Bucks

Feb 12, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Ousmane Dieng (21) gestures after scoring against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

In a three-team trade with the Suns and the Bulls at the NBA trade deadline, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired forward Ousmane Dieng, jettisoning Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony. It was the third time in 24 hours before the deadline that Dieng had been traded. He was sent to Charlotte for Mason Plumlee, before being shipped off to Chicago, along with other assets, for Coby White. After that deal was completed, the Bulls were added as a third team to the Suns and Bucks trade, in which Nick Richards was traded from Phoenix to Chicago, and the Bucks snagged Dieng. The French export’s time in Milwaukee could be limited, though, as he will enter the offseason as a restricted free agent, with a qualifying offer worth $8.7m.

While the Bucks were linked to a couple of notable names, including Ja Morant and Cam Thomas (eventually signing Thomas), this was the type of move that lined up with what Jamal Collier of ESPN said in an article on the morning of deadline day:

“Milwaukee has still scoured the market for a potential upgrade to its roster, sources told ESPN, hoping to benefit from a team looking to offload salary in the future.”

We’ve already seen Dieng in action in three games for the Bucks, so what can we take away from those performances about who he is as a player?

Player History​

Coming out of the National Basketball League (in Australia and New Zealand), he was selected one spot ahead of Jalen Williams in the 2022 draft. The Thunder acquired Dieng’s draft rights from the Knicks at no. 11 overall for three protected first-round picks. In 23 games (11 starts) for the New Zealand Breakers, he averaged 8.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 20.3 minutes per contest. There, he flashed high-level potential, with NBADraft.net’s Stefanos Makris saying the following:

“Dieng is the definition of a high ceiling/low floor prospect … The sky is the limit, but if taken too high, he can just as easily fall through the floorboards. The French wing surely passes the eye test, being a smooth point forward with nice size and length.”

Dieng fell through the floorboards in his four seasons with OKC. He never eclipsed more than 39 games in a season and never averaged more than 14.6 MPG. On top of that, he’s only played 20+ minutes 21 times in 136 career games. Part of that has been because Chet Holmgren, Williams, and the other Jaylin Williams have developed faster, eating into any role he could’ve had. In games where he’s gotten more minutes, Dieng showed flashes of the tools he possesses. One of his best games came against the Bucks last season (albeit without Giannis and Dame), as he scored 21 points on 9/13 shooting, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out five assists.

Offense​

The first thing that stands out about Dieng is his silky-smooth jump shot. There aren’t any weird hitches in his shooting form, and it might be the most refined part of his game. Last Wednesday’s game against the Magic was a great display of that.

His shooting numbers didn’t look great in his first two seasons, with an effective field goal percentage of 50% (the league-wide average in those years was 54.6%) and a 28% three-point percentage. Yet, the last two seasons have shown steady growth, with his EFG% up to 52.1% and 3P% up to 34.2%.

While he was never featured in OKC’s offense, he did get that chance with the Thunder’s G League team. In 26 games during the 2023–24 season, Dieng averaged 17.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 6.0 APG, with shooting splits of .482/.301/.702. He helped lead the OKC Blue to their first G League title by winning Finals MVP in a three-game series, averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.7 blocks, and just 1.7 turnovers per game. He shot the ball incredibly well, hitting 44.2% of his shots from the field, 53.3% from three-point range (5.0 3PA), and 100% from the charity stripe, albeit on three total attempts. In that finals series against the Maine Celtics, there were noticeable playmaking skills in the half-court, in pick-and-roll scenarios, and even in transition. That’s translated in his short stint with the Bucks so far, as he made several good reads against his former team, including a lob to Jericho Sims in the P&R.

Dieng has on-ball creation skills, with a tight handle on the perimeter. He’s been able to pull up from three, drain step-back threes, and even get to the rim with regularity. He does look a little awkward at times, especially when he tries to Euro step, but that might be a product of his patience to get the right look at the rim.

Another standout skill is Dieng’s ability to run the pick-and-roll. With his height, he’s able to read the defense and find open players. Even when he drives into the lane, and the defense collapses, he finds shooters open on the perimeter. He does an excellent job of using ball and head fakes to manipulate defenses and open passing lanes. He has great control of the ball, with very few passes I watched that were errant. Dieng knows when it’s his time to take the shot in these situations and attack the roll man in drop coverage. His favorite scoring moves are the floater and the Euro step, but he also has a mid-range jumper he likes to pull out from time to time.

Overall, there’s a lot to like about Dieng’s offensive potential. The one drawback right now is his frame, weighing 185 pounds at 6’9”, and that has caused problems on drives to the rim against bigger defenders. He is quick enough and long enough to get by some players in the G League and the NBL, but I can foresee issues against bigger NBA bodies. Imagine if he tried to drive on a player like OG Anunoby or even his own teammate, Kyle Kuzma—bigger guys who are just as athletic as him. While he hasn’t run into that problem with the Bucks so far, it’s happened quite a few times over the course of his career.

