Bucks News, Transactions and Trade Ideas - 2025 Off-season

[soxperry]

Brook seems like a no brainer for the Lakers right? The best thing the Bucks can do to replace him is sign Naz Reid or Santi Aldama imo.

Would love to get Naz Reid, but he would have to opt out of a 15M season to sign with us for 14M and then we lose certainty on retaining KPJ. If Dame doesn't get hurt, you probably want Naz Reid over KPJ to bolster the title chances. Now, we are left to hope that KPJ can be an all star.

[ShootingtheJ]

To me this reads like an easy case to let Brook walk and use that TPE on an actual useful player and to cap Bobby’s first year salary at the MLE amount because no one is paying him more than that and it buys them breathing room under the first apron.

Also I think KPJ is easily retained with a two year BAE deal if you give him a player option in year two.

I agree that letting Brook walk is a no brainer.

Tyler Smith is another guaranteed contract for next year, only $1.95 million.

thanks, not sure how i missed him.

as for the comment about KPJ above since i'm too lazy to do another post:

yeah, that might work, but if he takes a leap getting 30+ minutes per game next season we would then be looking at him opting out and starting a bid war. in which case he's gone because we can only pay him a max of around 11 or 12M with early bird rights. maybe you dont have to give him the full MLE, but the MLE allows you to get him for multiple years and eventually have access to his full bird rights.

look, you may not think he's going to hit his ceiling. that's a perfectly fine opinion to have. but he is the best chance we have at a real needle moving player. we need to be very smart with his contract. we are placing a bet. for his skill set, i think 2 years at 14, no player options, is a very good move.

I think all 3 of us think KPJ has big potential. However, I just don't think there's any competition for his services. He's been moved twice with assets attached and was available for free this past dealine. Teams know his history, and aren't interested.

[Bernman]

I see that's true, if you use over the NTMLE amount. Which means it may be tough to use all these exceptions and re-up Bobby. They're at 141 alone, between Giannis, Dame, Kuz, & Pat. The projected 1st apron is 196.

MLE is 14 more. That's 155. BAE gets you to 160. The TPE to 167. That's maybe only 7 players. You need 8 more for a full roster. Let's say each gets minimums for around 2.5m average. That's 187, w/out Bobby, who takes you over.

You have to let Brook go. Maybe Bobby, unless you can't find a big for part/all of your MLE. Forego the TPE. And try to sneak 1-2 guys on fake minimums, w/ the handshake deal you'll get them next year, so you don't have half of a roster of genuine minimums. Makes it tough for depth.

Sportrac has the Bucks at just under $165M for Giannis, Dame, Kuz, Bobby, Pat, KPJ, AJG, AJJ, Livingston, Smith, and one min salary roster charge (plus two two ways at $0 to get to 13 but they’ll retain Sims and Rollins to get to 13 anyways so no more min salary slots to add).

If we assume Bobby and KPJ opt out, that takes $16M off that number putting you at $149M.

MLE adds $14M
BAE adds $5M (KPJ?)
Reup Bobby should only be $14M (no reason to pay him more than MLE when no one else can/will)
Sims let’s say $3M
Rollins let’s say $5M
A min salary guy was baked in above
That’s a total of $41M putting you just under $190M with 14 players so you can then use most of that TPE exception and still be slightly under the apron with 15 players.

They do have that 2nd round pick, so if they got someone they wanted to roster they could skip out on the min salary slot and use the savings to have access to very close to if not all their largest TPE or they could wave Livingston and give his spot to the second round pick which would also save them a few hundred K.

So unless Sportrac is off, they can keep Bobby and use the full MLE, BAE, almost their full largest TPE, and a min salary guy if they let Brook walk.

Keeping Brook at the minimum is also an option as is keeping him via Bird rights at $7M or less but that would then block them from getting creative by using the TPE to absorb someone probably more useful.

Here, I'll make this easy to see. The only thing that could be wrong is some type of incentive that wasn't automatically added to Spotrac contract amounts.

Nice table. I think it'd be the reverse, for Trent's & KPJ's compensation. We're not going to only use up 14 spots, w/ Dame out almost all season especially. So need 2 more guys. Brook & another 10+ vet min takes you over. I like LeVert. Might be compelled to get younger.

It's tight, but doable. Still doesn't make us any better. It's more maintenance. I'd try to get a better 5 than Bobby (Reid/Aldama), using the MLE. Then may need luck or finagling to get Trent &/or KPJ in. We have to think how those commitments put us in apron jeopardy down the line too.

[ShootingtheJ]

Brook seems like a no brainer for the Lakers right? The best thing the Bucks can do to replace him is sign Naz Reid or Santi Aldama imo.

Before getting Luka, sure. Now the Lakers want an athletic rim runner.

[ShootingtheJ]

I don't like the idea of wasting the MLE on a center that's barely better than Bobby. We need a wing, badly.

