Bucks News, Trade Ideas, Transactions

[ShootingtheJ]

Assuming everyone is soon healthy this is probably Doc’s 10 man rotation.

Lillard (36)/Wright (12)
Jackson (20)/Green (20)/GTJ (8)
Midds (32)/GTJ (8)/Prince (8)
Giannis (36)/Prince (8)/Bobby (4)
Brook (32)/Bobby (16)

Whose minutes do you trust less? That probably gives you the answer for the Bucks’ bigger needs.

This is a helpful distillation.

Prince has been fine but idk if his defense is good enough to be ideal for this role.

Delon Wright has also been disappointing since he’s just not a true PG. Maybe that matters less when Middleton returns but similarly to Prince his defense hasn’t been so good that it’s not an area we could be looking at.

The op floated acquiring Donte or someone like him (I’m skeptical the Wolves bail for what we could offer) also since our young guards are untested in the playoffs. Idk about investing in guys ahead of Green and Ajax though — I might rather bring back Pat Bev for free, which solves for Delon not being a PG too.

Bobby’s the one who most clearly stands out to me as who I don’t trust if we could get a defensive upgrade basically anywhere for him. Pat’s salary is just too small and not enough value to get us anything worth attaching the 2031 pick is my hunch.

I'd guess Wright goes to the bench and Doc has Midds/Giannis run the offense with Dame out. Can't afford to not have AJ, AJJ and GTJ on the court. Something like the below, but adjust the AJ, AJJ, GTJ and Prince minutes based on who's hot that night.

Dame (36) / Midds (12)
AJJ (12)) / AJ (20) / GTJ (16)
Midds (20) / AJJ (10) / GTJ (10) / Prince (8)
Giannis (36) / Prince (12)
Brook (32) / Bobby (16)

Wright will heat up from 3 any game now. He's better than Trent, and gives us the ball handler we need.

We should look to deal Trent when he becomes trade eligible. Somebody will give up a 2nd for a shooter. Green and Ajax should never sit for Trent.

[drdrG]

Feels like we're in a bit of a pickle with the lack of play-making/shot creation on the perimeter. Yes, no Giannis and no Khris definitely amplified it vs. Miami, but even when fully healthy, the bench unit is still severely lacking offensively and that's something that simply moving a guy like Trent to the bench is not gonna fully address. AJ Johnson is nowhere near ready as an NBA player, Delon has never been any sort of dynamic offensive creator, and I'm not yet sold that Rollins has that ability/potential based on just a 60-minute sample size. Could be why there's interest in Cam Thomas, but I'd be looking at guys like Cole Anthony, Shake Milton, Marcus Sasser, or Aaron Holiday as buy-low targets.

This is exactly why I'm banging the drum for Dalano Banton. Quicker defensively than Prince. 9' standing reach, he's an effective weakside shotblocker. Portland is loaded with forwards, so he actually gets most of his minutes at PG. He'd allow us to run the same offensive sets as we run with Giannis even when Giannis sits.

Banton per 36 is averaging 21.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2 steals, and 1.6 blocks whole shooting 39% from 3. Portland is a whopping 24 points/100 better with Banton on the floor, yet braindead Chauncy Billups plays him just 15.8 minutes per game.

His contract is just $2.1 million, and we'd have his Early Bird rights. Acquiring 6' 9" point forwards has always been the right move for Milwaukee Bucks.

Banton with 17 points and 5 steals last night in just 23 minutes.

Love Banton. He really popped in Toronto in a few games against the Bucks. He is downsizing if Bobby would be in the deal. Do you think he can effectively play small ball 4? He likes being on the perimeter

[ShootingtheJ]

KM played the 4 vs Indy so hope is real.

I'd like it much better than the small ball we tried to play vs Miami with Pat and Bobby in.

With KMs speed, covering 4s is the best hope we have that he stays in front of and near someone on that end.

No defensive concerns with Khris. The only concern is how Dame is going to stay in front of anyone.

Hopefully Doc keeps benching him on the defensive end until he realizes what winning basketball looks like. Portland allowed him to develop too many losing habits.

