Bucks offseason (MPJ/Giannis edition)

[slos]

Here is a plan for Milwaukee this summer

Step 1 - Trade with Denver

Michael Porter Jr for Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis (opt in and extend)

- Bucks gamble for the player with the higher upside in an already doomed season with Dame's injury

- Nuggets replace MPJ with cheaper Kuz while adding a 6th they badly need behind Gordon/Jokic combo.

Step 2 - Resign the guards

- Keep Gary Trent Jr with the non tax MLE. I have him at a bit less than the full 4/60 where the Bucks save a small portion for some other future signings.

- Keep Kevin Porter Jr with the 2/10,5/PO BAE. That's a "prove it" deal with a starting job and a promise that Bucks will take care of him with Early Bird rights.

- Keep (RFA) Ryan Rollins with a 4/20. Pretty good two way combo guard, fixed his shoulder in offseason, can have a break out season without Lillard on his way.

Step 3 - Avoid the tax

- Pat Connaughton has a 9,4 mil PO and a nice relationship with the owners. I'm sure they can talk him into a Haslem treatment where he gets multiple minimum contracts and a 15th culture guy role in exchange of opting out. With his 10+ service he can get 12,5 mil in the next 3 seasons and happily retire at 36 y/o without losing any money.

- That leaves 3 spots open but only for minimum signings working under the tax. Horst has done well in the past in that area. Beasley, Trent, Portis, Brook come in mind as minimum signings that rehabed their stock in Milwaukee. When money dries out in offseason, there will be some opportunity. Bruce Brown, Clint Capela, Brook Lopez etc could fall in that territory.

2025-26 Bucks payroll

1. Giannis......... 54,126
2. Lillard.......... 54,126
3. M. Porter....... 38,333
4. Trent............ 12,550 (MLE, 4/54)
5. K. Porter........ 5,134 (BAE)
6. Rollins.......... 4,450 (resign 4/20)
7. Green........... 2,301
8. Connaughton.. 2,296
9. Vet............. 2,296
10. Vet............ 2,296
11. Vet............ 2,296
12. Jackson....... 2,221
13. Livingston.... 2,221
14. Smith......... 1,955
15. #47............ 1,272
total.............. 187,879
tax................ 187,895

2025-26 Bucks depth chart

KPJ........Rollins......Lillard (inj)
GTJ........Green......Connaughton
MPJ.......Jackson.....#47
Giannis....Vet.........Livingston
Vet.........Vet.........Smith

[JayMKE]

Not sure MPJ moves the needle more than Bobby, Giannis can’t be the only big either.

[slos]

Not sure MPJ moves the needle more than Bobby, Giannis can’t be the only big either.

Giannis won't be the only big. They have a starting job to offer next to him which means a solid player could fall in their hands just with the minimum. Bucks can bring back Sims for 10ish minutes from the bench. They also have Livingston/Smith that should get some playing time too. Bucks can also go small with MPJ/Giannis at PF/C closing the games.

[BelgradeNugget]

No thanks for Kuzma. You'll have to live with your mistake.

[slos]

No thanks for Kuzma. You'll have to live with your mistake.

Kuzma was all that Bucks could get for their overpaid and injury prone starting SF (Middleton). They actually had to attach their recent FRP (Johnson).

That’s a reminder in case Nuggets decide to move MPJ’s 2/80 deal (which is also a mistake). I get it that he is younger and that’s why I have Denver compensated with Portis. But honestly I don’t believe they can do much better than Kuz and Bobby.

[BelgradeNugget]

No thanks for Kuzma. You'll have to live with your mistake.

Kuzma was all that Bucks could get for their overpaid and injury prone starting SF (Middleton). They actually had to attach their recent FRP (Johnson).

That’s a reminder in case Nuggets decide to move MPJ’s 2/80 deal (which is also a mistake). I get it that he is younger and that’s why I have Denver compensated with Portis. But honestly I don’t believe they can do much better than Kuz and Bobby.

I understand why you traded Middleton. Because he was overpaid and injury prone. More because he was injury prone, and not avilable. When he was avilable for you, while still overpaid, he helped you win a championship. But he was not avilable, and you traded him for Kuzma. Problem is with Kuzma you can't win championship so you must decompose your team now.

With MPJ while he is also overpaid Nuggets won championship, and he is pretty avilable in the last 3 years. With Kuzma in MPJ's place Nuggets couldn't win a championship. That is the point.

[Texas Chuck]

I think there is a ton of optimism in the trade and Pat C going along with your scheme and the quality of players you will get for the min. Offset though by some really strange overpays of your own free agents. If you avoided doing that you wouldn't need Pat C to do you that favor and would have more money for vet free agents.

