Bucks News, Transactions, Trade Ideas: KPJ confirmed ankle sprain after MRI

[JayMKE]

I’m not under the impression that Kuzma is lazy, I just think he’s a low IQ player who tries to do to much on the court if anything. Him being a big athletic guy who can run the floor is the main thing he has going for him as a player. You can’t fix stupid but maybe you fix your corner 3

[raferfenix]

I love Marshall and would be ok with a first for him. I don’t think it’d ever happen.

I like Marshall but he’s another guy thats not worth a first

Kings scenarios I've been playing with were based on the Mavs valuing Malik Monk or Devin Carter.

The Athletic's Dallas beat writer sees this as their starting lineup: D’Angelo Russell, Klay Thompson, Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II

And although he's mostly laudatory of their depth and likes both Naji and Martin for them, this part caught my eye:

Besides health, Dallas’ lack of ballhandling and iffy outside shooting are the two biggest question marks surrounding the team. In the nine games Davis played with the team last season, the Mavericks averaged 10.9 3-point makes — which were fewer than the 11.2 made 3s per game averaged for the entire season by the league’s worst shooting team, the Orlando Magic.

To give Davis as much space as possible in the half court, I’ve penciled in Klay Thompson for the starting lineup. At this point in their careers, P.J. Washington is the better player; I believe that if the Mavericks are going to start Davis — a sub-30 percent 3-point shooter for his career — next to a non-shooting center, they will need Thompson’s ability to stretch the floor from the opening tip.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6511666/2025/07/28/mavericks-depth-chart-cooper-flagg-anthony-davis/

[Bernman]

Yes, let's torpedo our chance at a better 2nd option in the near future, for a defender who can't shoot in Naji Marshall.

About the Kuz Kontrol reaction, I wouldn't have relayed that if I thought it could be spun over-the-top negatively. But everything can be. God forbid he should work out on his honeymoon. Can't wait for the regular season to start.

[Profound23]

I’m not under the impression that Kuzma is lazy, I just think he’s a low IQ player who tries to do to much on the court if anything. Him being a big athletic guy who can run the floor is the main thing he has going for him as a player. You can’t fix stupid but maybe you fix your corner 3

Calling an athlete lazy is different than calling an average Joe lazy. Kuzma works out, keeps himself in shape, but he has some lazy habits on the court that will always arise at the worst times.

[-Jragon-]

If you ever begin to gaslight yourself into believing in our coaching, go back and watch this. We aren't a smart well-coached team at all and nothing has been done to address that.

Watch on YouTube

;t=2s

[youtube]azAYxhTAyDI&t=2s[/youtube]

[-Jragon-]

I wonder if Myles came here because he knows he'll always get player options and won't have to do windsprints like Carlisle made them do.

[Ron Swanson]

I mean, the end of Game 5 tape specifically is less an indictment on Doc and more an illustration of the worry that this offense might be cooked without Gary Trent going God Mode from 3. It's anti-KPJ tape.

[Bernman]

I mean, the end of Game 5 tape specifically is less an indictment on Doc and more an illustration of the worry that this offense might be cooked without Gary Trent going God Mode from 3. It's anti-KPJ tape.

Giannis' 1st playoffs were anti-Giannis tape. Green's 1st playoffs were anti-Green tape. Trent's 1st 2 playoffs were anti-Trent tape. It's normal.

And this doesn't pertain to the regular season at least. KPJ's for us was the reverse. And his last full season in Houston backs up the trajectory.

[Ron Swanson]

I mean, the end of Game 5 tape specifically is less an indictment on Doc and more an illustration of the worry that this offense might be cooked without Gary Trent going God Mode from 3. It's anti-KPJ tape.

Giannis' 1st playoffs were anti-Giannis tape. Green's 1st playoffs were anti-Green tape. Trent's 1st 2 playoffs were anti-Trent tape. It's normal.

And this doesn't pertain to the regular season at least. KPJ's for us was the reverse. And his last full season in Houston backs up the trajectory.

