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[Milwaukee Bucks]

Six guards the Bucks should target with the 47th pick

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Milwaukee could use some backcourt insurance for next season

The 2025 NBA draft is less than two weeks away. If you haven’t yet done your research on this year’s class, don’t worry— Brew Hoop is here to help you cram. For the last month, we’ve been covering every prospect the Bucks have worked out. Now, we’ll be breaking down players the team should be targeting with the 47th pick. While Milwaukee may try to move up in the draft or trade out of it entirely, history also says Jon Horst likes to have at least one second-rounder each year.

While uncovering a star in the depths of the draft is unlikely, there is still real value available. Ryan Rollins was the 44th pick in 2022. Jericho Sims was the 58th pick in 2021. Recent 47th picks include Antonio Reeves (2024), Vince Williams Jr. (2022), and Svi Mykhailiuk (2018). The goal of this series will be to identify 47th pick targets for the Bucks who have a chance at becoming rotation-caliber players or at least sticking in the league for multiple seasons. It will be split up into three parts, each one covering a different position. Let’s kick things off by talking about some guards.

Why should the Bucks draft a guard? Damian Lillard is slated to miss most of the 2025-26 season as he recovers from his Achilles injury. Gary Trent Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., and Ryan Rollins are all hitting free agency this summer. The state of Milwaukee’s guard room for next year is up in the air, and adding a guy at that position through the draft would provide some insurance in case Dame misses more time than expected and not all of the free agents return.

Here are six guard prospects the Bucks should be considering at 47:

Kam Jones (dream target) ​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Height: 6’4”

School: Marquette

Year: Senior

ESPN big board rank: 47

Bucks workout participant? No

Jones is a dream target because most mocks have him going somewhere in the early second round or even late in the first. If he fell to 47, he could end up being a major steal for the Bucks. Jones made two all-conference teams in his college career and was a consensus All-American in 2024–25. His combination of on-ball prowess, off-ball comfort, and experience would make him a great option for Milwaukee in the backcourt.

Strengths

• Pick-and-roll scoring and playmaking
• Decision making
• Catch-and-shoot ability
• Finishing
• Ball handling

Weaknesses

• Reliant on screens
• Overall athleticism
• Pullup efficiency
• Positional size (if he plays more SG than PG)

Fit with Bucks: Outside of Kevin Porter Jr., Milwaukee had zero reliable ball handlers or creators off their bench last season. Kam Jones shouldered a massive creation load as a senior—his usage rate was 28.9% (for reference, Damian Lillard’s was 27.8% this past season). If his limited isolation juice and lack of explosiveness doesn’t emerge as big problems, Jones will be able to lead bench units in the regular season with his ability to pressure the rim and playmake out of the pick-and-roll. Additionally, he could play next to Giannis and a healthy Dame because he’s a good shooter off the catch. In 2023–24, when he played big minutes next to Tyler Kolek (who is now on the Knicks) in the backcourt, Jones shot 40.6% from deep.

Chaz Lanier​

Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Height: 6’5”

School: Tennessee

Year: Graduate

ESPN big board rank: 37

Bucks workout participant? No

Lanier spent his first four college seasons at North Florida before transferring up to Tennessee for his last dance. As a graduate, Lanier was one of the best scorers in the country. He averaged 20.7 PPG during the Volunteers’ Elite Eight run and dropped 29 points and six triples in their first round matchup vs Wofford. He was named to the All-SEC second team and Wooden All-American first team.

Strengths

• Positional size (6’9” wingspan)
• Catch-and-shoot ability
• Pullup shooting
• Three-level scoring
• Ball handling

Weaknesses

• Playmaking
• Shot selection and decision making
• Defensive engagement
• Physicality

Fit with Bucks: If Gary Trent Jr. leaves in free agency, Lanier could replace some of his production. He’s a flamethrower of a shooter who buries easy spot-ups and difficult movement shots at an elite level. The Nashville native knows his strengths and is ready to be a pro. His strengths do not include on-ball creation, especially for others, so he wouldn’t be the backup ball handler the Bucks are looking for.

Tyrese Proctor​

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Height: 6’5”

School: Duke

Year: Junior

ESPN big board rank: 43

Bucks workout participant? No

Proctor was once projected to be a first round pick or even a lottery guy, but he never made “the leap” in college that people expected. He did, however, have a rock-solid junior campaign for a dominant Duke squad. The Australian native averaged 12.4 PPG and shot 40.5% from deep for the season. In March Madness, he went 13/16 from three in Duke’s first two games.

Strengths

• Passing and decision making
• Catch-and-shoot ability
• Pullup shooting
• Burst and ability to play with pace

Weaknesses

• Physicality
• Shooting consistency
• Defense

Fit with Bucks: Defining a clear role for Proctor is a bit difficult because he’s a tweener guard. His lack of strength hinders him significantly defensively so he’s not an ideal two guard. He’s not enough of a true playmaker to be a full-time point guard right away. On top of those things, he was only an above-average shooter in one of his three college seasons. If he pans out, Proctor would be another Ryan Rollins or maybe a Gary Trent Jr. variant if his shot is real.

