Bucks News, Trade Ideas, Transactions

[LuessiT]

I'm not expecting much moving forward. Extend Jrue and we are good to go. I know this will be an unpopular opinion, but if Jrue signs an extension I think Horst should make some moves to avoid the tax.

Jrue/DDV/Midds/Giannis/Brook and Augustin/Merrill/Connaughton/Nwora/#30 will cost 147 mil in 2021-22. Bucks should be wiser to avoid the repeated tax so early. At least not for players like Pat or Wilson.

Yes this should be the goal if it doesn't harm our chances to win a title.

[LuessiT]

What do you guys think about getting Valanciunas? How does he compare to Brook at defending? He’s and equal or better shooter and 4 years younger.

I like Val a lot but the bolded isn't necessarily true. Volume is a big deal. Also he's bad on defense. He plays with a lot of heart in crucial games and deciding moments though.

[ShootingtheJ]

I'm not expecting much moving forward. Extend Jrue and we are good to go. I know this will be an unpopular opinion, but if Jrue signs an extension I think Horst should make some moves to avoid the tax.

Jrue/DDV/Midds/Giannis/Brook and Augustin/Merrill/Connaughton/Nwora/#30 will cost 147 mil in 2021-22. Bucks should be wiser to avoid the repeated tax so early. At least not for players like Pat or Wilson.

Yes this should be the goal if it doesn't harm our chances to win a title.

Please explain the perils of the repeater tax. This is new territory for us.

[LuessiT]

I'm not expecting much moving forward. Extend Jrue and we are good to go. I know this will be an unpopular opinion, but if Jrue signs an extension I think Horst should make some moves to avoid the tax.

Jrue/DDV/Midds/Giannis/Brook and Augustin/Merrill/Connaughton/Nwora/#30 will cost 147 mil in 2021-22. Bucks should be wiser to avoid the repeated tax so early. At least not for players like Pat or Wilson.

Yes this should be the goal if it doesn't harm our chances to win a title.

Please explain the perils of the repeater tax. This is new territory for us.

Team salary above tax level Non-repeater Repeater
Lower Upper Tax rate Incremental maximum Tax rate Incremental maximum
$0 $4,999,999 $1.50 $7.5 million $2.50 $12.5 million
$5,000,000 $9,999,999 $1.75 $8.75 million $2.75 $13.75 million
$10,000,000 $14,999,999 $2.50 $12.5 million $3.50 $17.5 million
$15,000,000 $19,999,999 $3.25 $16.25 million $4.25 $21.25 million
$20,000,000 N/A $3.75, and increasing $.50 for each additional $5 million N/A $4.75, and increasing $.50 for
each additional $5 million N/A

The repeater tax rate is triggered if you've already paid tax in the year before and is basically 1$ for every $ above the luxury tax line you spend. So the difference between paying the tax the first time this year or next year is the savings this year plus whatever we'll be over the tax line next year. Dodging the tax this year could easily be $20m+ in savings.

[ShootingtheJ]

Yes this should be the goal if it doesn't harm our chances to win a title.

Please explain the perils of the repeater tax. This is new territory for us.

Team salary above tax level Non-repeater Repeater
Lower Upper Tax rate Incremental maximum Tax rate Incremental maximum
$0 $4,999,999 $1.50 $7.5 million $2.50 $12.5 million
$5,000,000 $9,999,999 $1.75 $8.75 million $2.75 $13.75 million
$10,000,000 $14,999,999 $2.50 $12.5 million $3.50 $17.5 million
$15,000,000 $19,999,999 $3.25 $16.25 million $4.25 $21.25 million
$20,000,000 N/A $3.75, and increasing $.50 for each additional $5 million N/A $4.75, and increasing $.50 for
each additional $5 million N/A

The repeater tax rate is triggered if you've already paid tax in the year before and is basically 1$ for every $ above the luxury tax line you spend. So the difference between paying the tax the first time this year or next year is the savings this year plus whatever we'll be over the tax line next year. Dodging the tax this year could easily be $20m+ in savings.

No on court impact?

[LuessiT]

Please explain the perils of the repeater tax. This is new territory for us.

Team salary above tax level Non-repeater Repeater
Lower Upper Tax rate Incremental maximum Tax rate Incremental maximum
$0 $4,999,999 $1.50 $7.5 million $2.50 $12.5 million
$5,000,000 $9,999,999 $1.75 $8.75 million $2.75 $13.75 million
$10,000,000 $14,999,999 $2.50 $12.5 million $3.50 $17.5 million
$15,000,000 $19,999,999 $3.25 $16.25 million $4.25 $21.25 million
$20,000,000 N/A $3.75, and increasing $.50 for each additional $5 million N/A $4.75, and increasing $.50 for
each additional $5 million N/A

The repeater tax rate is triggered if you've already paid tax in the year before and is basically 1$ for every $ above the luxury tax line you spend. So the difference between paying the tax the first time this year or next year is the savings this year plus whatever we'll be over the tax line next year. Dodging the tax this year could easily be $20m+ in savings.