[ShootingtheJ]

This is exactly why I'm banging the drum for Dalano Banton. Quicker defensively than Prince. 9' standing reach, he's an effective weakside shotblocker. Portland is loaded with forwards, so he actually gets most of his minutes at PG. He'd allow us to run the same offensive sets as we run with Giannis even when Giannis sits.

Banton per 36 is averaging 21.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2 steals, and 1.6 blocks whole shooting 39% from 3. Portland is a whopping 24 points/100 better with Banton on the floor, yet braindead Chauncy Billups plays him just 15.8 minutes per game.

His contract is just $2.1 million, and we'd have his Early Bird rights. Acquiring 6' 9" point forwards has always been the right move for Milwaukee Bucks.

Banton with 17 points and 5 steals last night in just 23 minutes.

Love Banton. He really popped in Toronto in a few games against the Bucks. He is downsizing if Bobby would be in the deal. Do you think he can effectively play small ball 4? He likes being on the perimeter

For the modern NBA, I'd just consider him a 4. He can guard 4s, and would be the first 4 Giannis ever played with that offered weak side shot blocking.

Offensively he fits our DHO offense perfectly. Having another player who can attack off the dribble and playmake would be huge.

His issue was always the shooting, but he's hitting 40% from 3, including contested and above the break 3s.

[soxperry]

Can we get the guy on the Hornets who averaged like 8 offensive rebounds per game in two games against us?

[ShootingtheJ]

Can we get the guy on the Hornets who averaged like 8 offensive rebounds per game in two games against us?

He's only on a 2 way, and he's their 3rd string center, so maybe. However, they have no motivation to move him. He'd be a lot more interesting if he developed his shot. He looked like he might become a for spacer in college but that hasn't developed.

Diabite was available to anyone this offseason, but Horst didn't jump, and now our 2 way center is a non propect.

[raferfenix]

Curry just called out how Kerr needs to shorten the rotation.

If Trayce Jackson-Davis ends up on the outs I’d be real interested:

In the second half, Kerr started Kevon Looney in Trayce Jackson-Davis’ place. Jackson-Davis hasn’t been very effective to open his second season and had his shot blocked a few times against the Suns. He was limited to 15 minutes and, though Kerr said the Looney insertion was about a specific defensive coverage they wanted to deploy against the Suns, he did acknowledge Looney might slide back into the starting center slot, which could nudge Jackson-Davis toward the rotation’s edge.

Then there’s Kuminga. The fewer minutes that the Warriors play with either center on the floor, the more often they will be able to get Kuminga in a more comfortable, spread setting, which should better allow him to flourish. That feels like the most necessary step to raise this team’s ceiling (outside of a substantial trade before the deadline).

This was the Warriors’ lineup during their Saturday night closing flurry: Curry, Podziemski, Wiggins, Kuminga and Green, perhaps the five-man unit that could see more extended run in future games.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5959219/2024/12/01/warriors-struggle-13-man-rotation/?source=emp_shared_article

[BigO]

Curry just called out how Kerr needs to shorten the rotation.

If Trayce Jackson-Davis ends up on the outs I’d be real interested:

In the second half, Kerr started Kevon Looney in Trayce Jackson-Davis’ place. Jackson-Davis hasn’t been very effective to open his second season and had his shot blocked a few times against the Suns. He was limited to 15 minutes and, though Kerr said the Looney insertion was about a specific defensive coverage they wanted to deploy against the Suns, he did acknowledge Looney might slide back into the starting center slot, which could nudge Jackson-Davis toward the rotation’s edge.

Then there’s Kuminga. The fewer minutes that the Warriors play with either center on the floor, the more often they will be able to get Kuminga in a more comfortable, spread setting, which should better allow him to flourish. That feels like the most necessary step to raise this team’s ceiling (outside of a substantial trade before the deadline).

This was the Warriors’ lineup during their Saturday night closing flurry: Curry, Podziemski, Wiggins, Kuminga and Green, perhaps the five-man unit that could see more extended run in future games.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5959219/2024/12/01/warriors-struggle-13-man-rotation/?source=emp_shared_article

I have no interest in Trace Jackson. He was soft in college and is soft now.