Javon Small​

William Purnell-Imagn Images

Height: 6’2”

School: West Virginia

Year: Senior

ESPN big board rank: 49

Bucks workout participant? No

Small has been one of the late risers in this year’s class— he’s quickly risen from a sleeper to a second-round lock. The 2024–25 All-Big 12 honoree had an electric senior season at West Virginia, averaging 18.6 PPG and 5.6 APG while contributing across the board.

Strengths

• Athleticism
• Downhill finishing
• Physicality
• Playmaking
• Competitiveness
• Point-of-attack defense
• Shooting

Weaknesses

• Positional size
• Efficiency

Fit with Bucks: Milwaukee has been lacking in the hustle, energy, and athleticism departments for a couple years now. Small could be the jolt the team needs with his relentless playstyle and vertical pop. He is 6’1” barefoot, so his impact could be mitigated at the next level, but sometimes guys who have that dawg in them flat-out beat the odds. Just look at T.J. McConnell, who is currently balling out in the Finals. If everything goes right, Small could play an energizer role off the bench similar to that of McConnell and Kevin Porter Jr.

Hunter Sallis​

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Height: 6’5”

School: Wake Forest

Year: Senior

ESPN big board rank: 58

Bucks workout participant? Yes

Sallis has become one of the favorite draft targets of Bucks fans online. The 6’5” guard was very impactful in his junior and senior seasons for Wake Forest, averaging 18+ PPG and making an all-conference team in both years. Like Javon Small, Sallis has climbed up draft boards in the past month and is firmly a second round prospect.

Strengths

• Downhill finishing
• Mid-range scoring
• Defensive playmaking
• Transition play

Weaknesses

• Shooting consistency
• Physicality
• Playmaking

Fit with Bucks: Sallis is another guy cut from the Kevin Porter Jr. cloth. He provides an offensive spark and shakes up games with his ability to get downhill whenever he wants. Unfortunately, he isn’t in the same tier as KPJ or Javon Small as an overall scorer. Sallis hit 40.5% of his threes as a junior but shot below 28% in all three of his other seasons. He would need to grow as a shooter and also a playmaker to be the backup guard the Bucks need.

Max Shulga​

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Height: 6’5”

School: VCU

Year: Graduate

ESPN big board rank: 81

Bucks workout participant? Yes

Shulga is a polished, experienced, and efficient combo guard. As a graduate, he averaged 15.0 PPG and 4.0 APG on his way to winning Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year. He was the leader of a VCU team that made their second NCAA tournament appearance of the 2020s so far.

Strengths

• Catch-and-shoot ability
• Pullup shooting
• Playmaking
• Mid-range shooting
• Defensive playmaking
• Getting to the rim

Weaknesses

• On-ball defense
• Physicality
• Finishing
• Athleticism

Fit with Bucks: Shulga has all the skill-based traits required to be a rotation piece for the Bucks (or any other team) early on. However, he’s lacking in the athleticism department. He’s not strong or quick enough to make an impact on defense and he struggles with physicality on offense. The Ukrainian’s day-one-contributor potential is high enough to make him a candidate at 47, but he would also be a great get as an undrafted free agent should he fall out of the draft.

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Which of these prospects would you draft at 47? Who was left off this list? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and stay tuned for the wings/forwards article coming next!

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/6/14/...s-guards-kam-jones-chaz-lanier-tyrese-proctor

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks Reacts Survey: Fans would hard-cap team to retain Gary Trent Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr.

Milwaukee could retain two key guards from their full midlevel exception

Earlier this week, we polled you about the Bucks’ two prominent (unrestricted) free agent guards: Kevin Porter Jr. and Gary Trent Jr. Each finished the season as not only rotation mainstays but the starting backcourt. The lineup that featured them alongside Giannis, Bobby Portis, and AJ Green was instrumental in the Bucks’ eight-game win streak to close the season and one of their few positive units in the playoffs. Naturally, most fans seem to want them both back.

But at what cost, though? As explained the other day, the Bucks don’t have Bird or Early Bird rights on either to retain them without going over the cap, so for them to get a salary commensurate with their likely market value, the franchise has to use one of their cap exceptions. Those would be the $5.1m biannual exception or the midlevel exception of up to $14.1m. While that would probably be enough for either, going beyond $5.7m of that exception hard caps the team at the first apron. While they project to have plenty of room beneath that, is it worth it for either guard? Let’s see what you had to say.

It’s interesting that the number is a fair bit lower for KPJ, perhaps reflecting his domestic violence arrest, which is still under league investigation and could result in a suspension. But also because he would seem to be the heir apparent to start at point guard next year with Damian Lillard likely to miss most of the season, if not all. It’s not entirely clear what either’s market is, but KPJ declined his $2.5m player option, so he’s confident in getting higher than the minimum. $8–10m has been thrown around among pundits for GTJ’s next starting salary.

Important to note that the Bucks could spend over that $5.7m figure on both guys and use up the entirety of that $14.1m. $9m on Trent and $5m on Porter, say. Then they’d be hard capped at spending no more than $195.9m on the roster, but with those two figures, they’d have just over $35m to fill out five more roster spots and reach the mandated minimum of 14 players, not including Bobby Portis’ player option (but including Pat Connaughton’s). Their biannual exception would still be available, they could aggregate salaries in a trade, and they could take back more money in a trade than they send out.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/6/13/...gary-trent-jr-kevin-porter-jr-nba-free-agency

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks Free Agent Forecast: Gary Trent Jr.