No on court impact?

No.

[coolhandluke121]

What makes you lose the BAE? I thought that was the repeater tax, but maybe it's just paying the tax once?

I think the MLE alone is worth staying out of the tax, unless you truly have a big 4 that you want to keep or you have enough young, cheap talent locked in at a reasonable price to field almost an entire playoff rotation without needing the MLE. The Bucks have neither. They're going to be like Lebron's last year in Miami sooner than later if they're not careful - just a skeleton crew with a big 3 and a bunch of minimum contract guys or guys past their prime. I hope Jrue accepts $30m/season or something. Otherwise it's trading some guys Giannis is attached to + DDV.

I would be interested in trading DJA for Hill if that's possible.

[slos]

Bucks need to use their limited resources wisely to help as much as possible this Jrue/Midds/Giannis core for the next three years. Paying the tax this year for no reason will cost in the long run some good moves because of $$$. I would be OK if Bucks paid the tax to have Bogdan on board too, but as it looks now they will pay the tax for players like Augustin/Pat/Wilson...

Best case scenario though is Horst making another good trade in the deadline and pay the tax for a good reason. Something like Dipo for DDV/Wilson/Lopez (probably to a third team) + 2nds. Jrue/Dipo/Midds/Giannis/Portis can work even better. You don't lose shooting moving from DDV/Brook to Dipo/Portis around Giannis and you upgrade your 4th option.

[giannis and 1]

What do you guys think about getting Valanciunas? How does he compare to Brook at defending? He’s and equal or better shooter and 4 years younger.

I like Val a lot but the bolded isn't necessarily true. Volume is a big deal. Also he's bad on defense. He plays with a lot of heart in crucial games and deciding moments though.

From what I've seen, he's decent at rim protection but not quite as terrible when he gets switched onto guards as Lopez is. So arguably, he would perform better defensively here than Brook.

[giannis and 1]

What makes you lose the BAE? I thought that was the repeater tax, but maybe it's just paying the tax once?

I think the MLE alone is worth staying out of the tax, unless you truly have a big 4 that you want to keep or you have enough young, cheap talent locked in at a reasonable price to field almost an entire playoff rotation without needing the MLE. The Bucks have neither. They're going to be like Lebron's last year in Miami sooner than later if they're not careful - just a skeleton crew with a big 3 and a bunch of minimum contract guys or guys past their prime. I hope Jrue accepts $30m/season or something. Otherwise it's trading some guys Giannis is attached to + DDV.

I would be interested in trading DJA for Hill if that's possible.

A lot of you will disagree but I think trading Middleton in a year or 2 for a younger player who is a downgrade in talent and salary makes sense. Like a 22-27 year old starting wing (but obviously a much worse player than Middleton), a 1st and a little salary filler, or something along those lines.

[Prez]

Brook + stuff for Vuc would be interesting, just don't know what the other stuff would be

[coolhandluke121]

What makes you lose the BAE? I thought that was the repeater tax, but maybe it's just paying the tax once?

I think the MLE alone is worth staying out of the tax, unless you truly have a big 4 that you want to keep or you have enough young, cheap talent locked in at a reasonable price to field almost an entire playoff rotation without needing the MLE. The Bucks have neither. They're going to be like Lebron's last year in Miami sooner than later if they're not careful - just a skeleton crew with a big 3 and a bunch of minimum contract guys or guys past their prime. I hope Jrue accepts $30m/season or something. Otherwise it's trading some guys Giannis is attached to + DDV.

I would be interested in trading DJA for Hill if that's possible.

A lot of you will disagree but I think trading Middleton in a year or 2 for a younger player who is a downgrade in talent and salary makes sense. Like a 22-27 year old starting wing (but obviously a much worse player than Middleton), a 1st and a little salary filler, or something along those lines.

If they don't improve a lot in the playoffs this year, stuff like this should be considered. I always defend Khris against the irrational hate, but there are plenty of realistic scenarios where the team could be better in the long run by trading him for the right return. You have to believe a lot in the young guy you're trading him for if you do this though, and you can't screw up the extra payroll flexibility you get.