The Warriors have lost 4 in a row and their problem has been offense. Kerr loves BP. How about:

Bucks Out: BP and Trent (when available)
Bucks In: Looney and GPIII

I don't have any idea about salary match.

This is contingent on the Bucks deciding they have enough offense and rebounding for the playoffs. The benches are much shorter and out of KM, Lillard and Giannis, you can keep two of the three on the floor at all times. With the emergence of Green, Trent's offense isn't needed as much.

[MickeyDavis]

I moved this from the other thread. It will get more responses here

Can I just ask something? Was listening to some nba podcasts and what not.

Where did the Jokic is leagues above Giannis offensively narrative start? And when did it become the accepted norm among the so-called experts? Even last season, one of Jokic's best as he easily won MVP, he averaged 26.4/12.4/9 on 65 TS% while Giannis averaged 30.4/11.5/6.5 on 65 TS%.

So 4 points less, 1 rebound more and 2.5 assists more. Are these supposed to be different tiers that cannot even be compared? Am I missing somehting?
I can understand saying he's better offensively and more consistent but to have him so far above Giannis that a conversation cannot even be had is ludicrous.

And defense is never discussed anymore in these things, like it does not even exist.

[paulpressey25]

Bucks Out: BP and Trent (when available)
Bucks In: Looney and GPIII

Looney would be nice but feel Bobby is a much more valuable player.

And Payton seems to be a fringe player, who got hot for a couple years but now is 32 and won't be around much longer.

Really want one solid piece coming back if they deal Bobby.

[PG Graveyard]

I moved this from the other thread. It will get more responses here

Can I just ask something? Was listening to some nba podcasts and what not.

Where did the Jokic is leagues above Giannis offensively narrative start? And when did it become the accepted norm among the so-called experts? Even last season, one of Jokic's best as he easily won MVP, he averaged 26.4/12.4/9 on 65 TS% while Giannis averaged 30.4/11.5/6.5 on 65 TS%.

So 4 points less, 1 rebound more and 2.5 assists more. Are these supposed to be different tiers that cannot even be compared? Am I missing somehting?
I can understand saying he's better offensively and more consistent but to have him so far above Giannis that a conversation cannot even be had is ludicrous.

And defense is never discussed anymore in these things, like it does not even exist.

It’s ridiculous. Giannis is graded on a harder curve because he’s the “run and jump” guy.

[BigO]

Bucks Out: BP and Trent (when available)
Bucks In: Looney and GPIII

Looney would be nice but feel Bobby is a much more valuable player.

And Payton seems to be a fringe player, who got hot for a couple years but now is 32 and won't be around much longer.

Really want one solid piece coming back if they deal Bobby.

There's not many posters that like BP more than I do, but when you get my age, you realize every year it's all about the season you're in.

BP is likely gone next year, so for a rental, BP is not going to bring a haul for the future.

I'm not sure what you think you can get for him. If this was last season, then yes, he'd be much more valuable.

[raferfenix]

I have no interest in Trace Jackson. He was soft in college and is soft now.

My impression is he’s an athletic rim runner that can hold his own out on the perimeter, if we think that’s accurate?

We need help on the boards so the soft label is concerning. But if he’s a defensive upgrade and can provide our center rotation the energy lift we need maybe it’s fine if bigger guys beat him up.

Looney I’d be interested in too but he seems to me like a filler guy behind Brook at best who doesn’t bring much different to the table. That said I also get BigO’s argument that even a lateral move with Bobby could be an improvement if it’s a better fit and just the most we can get.

[ShootingtheJ]

Bucks Out: BP and Trent (when available)
Bucks In: Looney and GPIII

Looney would be nice but feel Bobby is a much more valuable player.

And Payton seems to be a fringe player, who got hot for a couple years but now is 32 and won't be around much longer.

Really want one solid piece coming back if they deal Bobby.

There's not many posters that like BP more than I do, but when you get my age, you realize every year it's all about the season you're in.

BP is likely gone next year, so for a rental, BP is not going to bring a haul for the future.