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

How much of a raise will Trent get on the open market?

Welcome to the sixth article in our Bucks Free Agent Forecast series. If you haven’t been on the site recently, we’ve already done articles on Taurean Prince, Brook Lopez, Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis, and Ryan Rollins. In this one, we’ll look at arguably the biggest free agent the Milwaukee Bucks will look to re-sign, Gary Trent Jr.

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Gary Trent Jr., 6’5” guard, 26 years old

What ended up turning into the best offseason move for the Bucks was their last move, signing Trent on July 17 to a veteran minimum deal. If you were to tell me that GTJ would wind up being the best of the new cast of characters after his first month of the season, I wouldn’t have believed it. There was a reason so early into his Bucks tenure (eight games into the season), that he was demoted to the bench in favor of second-year guard Andre Jackson Jr. Between the first five games of October and the entire month of November, Trent shot an abysmal 38.2% from the field and was averaging just 8.2 PPG.

Trent seemed to flip the switch in the final calendar month of 2024, as he shot a scorching 50% from the three-point line and 45.3% from the field in the 12 games he played in (Milwaukee went 7-5 in those contests). That December seemed to get Trent back on track for the rest of the season, as from January 2 against the Brooklyn Nets to April 11 against the Detroit Pistons, he held averages of 12.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.4 APG, shot 43.5% from the field and 41.8% from three (2.7 makes per game on 6.4 attempts). Despite remaining on the bench for only two games since his demotion in November, Trent was a key cog for the Bucks all season long and was part of the closing lineup for almost every game. After Lillard was diagnosed with blood clots and sat out the final 14 games of the regular season, Trent became part of a closing lineup that included Kevin Porter, Bobby Portis, Giannis, and AJ Green that helped the Bucks win seven straight games before they all sat out in game 82 against the Pistons.

Then came a rematch with the Indiana Pacers in the first round. After the Bucks fell behind 0-2 on Indiana’s home floor, Doc Rivers made the call to bench Taurean Prince—who had started most of the regular season—for Trent. Safe to say the move paid off big time in Game 3, with GTJ and Giannis combining for 74 points, thanks to the former Raptor shooting 11/16 from the field and 9/12 from the three-point line in the Bucks' 117-101 win. That was the end of the good vibes for the Bucks in the series, as Lillard tore his Achilles in Game 4 in a 129-103 loss to the Pacers, allowing Indiana to go up 3-1 in the series.

With their backs against the wall, Doc Rivers threw Bobby Portis and AJ Green into the starting lineup. Trent started well in the first quarter, dropping in six points as the Bucks went into the break up 30-13. But he went cold from there, combining for three points on 1/10 shooting between the second and third quarter, allowing Indy to come back and tie the game heading into the fourth quarter. He did come alive in the fourth and overtime, going for 24 points on 8/11 shooting from beyond the arc to give the Bucks a chance to win and force a Game 6. Yet, we all know what happened: the Pacers scored eight points in 34 seconds, with Trent dropping a pass between his legs that led to the game-winning layup from Haliburton over Giannis. It was such a crushing end to a season for Trent, who did everything he could in the fourth quarter and OT to get the Bucks to live another game, just for the ball to squirt between his legs, Bill Buckner style.

Role​

If Trent does sign on the dotted line once again with the Bucks, he is the starting shooting guard day one. Whoever will be next to him in the backcourt is yet to be determined, with Ryan Rollins heading to restricted free agency and Porter left with a $2.5m player option he will reportedly decline. Outside of his starting role, GTJ will be relied upon to be a secondary scorer and ball handler in certain situations. He was also a decent pull-up mid-range shooter, hitting shots from ten feet to the three-point line at a 43.6% clip (20.5% of his shots came from this range—1.62 attempts per game). Trent would also take on the tougher defensive assignment for every team's guard (no more Taurean Prince guarding Tyrese Haliburton!), especially if they roll with KPJ as the starting point guard. There are other options the Bucks could look to at point guard (a reunion with Malcom Brogdon, perhaps?), but that’s for another time to discuss.

Potential Suitors​

Almost any contender in the league who has access to their non-taxpayer mid-level exception will be circling the wagons on Trent. To clear a few teams out of the way, the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Phoenix Suns are all currently projected to be over the second luxury tax apron and will not have access to any sort of mid-level exception unless they cut salary dramatically. With the taxpayer mid-level exception likely to be short of what Trent would be worth in free agency at $5.7m, we can also cut out the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks. These teams would hard-cap themselves at the first apron if they go beyond that $5.7m figure for GTJ, but then wouldn’t have the room to fill out a 14-man roster.

The Philadelphia 76ers are a team that would make sense if you look at their three-point shooting stats, hitting threes at the fourth-worst rate in the league at 34.1%, just ahead of the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and the Magic. Yet, they have the 25-year-old pending restricted free agent Quentin Grimes to re-sign, which could eat up a lot of the Sixers' space beneath the first apron. That would put them in the same situation as New York and Denver, thus cutting them from the Trent sweepstakes.

