Bucks News, Transactions, Trade Ideas

[German Athens]

First apron for the 2025-26 season is $187.9 million. 2nd apron is projected at $207.8 million.

- Kuzma + Pat + 2031 2nd for Michael Porter Jr. (Cam Johnson to Denver and Kuzma + DEN 1st to BKN)
- Dean Wade + #49 into the Middleton TPE ($7.2 million)
- Trent re-signed with MLE (3-yrs $40 million)
- KPJ re-signed on the BAE (1-yr $5.1 million)
- Bobby opts out and extends at a lower first season cap number (4-yrs $50 million)

Giannis - $54.1 million
Dame - $54.1 million
MPJ - $38.3 million
Trent - $12 million
Bobby - $12 million
Wade - $6.6 million (only $4 mil guaranteed if waived before January)
KPJ - $5.1 million
AJ Green - $2.3 million
Tyler Smith - $1.9 million

$186.1 million total salary for 9 rostered players. I'm waiving Andre and Livingston in this situation. Package 47, 49, and cash to Charlotte for one of their two early 2nd's (33 or 34). 2-3 vet minimums and whoever you draft fills out the roster.

Dame/KPJ/???
Trent/AJ/Rollins
MPJ/???
Giannis/Wade/Smith/Thanasis
Bobby/Sims

Small adjustment.

187.9 is the luxury tax. The first apron is 195.9.

[Ron Swanson]

First apron for the 2025-26 season is $187.9 million. 2nd apron is projected at $207.8 million.

- Kuzma + Pat + 2031 2nd for Michael Porter Jr. (Cam Johnson to Denver and Kuzma + DEN 1st to BKN)
- Dean Wade + #49 into the Middleton TPE ($7.2 million)
- Trent re-signed with MLE (3-yrs $40 million)
- KPJ re-signed on the BAE (1-yr $5.1 million)
- Bobby opts out and extends at a lower first season cap number (4-yrs $50 million)

Giannis - $54.1 million
Dame - $54.1 million
MPJ - $38.3 million
Trent - $12 million
Bobby - $12 million
Wade - $6.6 million (only $4 mil guaranteed if waived before January)
KPJ - $5.1 million
AJ Green - $2.3 million
Tyler Smith - $1.9 million

$186.1 million total salary for 9 rostered players. I'm waiving Andre and Livingston in this situation. Package 47, 49, and cash to Charlotte for one of their two early 2nd's (33 or 34). 2-3 vet minimums and whoever you draft fills out the roster.

Dame/KPJ/???
Trent/AJ/Rollins
MPJ/???
Giannis/Wade/Smith/Thanasis
Bobby/Sims

I like it, but we're now hardcapped at the 1st apron by using the MLE and BAE. So we'll have to pass on Wade, or do a different deal than taking on MPJs big contract.

That move happens at the draft so we wouldn't be spending the MLE/BAE yet. I also don't see a realistic scenario where we're not a first apron team and being a non-tax team entirely shouldn't be any sort of goal when this roster is so talent deficient right now. Like that article/headline that came out a few weeks ago, most teams are gonna view the 1st apron as an acceptable place to be and it's really just the 2nd apron that everyone's trying to avoid like the plague. You still gotta convince Giannis to sign that extension next October, and I don't see the point in completely cheaping out this offseason when you'll have $90 million in expiring salary next summer.

[EasyE31]

The more I'm looking at the draft I think the Bucks should try and move into the middle part of the first round:

1) There are a group of big wings that are mocked around this range that would fill needs for the Bucks: Cedric Coward, Carter Bryant, Nique Clifford. All three have good positional size, plus shooters, and good defenders
2) SA has 14, OKC has 15, Orlando has 16, Minnesota 17, Brooklyn 19. All of these teams for various reasons could be open to moving out of the first round.

One proposal:

Bucks send the 31 first to OKC for Nikola Topic (into our trade exception) and 15.

[German Athens]

Do you guys think they’ll get rid of the repeater tax in the next CBA if the aprons still exist?

It feels a bit antiquated at this point, and almost everything they hoped to accomplish with the repeater tax, they are now accomplishing in a more effective way with the aprons.

I suppose a super team could exist longer without the repeater, but that team would have to be unbeatable from the get go, and then they couldn’t tinker like they used to with the second apron. The repeater likely dissolves super teams faster, but I’m just not sold in the other instances if the repeater is a useful restriction.

[Ron Swanson]

Do you guys think they’ll get rid of the repeater tax in the next CBA if the aprons still exist?

It feels a bit antiquated at this point, and almost everything they hoped to accomplish with the repeater tax, they are now accomplishing in a more effective way with the aprons.