[coolhandluke121]

Brook + stuff for Vuc would be interesting, just don't know what the other stuff would be

I just looked at every team's payroll to see how the Bucks might be able to improve their financial outlook and preserve the full MLE each off-season for years to come without sacrificing too much talent (not trying to save the owners money here or anything, that's not the point). Vucevic does jump out at you because his salary decreases $2m per year through 2023. Terrence Ross's salary goes down $1m per season through '23, as does Larry Nance Jr's. Buddy Hield and Harrison Barnes decrease $2m per season. Those guys are all arguably good enough to trade for without raising eyebrows or setting the team too far back.

Vucevic is my favorite. Brook, DDV, DJA, and Pat must be pretty close. Gotta get some roster filler from Orlando though. Larry Nance Jr., who's making slightly less than Brook this year, might be a more realistic target. He's slowly adding the 3 to his repertoire. Nearly 35% over the last 2 seasons combined, which is better than Brook's career average. More of a switching, mobile, small-ball defender, which is what I want.

[ShootingtheJ]

What makes you lose the BAE? I thought that was the repeater tax, but maybe it's just paying the tax once?

I think the MLE alone is worth staying out of the tax, unless you truly have a big 4 that you want to keep or you have enough young, cheap talent locked in at a reasonable price to field almost an entire playoff rotation without needing the MLE. The Bucks have neither. They're going to be like Lebron's last year in Miami sooner than later if they're not careful - just a skeleton crew with a big 3 and a bunch of minimum contract guys or guys past their prime. I hope Jrue accepts $30m/season or something. Otherwise it's trading some guys Giannis is attached to + DDV.

I would be interested in trading DJA for Hill if that's possible.

Using the BAE keeps you from being able to use it the next year, because it's biannual, but that's not what you meant. You also cannot use it if your over the apron, because it activates the hard cap.

You have to be below the tax, after the signing, to use the MLE, but the Bucks will be not only over the tax next year, they'll be over the apron. Previous salary has no impact on the MLE that I know of.

So the Bucks will only have the tax MLE next year, but after Jrue extends, the only major FA will be Portis after he opts out.

DJW will have a QO over $6 million, let's hope he earns it, that would be awesome.

The Bucks have there 1st round pick, which you can sign to multi year deals, even when over the tax. It won't be the same as the crappy situation we're in with Nwora, who might be almost impossible to keep in 2 years if he's good. Using the rest of the MLE on Forbes instead of 3 years deals for Nwora and Merrill might prove tragic.

[ShootingtheJ]

What makes you lose the BAE? I thought that was the repeater tax, but maybe it's just paying the tax once?

I think the MLE alone is worth staying out of the tax, unless you truly have a big 4 that you want to keep or you have enough young, cheap talent locked in at a reasonable price to field almost an entire playoff rotation without needing the MLE. The Bucks have neither. They're going to be like Lebron's last year in Miami sooner than later if they're not careful - just a skeleton crew with a big 3 and a bunch of minimum contract guys or guys past their prime. I hope Jrue accepts $30m/season or something. Otherwise it's trading some guys Giannis is attached to + DDV.

I would be interested in trading DJA for Hill if that's possible.

Using the BAE keeps you from being able to use it the next year, because it's biannual, but that's not what you meant. You also cannot use it if your over the apron, because it activates the hard cap.

You have to be below the tax, after the signing, to use the MLE, but the Bucks will be not only over the tax next year, they'll be over the apron. Previous salary has no impact on the MLE that I know of.

So the Bucks will only have the tax MLE next year, but after Jrue extends, the only major FA will be Portis after he opts out.

DJW will have a QO over $6 million, let's hope he earns it, that would be awesome.

The Bucks have there 1st round pick, which you can sign to multi year deals, even when over the tax. It won't be the same as the crappy situation we're in with Nwora, who might be almost impossible to keep in 2 years if he's good. Using the rest of the MLE on Forbes instead of 3 years deals for Nwora and Merrill might prove tragic.

I see no reason to try to dump salary to get under the tax, our owners all got richer during the pandemic, they can pay the tax. We likely need anyone they salary dump. It looks like DJW could actually earn a big role.

[buckbeer]

Trade Middleton and Brook for Harden

[ReasonablySober]

Trade Middleton and Brook for Harden

Report in the Athletic today says the Bucks aren't interested.

[SupremeHustle]

Rosters are going to be set at 15 players this year so I'm assuming that the final three cuts will be Nik, Graham and Diakite. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[JayMKE]

Trading Brook period should be a priority, he should have been gone this offseason before Bledsoe. Can’t win with a plodder like that and he’s simply not that good of a shooter.

[ReasonablySober]

Trading Brook period should be a priority, he should have been gone this offseason before Bledsoe. Can’t win with a plodder like that and he’s simply not that good of a shooter.

They've won a sh*t ton with him being one of the best defenders in the league.