Another Bucks rival could be looking to scoop up the sharp-shooting Trent, and it wouldn't be the first time that they’ve signed a former Bucks guard coming off a one-year deal. The Detroit Pistons, even with Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. on the team, attempted the ninth fewest threes in the league (35.4), made the 11th fewest per game (12.8), and finished 16th in the league in percentage (36.2%). Detroit could simply swap out THJ for GTJ and have a shooting guard rotation of two former Bucks if they opt to bring Beasley back.

Trent could also head back to the Western Conference, but instead of heading back to Portland, he could go down to Texas and play with the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs had the association’s 11th-worst three-point percentage and have plenty of space beneath the first apron to give Trent the full MLE of $14.1 million. They could still do it even if they made a trade with the Suns for Kevin Durant, with a trade of, say, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, and a first-round pick, which would only add about $3.8m to the Spurs' salary. A team with a starting lineup of De’Aron Fox, GTJ, Keldon Johnson, KD, and Victor Wembanyama (if healthy) could make some noise and potentially give a higher seed fits in the first round, if they’re not a higher seed themselves. Suffice it to say that there will be plenty of teams, obvious or dark horse in our eyes, that will be in pursuit of Trent this off-season.

Potential Contract​

There is no doubt that Trent has earned a big raise over his veteran minimum, which he signed with the Bucks in the middle of last July. The Bucks have access to the full MLE, so if another team throws the full amount at GTJ, the Bucks could do so as well. If Portis opts out, and factoring in reported opt-out from Porter and opt-in from Pat Connaughton, Milwaukee’s eight players under contract for 2025–26 would put them $44.4m under the first apron. As mentioned above, they’d become hard-capped there if they gave Trent any more than $5.7m of the MLE.

Now, the question is whether Gary even gets the full MLE is up in the air. ESPN’s Kevin Pelton said that he should comfortably get in a happy medium between that minimum deal and the $18.6m he made in his final year with the Raptors. If I were a guessing man (and I am), I would imagine Trent gets somewhere in the realm of $8–10 million per year, which is a substantial raise, while allowing whatever team he goes to to use more of the full MLE on other players, especially if he stays with the Bucks.

That range seems to be pretty on point, as Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Matt Moore of HP Basketball on Twitter reported that Bucks ownership would like to sign Trent in that exact range:

In a perfect world where Trent remains with the Bucks long term, I would hope he gets a three-year, $27m deal, setting him up to be the long-term shooting guard the Bucks have been looking for since dealing Grayson Allen in the Damian Lillard trade.

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What are your thoughts on Gary Trent Jr. coming back to the Bucks? Do you think he would take a discount to stay in Milwaukee and his old Portland teammate in Lillard, or look for greener pastures on a title contender? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/6/17/24445717/nba-free-agency-milwaukee-bucks-gary-trent-jr

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Site Announcement: Welcome Brew Hoop’s newest contributors!

We embiggened!

As you might have seen, Brew Hoop put out a call for new contributors a few weeks ago, and we’re thrilled to introduce a whole slate of new names from all around the world! Yes, we’re even more international now. Without further ado, here they are, in their own words!

Dawid Księżarczyk - @daveknot2309​

Dzień dobry,

Before I let you know how excited I am to join the Brew Hoop team, I want to share that I’ve been following the Bucks since 2002—yes, I chose this life voluntarily. From Kukoc corner threes to Gadzuric fouling out in 11 minutes, I’ve seen things. I once ran a Bucks fan page from Poland (bucks.pl), which about 12 people read. And now, after two decades and many heartbreaks, I get to write here.

I’ll be your neighborhood nerd of weird lineups, deep-dive nostalgia, overlooked eras, the Monta Ellis years (yes, really), broken dreams, and pre-Giannis despair. Expect too many words and at least three obscure stats per post.

I’m thrilled (and honestly a bit emotional) to now be part of the team. Joining a community of die-hard Bucks fans, where Bucks mean something more than just a basketball team, is a huge deal for me.

Thanks for having me. I brought pierogi.

Finn Kuehl - @FinleyKuehl​

What’s up Bucks fans! You may have seen my byline already as I’ve been writing for Brew Hoop since March. I’m an incoming sophomore studying journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a school that already has a strong presence within the BH team. I’ve been covering the NBA for my personal blog, benchmobblog.com, for over four years. Additionally, I spent time with SB Nation’s Pounding The Rock, LG Hoops, and Utility Sports in the past. I’m super passionate about the Bucks, the NBA, and basketball in general, and I’m super excited to be a part of the Brew Hoop community! Go Bucks!

Zac Day​

Brew Hoopers, I’m thrilled to be on board! This site has been a staple of my life for years, so know that I’m invested. Considering how many stat-heads we have around here, what better way to introduce myself? Numbers lie, but these don’t. Here’s my “box score”:

• 2003 – the year I became obsessed with the NBA. Being Australian and living without internet made this hard.
• 66 – the issue number of my first SLAM magazine, and why I fell in love with writing (I still have the collection).
• 22 – Pontel DVDs I spent my teenage pocket money on so that I could watch my guys (Boris Diaw, Marquis Daniels, Chuck Hayes, etc.).
• 67 – losses I sat through during my first official year as a Bucks fan.
• 15 – years I’ve taught English literature and PE (or should I say “gym?”).
• 2 – trips to the US to watch live games (including our honeymoon—shout-out to my wife!). Giannis’ game-winner at MSG still replays vividly in my mind.
• 2 – kids in my arms, tears in our (okay, my) eyes, celebrating 2021—the perfect memory. Bucks in 6 forever!