I suppose a super team could exist longer without the repeater, but that team would have to be unbeatable from the get go, and then they couldn’t tinker like they used to with the second apron. The repeater likely dissolves super teams faster, but I’m just not sold in the other instances if the repeater is a useful restriction.

All of these rules were a vast over-correction in response to a "super-team" that last existed more than 6-years ago (Warriors). The irony is that Silver is already taking credit for the "parity" stuff of the last half decade despite the fact that the tax penalties didn't even go into effect until this past season. Parity happened naturally/organically (go figure).

Would love for there to be some sort of mechanism in the next CBA that designates a specific contract to count less against the cap if that player was drafted by the organization, but Silver's an incompetent moron who only cares about the dumb, meaningless stuff (All-Star game and his "cup"), so I'm not holding my breath.

[SirChurros]

I’m not a huge MPJ guy, but I think it’s a pretty low risk move to acquire him for some of the stuff being tossed around in this thread.

[pifhluk23]

Why pay a guy like MPJ 40M when AJG probably gives you 85% of MPJ if he's starting on Denver. We can find guys to do what MPJ does for half the price if not more.

Playing with Jokic and to a much lesser degree in Denver makes everyone look better than they are.

[ShootingtheJ]

First apron for the 2025-26 season is $187.9 million. 2nd apron is projected at $207.8 million.

- Kuzma + Pat + 2031 2nd for Michael Porter Jr. (Cam Johnson to Denver and Kuzma + DEN 1st to BKN)
- Dean Wade + #49 into the Middleton TPE ($7.2 million)
- Trent re-signed with MLE (3-yrs $40 million)
- KPJ re-signed on the BAE (1-yr $5.1 million)
- Bobby opts out and extends at a lower first season cap number (4-yrs $50 million)

Giannis - $54.1 million
Dame - $54.1 million
MPJ - $38.3 million
Trent - $12 million
Bobby - $12 million
Wade - $6.6 million (only $4 mil guaranteed if waived before January)
KPJ - $5.1 million
AJ Green - $2.3 million
Tyler Smith - $1.9 million

$186.1 million total salary for 9 rostered players. I'm waiving Andre and Livingston in this situation. Package 47, 49, and cash to Charlotte for one of their two early 2nd's (33 or 34). 2-3 vet minimums and whoever you draft fills out the roster.

Dame/KPJ/???
Trent/AJ/Rollins
MPJ/???
Giannis/Wade/Smith/Thanasis
Bobby/Sims

I like it, but we're now hardcapped at the 1st apron by using the MLE and BAE. So we'll have to pass on Wade, or do a different deal than taking on MPJs big contract.

That move happens at the draft so we wouldn't be spending the MLE/BAE yet. I also don't see a realistic scenario where we're not a first apron team and being a non-tax team entirely shouldn't be any sort of goal when this roster is so talent deficient right now. Like that article/headline that came out a few weeks ago, most teams are gonna view the 1st apron as an acceptable place to be and it's really just the 2nd apron that everyone's trying to avoid like the plague. You still gotta convince Giannis to sign that extension next October, and I don't see the point in completely cheaping out this offseason when you'll have $90 million in expiring salary next summer.

We can't make moves that hardcap us if they put us over the apron.

[rayallenscalves]

Why pay a guy like MPJ 40M when AJG probably gives you 85% of MPJ if he's starting on Denver. We can find guys to do what MPJ does for half the price if not more.

Praying with Jokic and to a much lesser degree in Denver makes everyone look better than they are.

I'm not a big MPJ supporter and I think Simmons' throwaway trade idea of Kuz/Conny for MPJ (or any version remotely similar to it) has a less than 1% chance of happening, but guys like MPJ (an efficient 6'10" marksman) are pretty rare at any price point.

[machu46]

Never been a fan of MPJ, but I would not be surprised at all if we're the kind of team that thinks he'd be a big upgrade. The size and shooting would theoretically be a really nice addition to our team and I'm sure some teams out there still envision him as someone with untapped potential in terms of creating more with the ball in his hands than he's afforded to playing with Jokic.

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[ReasonablySober]

Stein:

How Milwaukee gets better for next season, even if it finds itself focused on simply bolstering this roster around Antetokounmpo, is a bit murkier. The Bucks only have the No. 55 pick at their current disposal and are about to watch Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis become free agents … provided Portis bypasses his $13.4 million player option between now and June 29. And both players are expected to generate plenty of external interest.

The Lakers have long been fans of Lopez, sources say. That doesn't guarantee they will pursue him again, but the Lakers are indeed expected to be a player in the center market this summer. Sources say that Houston, furthermore, would once again have interest in signing Lopez if the Rockets are unable to retain Steven Adams.