Wasn't talking about the regular season or even the series in general (he was "fine" despite the scoring numbers being a huge letdown), but pointing out that he was invisible the last 17-minutes of court time ultimately isn't on Doc, nor is Kuzma being unplayable.

[-Jragon-]

I mean, the end of Game 5 tape specifically is less an indictment on Doc and more an illustration of the worry that this offense might be cooked without Gary Trent going God Mode from 3. It's anti-KPJ tape.

GTJ was the only reason we had that lead.. then he also had 2 ridiculous turnovers like my 12 year old son would do. That's what I mean though. We don't have smart players, we have talented ones, so the coach that can actually lead us needs authority and voice.

[emunney]

It's an indictment on Doc because if you put Brook on the floor to catch the inbound pass, you win the game. Don't think there's a good excuse for struggling to inbound more than once. There's something to be said about riding the horse that brought you but also something to be said for using the appropriate tool for the job.

[-Jragon-]

I mean, the end of Game 5 tape specifically is less an indictment on Doc and more an illustration of the worry that this offense might be cooked without Gary Trent going God Mode from 3. It's anti-KPJ tape.

Giannis' 1st playoffs were anti-Giannis tape. Green's 1st playoffs were anti-Green tape. Trent's 1st 2 playoffs were anti-Trent tape. It's normal.

And this doesn't pertain to the regular season at least. KPJ's for us was the reverse. And his last full season in Houston backs up the trajectory.

KPJ should have found the Giannis mismatch at the end of regulation instead of shooting with 10 seconds on the SC and he also had a bad turnover dribbling into the trap in OT. Besides that, he should get credit for finding GTJ and keeping him heated up; our other dummies would have seen GTJ is hot and believed that maybe they are hot too and should heat check. KPJ also had some big defensive plays; that stop on Siakum was huge with that size disadvantage.

[-Jragon-]

It's an indictment on Doc because if you put Brook on the floor to catch the inbound pass, you win the game. Don't think there's a good excuse for struggling to inbound more than once. There's something to be said about riding the horse that brought you but also something to be said for using the appropriate tool for the job.

Right.. at a certain point in that game you can just hold the ball and either run clock or make them foul you. That's lack of coaching and not knowing your players are low IQ to the point of not overcoaching them.

[-Jragon-]

I mean, the end of Game 5 tape specifically is less an indictment on Doc and more an illustration of the worry that this offense might be cooked without Gary Trent going God Mode from 3. It's anti-KPJ tape.

Giannis' 1st playoffs were anti-Giannis tape. Green's 1st playoffs were anti-Green tape. Trent's 1st 2 playoffs were anti-Trent tape. It's normal.

And this doesn't pertain to the regular season at least. KPJ's for us was the reverse. And his last full season in Houston backs up the trajectory.

KPJ is a steal; the trajectory is there. I don't even remember who we traded to get him.

[BigO]

I’m not under the impression that Kuzma is lazy, I just think he’s a low IQ player who tries to do to much on the court if anything. Him being a big athletic guy who can run the floor is the main thing he has going for him as a player. You can’t fix stupid but maybe you fix your corner 3

I agree that he's a low IQ player, but the lazy part is directly from him.

[Dick Tate]

KPJ is a steal; the trajectory is there. I don't even remember who we traded to get him.

How do you forget a guy who scored 83 points in a pro-am?

[yb90]

What do we think of the Mavs as a trade partner?

Looks like Cooper Flagg will play a lot of SF for them and they have a bunch of wings but few guards until Kyrie comes back (they also have a roster crunch and could use an open spot or two).

Thinking about something where Kuzma goes to the Kings with Dallas involved.



https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6512382/2025/07/25/nba-summer-league-vegas-takeaways-cooper-flagg-dylan-harper/

Bucks:
Klay Thompson
PJ Washington

Dallas:
Monk
Ajax

Sacto:
Kuzma
(Sign Westbrook to replace Monk)

Can’t imagine we’d get PJ for Kuz, but maybe Dallas REALLY wants to get off of Klay’s corpse. This deal would save them almost 10 million + all the tax savings. Monk becomes their Kyrie fill in and then 6th man? No idea

This is interesting but the Bucks would almost want to send PJ to another team since GA and BP will already cover all the minutes at PF and it doesn’t seem like PJ could play SF. Klay providing spacing for GA would be unreal (one of the few trades I’ve seen where it is better for the spacing than simply giving all the SF minutes to GTJ and AJG) and he’s an actual SF but I’m assuming at this point his defense is pretty bad at 35 and after his injuries. Although he’d likely be a better team defender than Kuz, just probably too slow to make the rotations or stay in front of anyone.