If you have any questions, I’m all ears! Hopefully, my writing resonates, and I can add to the incredible product that is Brew Hoop.

Editor’s note: like Jack Trehearne, Zac also lives in Adelaide, South Australia. That means we have almost as many people Down Under (in the same city, even!) as we do in Milwaukee. Stay tuned for the grand opening of the Brew Hoop Adelaide Bureau.

Mia Thurow​

Hi Bucks fans! My name is Mia, and I’m a student at Marquette University in Milwaukee studying journalism, sports communication, and Spanish. I’ve had the privilege of reporting on and working at NBA and NCAA basketball games, the Big East and NCAA Tournaments, and a number of other sports-related events. I’m very excited to get started at Brew Hoop and share my love of the Bucks with others through my writing. Bucks in Six!

Drew Gentile - @drew_gentile_​

Hello Bucks fans! I am super excited to be joining Brew Hoop as a contributor to talk hoops with you all. I am entering my junior year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I am studying journalism with a certificate in sports communication. I have been writing for The Badger Herald student newspaper, covering UW sports and contributing to a UW men’s basketball podcast as part of my involvement in the Sports Media Club at UW, but this is my first opportunity to write about NBA basketball for publication. I received a warm welcome from the Brew Hoop team and can not wait to start writing about the Bucks amidst an important offseason!

Nate Lemin​

Howdy Brew Hoop readers! Nate here: I’m a writer, editor, and lifelong Bucks fan from Appleton, WI. Now based in Arizona, I write about gear, adventure, fitness, and the outdoors. Basketball is my first love, and I am stoked to join the Brew Hoop team as a contributor. I can’t wait to get even more intertwined with my favorite team, and I look forward to connecting with readers this year. As ever: Bucks in 6!

Dan Simmons - @MadDanWrites​

Hey Bucks fans! After stints as an insufferable Celtics fan and a long-suffering T-Wolves fan, I now live in Milwaukee and love the Bucks. I’m excited to live here for the Giannis era after a childhood in Minnesota worshipping another #34, Kirby Puckett. When not at Fiserv Forum or surfing basketball-reference.com, I’m either with my family in Shorewood or covering Wisconsin’s political circus for the New York Times. Catch up on my work at authory.com/dansimmons.

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Please join us in welcoming our new staff! We’re really looking forward to reading their work, which you’ll start seeing immediately.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/6/18/24447526/milwaukee-bucks-brew-hoop-new-writers-contributors

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

June 2025 Update: Bucks Roster, Salaries, Cap Space, Luxury Tax Bill, Available Draft Picks, and more

Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images

A one-stop shop for all your salary sheet questions

You love NBA free agency and trades. I love NBA free agency and trades. We all do. Sickos like me love it so much that we delve into legal documents to figure out exactly what is permitted and what isn’t. But all of us want all the information about the team-building options available to our favorite franchises at our fingertips whenever we need them.

With that in mind, SB Nation has partnered with SalarySwish, and alongside their data we attempt to answer every single question you could possibly have about the Bucks’ financial situation. Questions about the first or second apron and the Bucks’ relationship to them? How few draft picks do they have available to trade? How much money is on the books after next summer? The answers are here, and it’s an updating, living, and breathing document with all relevant context as the Bucks move ahead. I recommend you bookmark this page to keep up with all the latest changes!

Now that the Bucks' season is over and they look forward to 2025–26, let’s take a glance at where they stand...

Bucks Roster, Salaries, Draft Picks, Cap Space & More​

Here is a table with all of the Bucks’ salary information, courtesy of our friends at SalarySwish:

That’s a lot to swallow, so let’s dive into a few key pieces and what they mean, which could answer any questions that pop into your head while reading.

Do the Bucks have any cap room? If not, when will they?​

No, not currently. The NBA’s salary cap for 2024–25 is approximately $140.6m, and with the Bucks’ present payroll of $183.2m, they’re way over the cap. While some option decisions could technically put them under the cap this offseason, they will want to retain the cap holds on their free agents in case they want to re-sign them, so they won’t have any functional cap room this summer. It’s more likely that they will next have cap room in the summer of 2026, when the only guaranteed players on the books are Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma, plus Damian Lillard if he exercises his player option.

Are the Bucks paying the luxury tax? If so, how much is their bill?​

Firstly, they are indeed over the NBA’s luxury tax line of $170.8m by about $11m. Since the Bucks have been in the tax since their 2021 championship season, they are subject to a repeater penalty, increasing their bill for every dollar spent over the line. That $11m overage works out to a $29.4m tax payment, making the 2024–25 roster cost a whopping $212.9m altogether when factoring in each player’s salary plus the Bucks’ overage penalties. In 2025–26, they may be a taxpayer again with $155.5m currently on the books and four roster spots to fill, and the tax threshold is projected at $187.9m.