I'm not sure what you think you can get for him. If this was last season, then yes, he'd be much more valuable.

The Warriors have been trying to trade draft capital to win now. Their outgoing salary slot is going to be injured Melton's expiring contract. So the deal is:

GSW in: Portis
GSW out: Melton, draft capital
Bucks out: Portis, 2031 1st? 2031 2nd?
Bucks in : ...

Who's the 3rd team here? Assume the Bucks will add another 1st to the draft capital. Rebuilding teams include Bulls, Pistons, Nets Wizards, Blazers, Jazz, and maybe Pelicans.

Part of the deal is love would be:

Blazers in: Marjon, draft capital
Blazers out: Dalano Banton

Bucks get Banton and still have a salary slot and plenty of draft capital for another major addition.

[raferfenix]

Their outgoing salary slot is going to be injured Melton's expiring contract.

Agreed Melton’s salary slot could be on the move, and especially in a Bobby scenario, since it fits perfectly and it’s otherwise tough to get the numbers to work.

Imagine at least one of Looney and Davis would head elsewhere to clear mins. Since the Bucks would have a hole up front and a need for a better defending big, I suspect that’d be here vs a third team.

Warriors also have a BAE and $7M trade exception to absorb MarJon or someone else if we wanted them to.

[ShootingtheJ]

Their outgoing salary slot is going to be injured Melton's expiring contract.

Agreed Melton’s salary slot could be on the move, and especially in a Bobby scenario, since it fits perfectly and it’s otherwise tough to get the numbers to work.

Imagine at least one of Looney and Davis would head elsewhere to clear mins. Since the Bucks would have a hole up front and a need for a better defending big, I suspect that’d be here vs a third team.

Warriors also have a BAE and $7M trade exception to absorb MarJon or someone else if we wanted them to.

The problem for the Warriors is they're hardcapped this year, so they can only use a sliver of their exceptions.

I don't see Looney as an option here as he has zero floor spacing abilities, and we run a different offense than the Warriors.

[BigO]

I'm under the assumption that the Bucks are not going to give up another first round pick.

And they certainly won't give it up for a guy like Blanton, who can't rebound, can't shoot and has been around for 5 years, enough time to develop in those areas. His 3 point shooting is on low usage and is an anomaly in his five seasons.

Most posters agree the Bucks could use some interior defense and a guy who is switchable. Looney can't spread the floor, but if you want a great switchable defender, a great rebounder AND a floor spacer, then you're talking about an all star.

[Bernman]

I'd like to do to Delon Wright what we did to Cam Payne. After we've seen his performance compared to the alternatives, he's expendable to a liability. So we'd be served to trade him to some team who may have use.

I think you just trade Bobby, Wright, & Marjon, cuz it'd be addition by subtraction, + some teams may have more use for them. W/ Pat, I don't think you get anything of use, or a full clearance. We might want to ride it out in hopes he could be an asset in spots in the playoffs. One of the guys w/ a track record there. Unless his salary is needed to make a trade work.

If we could acquire a version this yr's version of George Hill, + Paul Reed, or Nance if we're going to have greed, that'd fill a need.

[ShootingtheJ]

I'm under the assumption that the Bucks are not going to give up another first round pick.

And they certainly won't give it up for a guy like Blanton, who can't rebound, can't shoot and has been around for 5 years, enough time to develop in those areas. His 3 point shooting is on low usage and is an anomaly in his five seasons.

Wasn't giving up a 1st for Banton. Banton is in year 4, not 5, and is averaging 8 - 3 attempts per 36, so he has extremely high usage and has clearly developed as a shooter. He's an average rebounder and switchable defender. He blocks more shots per 36 than Looney despite guarding perimeter players instead of being close to the hoop defending centers.

[ShootingtheJ]

Most posters agree the Bucks could use some interior defense and a guy who is switchable. Looney can't spread the floor, but if you want a great switchable defender, a great rebounder AND a floor spacer, then you're talking about an all star.

In the regular season, maybe, but in the playoffs, the Bucks have the best switching center in the game. We should be trying to find a big wing to play next to him. Wasting an asset on a 3rd string geezer center would be a total waste.