That is something that Dieng can change, as he is still growing into his body. Again, he is only 22 years old. How many of us had fully grown into our adult bodies by then? That’s not to say he’s going to grow to the same level as a player like Brandon Ingram, but some tools should excite Bucks fans.

Defense​

Dieng’s best defensive tool by far is his IQ. There were multiple plays in his days overseas and in the G League where he would come over from his help position to block shots and deflect the ball, creating fast-break chances. The way he blocks shots is like how Giannis operates on defense: he defends the rim off the help side rather than a traditional rim protector like Rudy Gobert. This isn’t to say Dieng is as good a defender as Giannis; it’s more to show that they work in similar ways in the half-court.

His length and athleticism make him a versatile defender who guards 1–3 on the perimeter. His 7’1” wingspan is ideal for disrupting ball handlers, generating steals, and deflections. In three games with the Bucks, players are shooting 41.9% when guarded by Dieng (13/31), and in last Wednesday’s game against Orlando, Franz Wagner went 0/4 from the field when Dieng was the closest defender.

His smaller build also causes issues at the defensive end. It leaves him unable to guard power forwards and centers in the post. The bigger issue comes on the perimeter, where he gets overpowered by bigger players looking to drive into the paint. This made it much harder for him to navigate screens at times, as he got stuck on the screen or even made the wrong read on the ball handler. He seems to have gotten marginally better in this area with NBA coaching, but there isn’t enough of a sample size to say that for sure.

It also leaves him liable to give up rebounds on both ends of the court. Looking over his film, most of his rebounds in the limited time he has spent on the floor at the NBA level are uncontested. The only example I found of him having to box out someone was in a preseason game against the Nuggets this season. It’s not the end of the world, but it shows that his lack of strength could be a problem if he ever must box out bigs. He should only be boxing out players of his size or smaller.

Dieng has a chance to be a solid defender and could address the Bucks’ defensive deficiencies, especially off the bench. Having a help-side defender with his instincts next to Bobby Portis would cover up his issues on that end.

How does he fit down the stretch?​

Overall, Dieng will have a much better opportunity for consistent minutes with this Bucks team. As of now, he could get playing time to spell Kuzma as a small forward/power forward. His size and defensive versatility make him a good fit for the Bucks’ defense, both in man-to-man and zone coverage.

Offensively, he can run P&R effectively, so I see a two-man game of him and Sims continuing to work quite well. He doesn’t need the ball to contribute, as he has a dependable jumper in catch-and-shoot situations. With his improving three-point shot, he would be an ideal floor spacer alongside Giannis, either off the bench or potentially in the starting lineup. Kuzma has come off the bench at times, and I would rather use the rest of this season to see how Dieng fits.

Beyond that, it’s hard to tell how short a leash Doc will have on Dieng, given his propensity to favor veterans over young players. With the limited time Dieng could be with Milwaukee, given his contract situation, it would be imperative for the coaching staff to give him significant minutes, around 18–25 MPG. I know the Bucks didn’t give up much to get him, but this team has been starving for young talent for quite some time. They need to see what they have in him so they can decide whether he should stay in Milwaukee for at least one more season.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...ieng-nba-trade-deadline-oklahoma-city-thunder

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Milwaukee Bucks vs. New Orleans Pelicans Preview & Game Thread: Forget the pick

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 12: Ousmane Dieng #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 12, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

With the NBA trade deadline long gone and All-Star weekend now over with, it’s officially the tail end of the season and the Milwaukee Bucks ramp it back up tonight against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center—God bless America! Last time these teams played, the Bucks were in the quandary of needing to win to protect their pick while teetering on tanking. After winning that one 141-137 in overtime, and unexpectedly winning three of the next four—including road wins against the Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder—the Bucks are embracing winning again. Even better, new recruits Cam Thomas and Ousmane Dieng have been at the centre of the resurgence and look like potential long-term fits. So, with stakes now again on the line, can the Bucks live up to expectations?

Where We’re At​

As noted, Milwaukee is on a tear, bringing much needed joy back to Bucks fans’ hearts. Thomas gives the team a bravado it’s needed—an unwavering confidence that it (he) can get a bucket when the opposition clamps down. In turn, Dieng fills a positional need and seems to be tapping into all that potential that made him the 11th overall pick in 2022. Of course, both bring youth too. So, giving up Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey, the Bucks got younger, filled a position of need, have upside, and are fun again. Kudos to you, Trader Jon.