Are the Bucks over the first or second apron above the luxury tax?​

After the 2025 trade deadline, the Bucks were over the first apron. For 2024–25, the first apron is $178.1m, and the second apron is $188.9m. While their 15-man roster makes $183.2m, unlikely incentives (like the $2.7m built into Kyle Kuzma’s contract) and cap-tax variance credits (like the $1.4m they received for Bobby Portis’ 25-game suspension) are included when calculating any team’s “apron salary.” Thus, they finished about $7.8m over the first apron but about $3m under the second apron, where they were hard-capped. For 2025–26, they aren’t hard-capped anywhere and would only trigger one by making any roster move associated with either apron. You can read more about those moves here.

Can the Bucks use the mid-level exception or bi-annual exception? Do they have any trade exceptions?​

The Bucks can use either of those exceptions this offseason: some of them would hard-cap them at the first apron (more on this below), and some at the second. They would be hard-capped at the first apron if they wanted to use anything more than $5.6m (the taxpayer portion) of the mid-level or their $5.2m bi-annual exception. If they use any portion of their mid-level exception, they would face a second apron hard cap. They have four trade exceptions, which all expire in February 2025, but the only truly useful one is the $7.2m exception generated in February’s trade with Washington and New York. Using this will also hard-cap them at the first apron.

Are the Bucks hard-capped?​

They were in 2024–25 because they sent cash to New York for Delon Wright, which triggered a hard cap at the second apron (you can find out what those are here), so their apron salary (currently $185.9m) couldn’t cross $188.9m under any circumstances. For 2025–26, they haven’t made any moves yet that would hard cap them at either apron, but using any of their exceptions would, as would acquiring more salary in a trade than they’re sending away.

I heard the second apron restricts the Bucks from trading or aggregating multiple players. How does this work?​

That’s mostly right, but by getting under it at the 2025 trade deadline, they can aggregate freely this offseason. Doing this hard-caps them at the second apron, so their team salary would have to be below the $188.9m second apron (or next year’s second apron figure, estimated at $207.8m) at the conclusion of the transaction. Milwaukee can trade two or more players if whatever salary they receive in return isn’t more expensive than the most expensive player they’re trading, because teams above the first apron cannot take back more salary than they send out. If they sent out Pat Connaughton and Chris Livingston this summer, for example, they could take back up to $9.4m (Connaughton’s salary) without needing to aggregate. Livingston wouldn’t be needed to salary-match.

Will the Bucks be beneath the first or second apron next year?​

It seems guaranteed that Milwaukee will drop under the first apron in the summer of 2025. Current projections have the first apron at $195.9m and the second apron at $207.8m, while the Bucks currently have $155.5m guaranteed for six players in 2025–26. That includes Bobby Portis’ and Connaughton’s player options. If either opts out and leaves in free agency, the Bucks will have even more room to operate under the first apron this summer.

AJ Green, Jackson, and Livingston have team options that total $6.7m. If all of them are picked up, the Bucks would have $162.2m committed to nine guys and would need to fill at least four more roster spots. They would have the veteran’s minimum, full mid-level exception (projected to be $14.4m), and bi-annual exception to use in free agency, plus they could aggregate players in trades. Again, using the full MLE would hard-cap them at the first apron, as would taking back more than 100% of their outgoing salary in a trade. Aggregating salaries to match salaries would hard-cap them at the second apron.

What draft picks can the Bucks currently trade?​

The Bucks can trade their own first-round pick in the 2031 NBA Draft, but no other firsts. While they do control first-round picks in the 2026, 2028, and 2030 drafts, meaning they will be able to draft a player in those years, the selections themselves are encumbered by pick swaps, so they cannot be traded, only re-swapped again as occurred in the Khris Middleton-Kyle Kuzma deal. The second-round picks the Bucks can currently trade are in 2025, 2026, and 2031. At the conclusion of the 2025 NBA Draft, they will also be able to trade their first and second-round picks in 2032.

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Updated June 19, 2025.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/24100965/milwaukee-bucks-roster-salaries-cap-space-nba-draft-picks

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Questions of tomorrow

An unlikely literary crossover

If the constant news cycle has taught us anything, it’s that next reigns supreme. What will next year bring? Which player(s) will boom? Which will bust? We fascinate ourselves with the unknown; live for what may be. Want it all. Now.

Shakespeare spoke to this notion some 400 years ago; his eponymous tragic hero, Macbeth, enthralled by prophecies’ promises. But it’s what happens later that we must heed. Castle seized upon, wife dead, his own death a nearing formality, he soliloquises about the meaninglessness of it all:

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

To the last syllable of recorded time,

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

After three first-round exits, an asset cupboard left bare, and Dame tearing his Achilles, it’s hard not to see parallels (especially if Giannis’ crown celebration is as entrenched in your memory as it is mine). Alas, it sure seems the Bucks’ candle is all but out. Inherent within this, of course, is the discarding of the present. Joy is fleeting, glory ephemeral. But if we live only for what’s next, we may find that nothing ever truly arrives.

It is for this reason that I implore you all to meditate on the moment. Take pause. Leave, for a short while, the stress of free agency, the will-he-or-won’t-he Giannis angst, the worry of 2025–26. Of next. In its place, inhale, hold the oxygen in your lungs, and breathe in the best of this last hour upon the stage. What do you see?

Me?