[Bernman]

For 2 & a half yrs here Bobby was junk. He reverted back to what he was before for the last couple months. Then in the playoffs posted a mediocre ts% of 51 & defensively he's terrible in rotation. We'd also be paying him into his mid 30's. Have to stop doing that w/ players.

The upgrade would be substantial now, let alone later. We need to get better in the starting lineup at big more than wing. Though we need to do that in a lot of places, including wing. It's a pickle. Might be a moot point, if we're in win now, are compelled to back into retaining Bobby.

[engelmartin]

Why are we so confident Trent will stay?

[MickeyDavis]

Why are we so confident Trent will stay?

He will get more than the BAE elsewhere.

[jschligs]

Why are we so confident Trent will stay?

I don't think he will. 11ppg on 41% 3P shooting...but, and I mentioned this earlier, there are a lot of winning teams that have cap issues and I think he wants to play for a winner. So then I start to think he'll stay.

[Bernman]

Horst is a magician in FA, for what he's had to work with. He'll target good players & sell them on Milwaukee. But it's still not a lot to work w/ & all the sales pitches on what they'll get later will cost us down the line.

[German Athens]

I don't like the idea of wasting the MLE on a center that's barely better than Bobby. We need a wing, badly.

I agree with the overall statement that Naz is only slightly better than Bobby, but I do think he’s better in pretty important ways for us.

I think he has similar defensive feet to Bobby, but has the ability to play larger at the rim. Then on offense he has a much quicker 3pt release, gets it off more frequently, and even has some movement ability. That’s a much more valuable shooter. He’s also better finishing at the rim, who can get there quickly off the bounce and finish off one foot.

He’s not the rebounder Bobby is, nor the smooth midrange threat, but I think the overall package would be awesome here, and he would aid in our ability to play faster.

[th87]

The fire Doc petition only got 35 signatures, so apparently not many Bucks' fans badly want him to go.
https://www.change.org/p/fire-doc-rivers-94187749-e4d6-423e-b8fd-786286e99765

I don't think people want to post their personal info.

[Bernman]

The fire Doc petition only got 35 signatures, so apparently not many Bucks' fans badly want him to go.
https://www.change.org/p/fire-doc-rivers-94187749-e4d6-423e-b8fd-786286e99765

I don't think people want to post their personal info.

You can log in w/ another account, like Google, & then change the name that shows up. I did.

[slos]

Brook seems like a no brainer for the Lakers right? The best thing the Bucks can do to replace him is sign Naz Reid or Santi Aldama imo.

Let’s just forget about Reid. He has a 25 mil p/y offer waiting from Detroit with a starting job next to Duren. On top of that there are reports that Minny could go up to 5/150 to retain him and start him when Randle expires.

Aldama on the other hand is a different story. Memphis has 19 mil in cap space, but they are planning to use it for a renegotiation and extension to JJJ who will be a 23.5 mil expiring.

If they do that they will only have the room exception for Aldama. If you send them a 4/60 offer sheet with the MLE the only way they could match will be by paying assets to a third team to unload Clarke’s 2/25.

[RiotPunch]

MKE: Coby White, Patrick Williams
CHI: Kyle Kuzma, Pat Connaughton, '32 swap

[AussieBuck]

MKE: Coby White, Patrick Williams
CHI: Kyle Kuzma, Pat Connaughton, '32 swap

Easy

[ShootingtheJ]

MKE: Coby White, Patrick Williams
CHI: Kyle Kuzma, Pat Connaughton, '32 swap

Easy

I'm intrigued, but be aware that there won't be any bounce back from Williams. He has nerve damage in his hand, and is owed $72 million over the next 4 years. He can't rebound or dunk because of it.

[Matches Malone]

I really hope they can find a team that will take on Kuzma in a trade. It's bad enough we have to watch Doc coach our team, but I don't want to see Kuzma stumbling out on the court trying to look like a basketball player. He is awful! I'd take a sandwich back if it meant getting him off the roster.

[Frank Nova]

Brook seems like a no brainer for the Lakers right? The best thing the Bucks can do to replace him is sign Naz Reid or Santi Aldama imo.

Let’s just forget about Reid. He has a 25 mil p/y offer waiting from Detroit with a starting job next to Duren. On top of that there are reports that Minny could go up to 5/150 to retain him and start him when Randle expires.

Aldama on the other hand is a different story. Memphis has 19 mil in cap space, but they are planning to use it for a renegotiation and extension to JJJ who will be a 23.5 mil expiring.

If they do that they will only have the room exception for Aldama. If you send them a 4/60 offer sheet with the MLE the only way they could match will be by paying assets to a third team to unload Clarke’s 2/25.

I like it. I think I’d rather have Aldama anyway personally. He’d bring better defense than Reid and Reid is somewhat redundant to Bobby if we plan on keeping him around. At any rate, Horst just needs to find a key piece or 2 from a team in cap hell to take advantage of.

[chonestown]

Colby White...in Wisconsin? To good too not happen.