No real saving the Kuz trade though.

[slos]

I think there is a ton of optimism in the trade and Pat C going along with your scheme and the quality of players you will get for the min. Offset though by some really strange overpays of your own free agents. If you avoided doing that you wouldn't need Pat C to do you that favor and would have more money for vet free agents.

No real saving the Kuz trade though.

I hope you are right since it would help the Bucks resign their free agents. I'm curious though where you see the overpay.

Trent at 4/54?
Porter at just 5 mil?
Rollins at just 5 mil p/y?

[Texas Chuck]

Trent is like a BAE/TMLE guy at absolute best. But I wouldn't be surprised if he plays on the min. Porter and Rollins both feel like min contract guys.

that Trent deal is just egregious.

[slos]

No thanks for Kuzma. You'll have to live with your mistake.

Kuzma was all that Bucks could get for their overpaid and injury prone starting SF (Middleton). They actually had to attach their recent FRP (Johnson).

That’s a reminder in case Nuggets decide to move MPJ’s 2/80 deal (which is also a mistake). I get it that he is younger and that’s why I have Denver compensated with Portis. But honestly I don’t believe they can do much better than Kuz and Bobby.

I understand why you traded Middleton. Because he was overpaid and injury prone. More because he was injury prone, and not avilable. When he was avilable for you, while still overpaid, he helped you win a championship. But he was not avilable, and you traded him for Kuzma. Problem is with Kuzma you can't win championship so you must decompose your team now.

With MPJ while he is also overpaid Nuggets won championship, and he is pretty avilable in the last 3 years. With Kuzma in MPJ's place Nuggets couldn't win a championship. That is the point.

Kuzma actually has won a championship and Bucks have bigger problems with Dame out and Doc coaching the team. Don't get me wrong, I don't love Kuzma, but let's not overreact. He gets a lot of hate because Washington had the stupid idea to make him their franchise player and then Milwaukee put him in a situation to become Giannis' Robin after Dame went down (twice). Obviously he failed since he is not that guy. He did deliver though as a servicable starter with a certain role in the Lakers.

Let me also add that this is not only a Kuz for MPJ trade. With Bobby in nobody's place Nuggets could be still playing in the playoffs. That's the point of splitting a good player into pieces. You might downgrade in his place, but you get better elsewhere.

[BelgradeNugget]

Kuzma was all that Bucks could get for their overpaid and injury prone starting SF (Middleton). They actually had to attach their recent FRP (Johnson).

That’s a reminder in case Nuggets decide to move MPJ’s 2/80 deal (which is also a mistake). I get it that he is younger and that’s why I have Denver compensated with Portis. But honestly I don’t believe they can do much better than Kuz and Bobby.

I understand why you traded Middleton. Because he was overpaid and injury prone. More because he was injury prone, and not avilable. When he was avilable for you, while still overpaid, he helped you win a championship. But he was not avilable, and you traded him for Kuzma. Problem is with Kuzma you can't win championship so you must decompose your team now.

With MPJ while he is also overpaid Nuggets won championship, and he is pretty avilable in the last 3 years. With Kuzma in MPJ's place Nuggets couldn't win a championship. That is the point.

Kuzma actually has won a championship and Bucks have bigger problems with Dame out and Doc coaching the team. Don't get me wrong, I don't love Kuzma, but let's not overreact. He gets a lot of hate because Washington had the stupid idea to make him their franchise player and then Milwaukee put him in a situation to become Giannis' Robin after Dame went down (twice). Obviously he failed since he is not that guy. He did deliver though as a servicable starter with a certain role in the Lakers.

Let me also add that this is not only a Kuz for MPJ trade. With Bobby in nobody's place Nuggets could be still playing in the playoffs. That's the point of splitting a good player into pieces. You might downgrade in his place, but you get better elsewhere.

Kuzma won championship as bench guy with Lakers. As starter, 3/4 offensive option, no way. Middleton when healthy was good enough 2/3 offensive option to win championship. MPJ was good enough 3/4 option with Nuggets championship team.
If you told me Kuzma as bench player for the Nuggets playing 20 minutes, ok maybe, but as starter. No.

Also I don't think replacing 1 better player with 2 worst works with buildning championship team. It was exectly oposite every time.

You can make trade that brings player with different skillset your team needs to try to improve. When Bucks traded Jrue for Dame I understud it. Offense for defense. Replacing MPJ with Brooks make sense. Defense for offense. Kuzma is bad defender and playmaker. What skill he brings to a team. Points on bad efficiency if you give him green light and enough shoots.