• A distant field, cows grazing, cotton caressing leather. A Dairy Bird’s rising.

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

• A trash can ablaze, a phoenix emerging, pouncing on errant passes, finishing above the rim.

Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images

• A Flubber-laden physical specimen with ballet dancer’s feet, corralling guards and boards.

Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images

Will Green, Porter, and Sims continue their Bucks ascension? Will they grow into core pieces of tomorrow? If they’ve already brightened the present, does it even matter? Tomorrow will come and it will bring the highs and (more likely) the lows of Bucks fandom. For now, how long can you hold your breath?

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/6/20/...-kevin-porter-jr-jericho-sims-nba-free-agency

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Jackson’s Mock Bucks Offseason

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

How would I save the Bucks 2025 season before even it even starts

With NBA free agency fast approaching on June 30th, a few of us here are taking a stab at an offseason plan if we were heading up the Bucks’ front office. We begin things with Jackson Gross...

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We stand on the precipice of a monumental off-season for the Milwaukee Bucks. By some indications, the Bucks got their biggest domino to fall with Giannis Antetokounmpo likely staying with them amid an avalanche of rumors. While that was by far the most important piece to the offseason for GM Jon Horst, there is still much to be done to get this team back into a true contender. It will be an uphill battle, with Damian Lillard out most of the year due to that torn Achilles and minimal trade and financial resources at their disposal. While Horst is still reviewing his cap sheets and trade options, let me give him my road map to creating a contender in Milwaukee.

Step 1: Take advantage of the Celtics' financial woes​

It’s been no secret that it will be a difficult season for the Boston Celtics next year. With Jayson Tatum likely out for the entire season after tearing his Achilles, and the reports that the Celtics will be looking to shed payroll, it’s the perfect time for the Bucks to swoop in and nab their long-term center. While there have been rumblings about the Celtics wanting to ship out Jrue Holiday for a first-round pick, I doubt they find a team looking to take on the aging Holiday with two years left on his deal, plus a potential for a third with a player option in 2027 for $37.2m. The only other player I could see them getting rid of that fits the bill for Milwaukee would be Kristaps Porzingis.

The Trade​

Bucks receive: Kristaps Porzingis and Lonzo Ball

Celtics receive: Nikola Vucevic, Julian Phillips, and the Bucks’ 2031 first-round pick (lottery protected)

Bulls receive: Kyle Kuzma, Sam Hauser, Pat Connaughton, the Wizards’ 2025 second-round pick (no. 32 overall) from the Celtics, the Pistons’ 2025 second-round pick (no. 47 overall) from the Bucks, and one of four teams’ 2026 second-round pick from the Celtics.

On the Bucks’ side of things, this trade would hard cap them at the first apron since they are receiving more money than they’re sending out. While Porzingis has had numerous health issues, including a nasty post-viral syndrome stemming from an illness he had earlier in the season. It affected his performance in the postseason, as he only averaged 7.7 PPG and shot a rough 15.4% from beyond the arc. Yet when he is fully healthy, he is one of the best big men in the league and a career 36.6% three-point shooter, and averages 1.8 blocks per game. The question is: when is he healthy? He’s only played in 164 of 246 possible games (33% of games missed) in the last three years. He is a perfect fit next to Giannis, acting as a younger, quicker Brook Lopez. There’s a reason the Celtics needed to trade for him, and he was a key cog in the Celtics' 2024 Championship run.

You could say the same thing about the other piece coming into Milwaukee, point guard Lonzo Ball. The former number two overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers has had an up-and-down NBA career up to this point. Much maligned in his first couple of years with LA for not living up to sky-high expectations, he was shipped off to New Orleans in the Anthony Davis trade. Finally, he seemed to reach some of his true potential when he went to the Bulls in 2021. Then the injuries piled on, and he missed two and a half seasons before returning this past season. He would provide a lot of what the Bucks would need as a floor general and table setter, and is an incredible three-point shooter who’s effective without the ball. He’s also a strong on-ball defender, and if he can get back to 75–80% of where he was in 2021, he’ll be the best point of attack defender Milwaukee has had since they traded Jrue Holiday.

This is a tough pill for the Celtics to swallow, giving up one of the core members of banner number 18 in Porzingis and a solid contributor in Hauser, but they have to start cutting costs. They’d clear up $40m in future money, and next year or sooner, they could look to offload more if they decide to trade Derrick White or Jrue Holiday. For 2025, they get a solid stop-gap option in the middle with the reliable Vucevic, who has been a double-double machine for basically his entire career. While nowhere near the level of Hauser, Phillips has had some flashes this year with the Bulls, playing in 79 contests at an average of 14.2 MPG. With Tatum likely out all season long, Phillips will have an increased role, and with the Celtics’ coaching, could develop into a more consistent shooter in Beantown.

As for the Bulls, the dumping ground of this trade: with the rumors of them wanting to trade up if Rutgers star Ace Bailey slips in the draft, the Bulls could look to ship Kuzma, their first-round pick at 12, and their three newly acquired second-round picks to make a jump into the top six or seven picks. I polled a few Bulls fans I know, and while they said they were getting fleeced, it’s hard to get fleeced when you don’t have a direction. Finally getting rid of Vuc and giving way to the youth movement is what Chicago needs to do. They have all their draft picks through 2031; they just need to let Matas Buzelis, Coby White, and Josh Giddey grow together.