Send PJ to Chicago in this scenario for Okoro. I don't think they would include PJ but if they did that would be the move I would try. Give Chicago a young defensive guy on an expiring salary.

[crowhead76]

Bucks:
Klay Thompson
PJ Washington

Dallas:
Monk
Ajax

Sacto:
Kuzma
(Sign Westbrook to replace Monk)

Can’t imagine we’d get PJ for Kuz, but maybe Dallas REALLY wants to get off of Klay’s corpse. This deal would save them almost 10 million + all the tax savings. Monk becomes their Kyrie fill in and then 6th man? No idea

This is interesting but the Bucks would almost want to send PJ to another team since GA and BP will already cover all the minutes at PF and it doesn’t seem like PJ could play SF. Klay providing spacing for GA would be unreal (one of the few trades I’ve seen where it is better for the spacing than simply giving all the SF minutes to GTJ and AJG) and he’s an actual SF but I’m assuming at this point his defense is pretty bad at 35 and after his injuries. Although he’d likely be a better team defender than Kuz, just probably too slow to make the rotations or stay in front of anyone.

Send PJ to Chicago in this scenario for Okoro. I don't think they would include PJ but if they did that would be the move I would try. Give Chicago a young defensive guy on an expiring salary.

Turning Kozma's salary slot into 2 10-11 million dollar salary slots is not a good idea, unless one of those players projects to become a higher salary player looking for a raise and an extension, Keegan Murray is the only player that really comes to mind in that scenario. I wish that was an option but I do not think it is.

[midranger]

This is interesting but the Bucks would almost want to send PJ to another team since GA and BP will already cover all the minutes at PF and it doesn’t seem like PJ could play SF. Klay providing spacing for GA would be unreal (one of the few trades I’ve seen where it is better for the spacing than simply giving all the SF minutes to GTJ and AJG) and he’s an actual SF but I’m assuming at this point his defense is pretty bad at 35 and after his injuries. Although he’d likely be a better team defender than Kuz, just probably too slow to make the rotations or stay in front of anyone.

Send PJ to Chicago in this scenario for Okoro. I don't think they would include PJ but if they did that would be the move I would try. Give Chicago a young defensive guy on an expiring salary.

Turning Kozma's salary slot into 2 10-11 million dollar salary slots is not a good idea, unless one of those players projects to become a higher salary player looking for a raise and an extension, Keegan Murray is the only player that really comes to mind in that scenario. I wish that was an option but I do not think it is.

Why (other than the roster spots)?

We can aggregate, being well under second threshold. Having the salary divided gives slightly more flexibility, if anything.

Not saying I’d want 10 minimum players with it, but two 10-15 million guys seems ideal.

[yb90]

Send PJ to Chicago in this scenario for Okoro. I don't think they would include PJ but if they did that would be the move I would try. Give Chicago a young defensive guy on an expiring salary.

Turning Kozma's salary slot into 2 10-11 million dollar salary slots is not a good idea, unless one of those players projects to become a higher salary player looking for a raise and an extension, Keegan Murray is the only player that really comes to mind in that scenario. I wish that was an option but I do not think it is.

Why (other than the roster spots)?

We can aggregate, being well under second threshold. Having the salary divided gives slightly more flexibility, if anything.

Not saying I’d want 10 minimum players with it, but two 10-15 million guys seems ideal.

Exactly, it gives you more flexibility at the deadline to combine a variety of players together with the 2 ($10-15m) guys. If Klay comes in then Harris and/or Prince could be expendable at the deadline.

Also, I think Okoro could be Lu Dort if given the opportunity. I really think the Bucks need a bigger defensive wing.