Since losing to the Bucks, New Orleans has won two out of three, knocking off the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis and the Sacramento Kings at home before losing to the Miami Heat. It’s been the usual suspects for the Pelicans, with Zion Williamson (24.0 PPG, 70% shooting), Trey Murphy III (22.0 PPG, 6.0 APG, 4.3 3PM), and Saddiq Bey (18.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG) leading the way in this stretch. The Pelicans have stuck with their unconventional lineup too, Herb Jones and Derik Queen joining the aforementioned three in a starting group where under 6’6”s need not apply—though bizarrely they don’t start anyone over 6’9” either. Roster-wise, New Orleans made just one move at the deadline—much to the frustrations of their fans—trading Jose Alvarado, the team’s “heart and soul,” to the New York Knicks for Dalen Terry and two future second-round picks. So, at least for the rest of the season, they’ll ride it out with the group the front office still believes is a playoff roster. You know, the one that’s got them to a 15-41 record. Without the fallback of a pick in the coming draft. Yikes.

Injury Report​

For the Bucks, Giannis (calf), Taurean Prince (neck), and Myles Turner (calf) remain out.

For the Pelicans, Dejounte Murray (Achilles), Yves Missi (calf), and Micah Peavy (toe) are out, while Trey Murphy III (shoulder) is doubtful.

Player To Watch​

On a new team, one good game is expected. Two in a row raises eyebrows, but players are always juiced going up against the team that just traded them. Three in a row? Now that would smell like consistency. Does Dieng have it in him? While only he knows, what we do know is that he fits the desired archetype: size and length at the three, able to space the floor, some secondary ball handling, and activity on defence. That is, a multidimensional player. If you think it’s too good to be true, it just might be. Or, it might be transformational—for Dieng and the Bucks. Facing a Pelicans team that is loaded on the wing—including none other than long-time Bucks target Murphy—Dieng has a very real shot at placing a stake in the ground and claiming the starting small forward position as his own. However, with Ryan Rollins returning and stalwart starters Kevin Porter Jr. and AJ Green available, Dieng might have to do so from the bench. Doc Rivers’ rotation will be telling.

How To Watch​

FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 7:00 p.m. CST.

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Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-game...-pelicans-preview-game-thread-forget-the-pick

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Rapid Recap: Bucks 139, Pelicans 118

NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 20: Kevin Porter Jr. #7 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on February 20, 2026 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Milwaukee Bucks put on a show coming out of the break, beating the New Orleans Pelicans 139-118. Ryan Rollins led the Bucks on both ends, dropping 27 points (on a career-high seven threes), six assists, four steals, and two blocks. Special mention to Kevin Porter Jr. and Cam Thomas, who dropped a combined 52 points. The Pels were led by Zion Williamson, who dropped 32 points on 13/17 shooting.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap​

The Pels got out to a quick start, making a bunch of easy looks at the rim. Ryan Rollins, however, was saving the Bucks’ bacon, nailing several contested long-range shots to have the game even at 10 apiece. Then, the Bucks went on a 5-0 run, featuring Kyle Kuzma punching it reverse-style twice in a row. Milwaukee would make a move to go up 26-18; there must have been something in that bayou air because this run featured a Bobby Portis putback slam. The Pels would respond with a 7-0 run, though, punctuated by the Milwaukee native Jordan Poole nailing a bomb in transition. Zion Williamson really flexed his muscle to end the period, scoring a bunch of times to put New Orleans up 38-33 after one.

Cam Thomas, who did not score in the opening frame, got the Bucks the lead back to open the second with a three and an and-one. Unfortunately, Zion would snatch the lead right back for the Pels, already scoring his eighth bucket from 10 tries early in the second. Remember when I said Cam Thomas hadn’t scored until the second quarter? Yeah, he ended up scoring 16 straight points for the Bucks (and did it in less than six minutes, no less). 16. Straight. Points. What an absolute psycho, man. And then for the rest of the quarter, I’ll be honest with you, neither team played a lick of defence (with both sides turning it over in the open court a number of times). The visitors were up 71-65 going into the locker room.

The Bucks were scoring at a solid rate to open the second, with KPJ, Rollins, and Portis boarding the tough-shot express. That said, the Pels were scoring at the same rate, able to keep the margin at the 6-9-point mark throughout the opening four minutes. New Orleans got it within two a few times, but the Bucks had an answer (often Rollins or Thomas) on every occasion. And in Rollins’ case, I don’t just mean on offence; this dude had four steals and two blocks at the end of the third, making huge plays to save easy baskets under the rim. Bucks up 103-96 after three.

Like clockwork, Thomas opened the fourth with a few buckets to bring him to 27 on the night. Pate Nance then got in on the act, nailing a corner three and a tough layup to force James Borrego into a timeout—visitors up 113-104 with just under eight minutes left. The Bucks would go on a 7-2 run right out of the timeout, forcing yet another timeout from the Pels (and more KPJ dance moves). For all his flaws, KPJ is a bucket when he gets in that mode (and trust me, he was in that mode throughout the fourth). From there, it was all academic; Milwaukee beats their pick-swap nemesis.

Stat That Stood Out​

The Bucks rank fifth in the NBA with a 48.1% shooting percentage. They shot a ridiculous 59.8% tonight. Good golly.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-scor...kee-vs-new-orleans-pelicans-final-score-recap