There is also a financial edge to this deal for the Bulls. If they can find a way to get off of Kuzma heading into 2026 free agency, plus give Giddey and White extensions worth about $25m each, the Bulls could have an estimated $65.9m in cap space. Players like Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, and Trae Young are currently set to hit the open market next summer.

Step 2: Bring a bunch of the band back together​

SG/SF Gary Trent Jr.: Three years, $22.7m

The most obvious player they have to bring back is Gary Trent Jr. If you haven’t read my free agent forecast for him yet, I highly suggest you do. My in-depth reasons on why I want him back are there, so I’m gonna keep this part short to focus on the other players. Trent was a phenomenal addition in late free agency and was part of the best Bucks basketball last season, especially when Dame was out.

But Trent isn’t the only Bucks pending free agent I want to see back. Here are the other players I want to see return to Milwaukee next season...

C/PF Bobby Portis: Three years, $53.5m

By all indications these days, Bobby Portis is looking to get paid. In an appearance on the Run It Back Podcast, Portis gave his view of what could be his final big pay day in the NBA at 31 years old:

“Obviously, I would love to be back in Milwaukee. I’m not saying I don’t want to come back to the Bucks—I would love to—but I just want to be compensated fairly, man. I’ve taken a lot of team-friendly deals to be here. We’re at a point now where I feel like it’s time I get compensated—fairly—to my peers. That’s all I ask for.”

To fulfill that wish, I gave Portis a happy medium between a big raise and something the Bucks can work with. In this universe, Milwaukee gives Bobby a three-year deal worth 53.5m, with the first year starting at $16.5m and ending at $19.2m in year three.

SF Taurean Prince: One year, veteran’s minimum

While he was misused after the Bucks traded for Kuzma, being forced to play shooting guard at times, I still want to see Prince return. He remains a capable defender, and he shot a career-best 43.9% from the three-point line on 4.2 attempts per game.

PG Ryan Rollins: Two years, $9.1m

With Ball now in the point guard rotation, the Bucks are left with a decision of who to pick for their final point guard spot: KPJ or Rollins. My choice between the two is undoubtedly Rollins. While I respect what Porter brings in terms of his passing and driving to the hoop, I would just prefer Rollins to be the backup point guard. First of all, he would be much easier to retain as a restricted free agent than Porter, who opted out and is unrestricted. The Bucks can also re-sign Rollins without dipping into their MLE. He would also be an excellent fit next to Ball in certain lineups and could run the bench unit. Rollins is a good enough three-point shooter (40.8% on 2.1 attempts per game) and can drive through the lane at times.

C Jericho Sims: Two years, veteran’s minimum

Sims showed some flashes with the Bucks a season ago; his athleticism was the driving force behind that. While not the tallest center at 6’10”, his ability to jump out of the gym makes him a great lob threat on offense, and he can switch out to the perimeter on defense. The counting stats won’t show his true value, with 2.4 PPG and 4.9 RPG in his time with Milwaukee. Sims could be a valuable rotation player again, running in some lineups with Bobby Portis at the four and himself at the five in spurts.

Step 3: Fill out the roster​

After all the trades, extensions, and re-signings, the Bucks are only left with $5.6m to work with for their final two roster spots. Here are the final two players I have joining the Bucks to complete their 15-man roster:

SF/SG Lindy Waters: One year, veteran’s minimum

This is just a quick veteran minimum for the 27-year-old Waters. He’s played 156 games in his NBA career, but has been sparingly used. He only played 18 games for the Pistons last season after being traded there from Golden State in the Jimmy Butler trade. He has three-point chops, shooting 36.6% in his career. Can’t ever have too many shooters on a team.

SG/SF Damion Lee: One year, veteran’s minimum

After that, the Bucks will have around $3.3m beneath the first apron to work with for their final roster spot, and they’ll use $2.2m of that on a vet minimum on Damion Lee. It’s been a hard road to recovery for Lee, who suffered a brutal knee injury before the 2023–24 season and only returned for 25 games of the 2024–25 season. Before that, he was one of the league’s best shooters, knocking down threes at a 39.8% clip during his last three seasons. I could see a world where Lee becomes that “Gary Trent Jr.” style free agent that Marques Johnson was talking about. A guy who would sign later in the offseason on a minimum contract and pay dividends. While I don’t know his true value as a defender, his size could be usable, and he’s another good shooting option for the Bucks to have.

Final Bucks rotation for 2025/26:​

Final 2025–26 payroll: $194.7 (approximately $1.2m in room below the 1st apron)

My Final Thoughts​

While this is unrealistic at the end of the day, I believe this would put the Bucks back in discussion for the top tier in the Eastern Conference next season. A new starting center, a three-and-D point guard, plus a tweaked wing core, this team has the chance to win 50 games. They’re faster, have more shooters, would fit the point-Giannis mold, and mesh with Lillard if and when he returns. Let’s just hope this reaches Jon Horst's desk so he can see the path.

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How good (or bad) are my trades, free agent signings, and re-signings? What would you do differently? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/6/20/...s-porzingis-lonzo-ball-nba-free-agency-trades