Bucks News, Trade Ideas, Transactions - Joe Johnson workout, pg 97

[Frank Nova]

Vet Min. He could theoretically get claimed. But my guess is he clears waivers about 2pm tomorrow.

What’s the difference between claiming a vet min contract and waiting for him to clear waivers to sign him to a vet min contract? Is it worth less because it’s half a year vs a pre existing contract or something?

Pretty sure he counts $1.6m against the tax threshold if a team claims him off waivers because they are absorbing his existing contract, like you said. That would put the Bucks in tax territory. You might not care, but it could cost the Bucks a talent much better than Teague because it means the Bucks will probably be doing everything to avoid the repeater tax next year.

If he clears waivers and signs a vet min contract after that, only a prorated portion of the vet min deal will count against the tax threshold. I'm not actually sure of the prorated formula, but if it's x/72 times $1.6m, with x being the remaining number of games, then the Bucks will probably be able to fit two vet min buyouts under the tax threshold if they wait just a few more days.

If you're wondering why it's ~$1.6m, that's because vet min deals are more like $2.6m but the NBA reimburses nearly $1m and doesn't count it against the cap because the powers that be don't want teams to pass over veterans just because of their pay scale. Teague will have had two different vet min deals this year if he clears waivers and signs with a team of his choosing, but I still think there's a very good chance some team claims him. It's extremely rare that such a cheap veteran who can help in the playoffs is available on the waiver wire.

Thanks, that makes sense. On the surface it just looks like the same amount of money so it’s like why wait and risk losing him if you’re just able to absorb him like you made room for by trading Craig and what not. But I assumed there was underlying things and moving parts that makes it more economical to wait. I didn’t know about the league reimbursing money and how badly claiming him would put us back up against the tax threshold and all that stuff. I probably should’ve been able to figure it out minus the in-depth details.

Maybe I’ve just been off lately, I talked a lot of **** on Donte and he’s been proving me wrong ever since... I’m okay with that tho and hopefully it continues. My apologies.

[ShootingtheJ]

Shams says we are front runner to get Rivers. Not sure if I like that or not

So gross

[MickeyDavis]

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[LUKE23]

I guess I'm failing to see what Rivers provides us unless they believe he can be a primary ball handler against playoff defenses. He's an average 3 point shooter and he's not known as a defender.

[LedZepp007]

Knight coming back sounds so dumb it might actually work.


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[WeekapaugGroove]

As both a bucks and suns fan I've had way too much Knight in my life but I guess if he can help I can try round 3 of rooting for him.

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[M-C-G]

I guess I'm failing to see what Rivers provides us unless they believe he can be a primary ball handler against playoff defenses. He's an average 3 point shooter and he's not known as a defender.

Was just thinking about this and went to bbref and looked at his shot charts. He is almost literally all three pointers and at the rim. Could be he would just fit well in the system.

I'm not sure where to find 3 pt % on wide open looks, but that could be another thing, everyone's numbers get pumped up playing with Giannis, so if that raises him from like a 36% shooter to a 40%, might make some sense.

[mke_design]

Rivers would be a solid signing in a pretty bare buyout market. Better than Teague or Knight

[ShootingtheJ]

So it was a big deal to free up more room under the hard cap so we could sign Austin Rivers a game earlier?

The Bucks needed to do the little things well. They signed DJA, gave Forbes part of the MLE, preventing them from using it to sign the 2 good players they drafted in round 2. Gave up assets for Tubby Tucker, and now are signing the completely worthless Rivers with better players available.

That's not winning on the edges.

[paulpressey25]

So it was a big deal to free up more room under the hard cap so we could sign Austin Rivers a game earlier?

Have to see if this was a Horst/Bud move, or a Lasry move.

[jakecronus8]

Mildly intrigued/optimistic about Teague or Knight. Less than enthused about Rivers

[jakecronus8]

Mildly intrigued/optimistic about Teague or Knight. Less than enthused about Rivers

[SirChurros]

I don't love Rivers, but he can provide much needed scoring with the second unit.

[M-C-G]

So it was a big deal to free up more room under the hard cap so we could sign Austin Rivers a game earlier?

The Bucks needed to do the little things well. They signed DJA, gave Forbes part of the MLE, preventing them from using it to sign the 2 good players they drafted in round 2. Gave up assets for Tubby Tucker, and now are signing the completely worthless Rivers with better players available.

That's not winning on the edges.

Only looking at negative and neutral moves with a negative lens will make everything look bad. Tried to fill some PG deficiencies and ended up overpaying a guy that ended up not being a fit. Moved down in the draft to undo that mistake and added a versatile defender that fits will with Giannis.

'Overpaid' Pat after messing up the two year deal, now Pat seems like an asset on an affordable contract.

Brought in Thanasis because he was Giannis brother and felt like that could help extend Giannis. It worked and now Thanasis brings something to the team with energy and enthusiasm and looks like he belongs in the league as an end of bench guy.

Found this Diakite guy that looks like he is on a similar trajectory as Christian Wood.

Tried to get a defensive specialist in Craig, didn't work out, got out of it with no penalty and opened up a roster spot for a buyout.

2nd round draft picks which tend to not look like NBA players, we may have found two shooters, kind of in the Duncan Robinson mold.

Like, I am sorry you are having a rough time, but lots of little things have been right. Never mind taking the chance on Brook and Pat in the first place. Hell even the 5th year on Middleton's deal is looking like a good move in retrospect and I didn't like that at all.

[ShootingtheJ]

Rivers is negative 3.7 VORP for his career. I wonder if that's the worst of all time? If his name was Austin Smith, he'd have been out of the league after his 1st contract.

[tydett]

Bucks doing Brandon Knight a solid by letting his agent leak that news. Shows teams that he's still out there and that the would-be contenders considered him. I don't expect it to come to fruition.

[raferfenix]

Austin Rivers is much younger than Jeff Teague so if it were to work out it could be a longer term solution.

Not sure how good he is though.

Either way I hope the Bucks can make a choice between good options as opposed to taking whoever is left off the scrap heap.

[JayMKE]

I honestly thought Brandon Knight medically retired, he’s been cooked for years. Why would people want Knight but freak out at Jabari? Rivers is way way better than Knight too at this point, Tim Frazier is better than Knight.

[buckboy]

Let's hope Knight is Plan Z after 25 other options don't work out.

I strongly prefer the open roster spot to Knight.

[coolhandluke121]

I guess the hope would be that Rivers can be significantly more efficient with the Bucks needing so little from him, kind of like Portis. He kind of showed some signs of that in Houston, right? He'll have to be much better to be worthy of a roster spot.