Team executives expect Portis to have numerous potential landing spots in the midlevel market as well, although Milwaukee would like to bring back the 30-year-old forward, sources say. Golden State has always been a team to monitor for Portis, who has a notable fan in head coach Steve Kerr from their shared days during the 2023 FIBA World Cup competition with USA Basketball.

There also might be a developing market for Bucks midseason acquisition Kevin Porter Jr. The former first-round pick played well in heightened minutes during Lillard's various injury absences last season and Porter Jr. is expected to decline his $2.5 million player option to become a free agent, The Stein Line has learned.

The Bucks likewise have interest in retaining swingman Gary Trent Jr., sources say, although the veteran guard appears poised to generate a good amount of suitors.

[German Athens]

I like when reporters get details wrong in the first two sentences. It’s small, but it also allows me to stop reading and grab some more cheez-its before picking up where I left off.

[WeMajor34]

I’d be more than happy to just bring back Bobby and Trent out of those four. Crossing my fingers that the front office is thinking the same.

If it’s a cheap deal for both KPJ and Lopez, sure. I’m pretty confident KPJ will be back. Lopez is another story. In theory, if we don’t plan on starting Bobby and we want another starting PG that’s not KPJ or Rollins, we instantly become the premier destination for a cheap PG or C to start and rebuild their value.

No word about Prince at all in what I’ve read surrounding the rumor mill. Wonder if he (and Jericho) sign another minimum deal.

[Ron Swanson]

I like it, but we're now hardcapped at the 1st apron by using the MLE and BAE. So we'll have to pass on Wade, or do a different deal than taking on MPJs big contract.

That move happens at the draft so we wouldn't be spending the MLE/BAE yet. I also don't see a realistic scenario where we're not a first apron team and being a non-tax team entirely shouldn't be any sort of goal when this roster is so talent deficient right now. Like that article/headline that came out a few weeks ago, most teams are gonna view the 1st apron as an acceptable place to be and it's really just the 2nd apron that everyone's trying to avoid like the plague. You still gotta convince Giannis to sign that extension next October, and I don't see the point in completely cheaping out this offseason when you'll have $90 million in expiring salary next summer.

We can't make moves that hardcap us if they put us over the apron.

It's not putting us over the apron. It's $186.1 million vs. a $195.9 million apron threshold.

[ShootingtheJ]

That move happens at the draft so we wouldn't be spending the MLE/BAE yet. I also don't see a realistic scenario where we're not a first apron team and being a non-tax team entirely shouldn't be any sort of goal when this roster is so talent deficient right now. Like that article/headline that came out a few weeks ago, most teams are gonna view the 1st apron as an acceptable place to be and it's really just the 2nd apron that everyone's trying to avoid like the plague. You still gotta convince Giannis to sign that extension next October, and I don't see the point in completely cheaping out this offseason when you'll have $90 million in expiring salary next summer.

We can't make moves that hardcap us if they put us over the apron.

It's not putting us over the apron. It's $186.1 million vs. a $195.9 million apron threshold.

You have to account for filling out a full roster

[Bernman]

Read on Twitter

If this enticed him over an opt-in/long-term extension around that #, then the Bucks would have to use their own MLE on a big not Trent/wings.

[Ron Swanson]

We can't make moves that hardcap us if they put us over the apron.

It's not putting us over the apron. It's $186.1 million vs. a $195.9 million apron threshold.

You have to account for filling out a full roster

Yes, $10 million in space for 2-3 vet minimums and 1-2 rookies (2nd round contracts) is easily doable.

[German Athens]

We can't make moves that hardcap us if they put us over the apron.

It's not putting us over the apron. It's $186.1 million vs. a $195.9 million apron threshold.

You have to account for filling out a full roster

We could get there by signing multiple rookies in the 2nd round or UDFA, but it would tight.

That would be 1.2m for no experience, so if we took on 3 of those and then rocked with 14 for the year, we could do it.

194.3. We could also add another rookie, but that’s a lot to bring on.

[Ron Swanson]

Horst has always brought in late-2nd round guys on standard contracts precisely as a method to shave luxury tax dollars (Nwora, Merrill, Mamu, Kalatzaikas, Chris Livingston). I expect him to do the same this year. What I don't expect is that this organization has any sort of plan other than to just "wing it" this season and hope that Giannis stays patient and loyal. That offseason proposal was just my best guess at a "realistic best case scenario" while still giving them the opportunity to stay underneath the 1st apron if they so choose. I don't see many realistic scenarios where you're both staying under the 1st apron while trotting out a roster around Giannis that isn't laughably bad.

[mlloyd10]

IF Portis is set on joining another team, can we do a sign and trade with him?