Bucks News, Transactions, Trade Ideas - Edens: "Giannis made it very clear he is committed to Milwaukee"

[Ron Swanson]

I really took Lowe's comments as high key saying, (what is the opposite of low key?) "Doc isn't a good enough coach to get the most out of this team"

This. I don't know where everyone is getting the "nobody believes in us" stuff from. Since the Turner signing, I've seen mostly a lot of 4-6 seed and mid-upper 40's wins predictions which is 100% fair if not slightly optimistic considering both A) Doc is a bottom-tier coach, and B) how unproven this entire roster is outside of the frontcourt players. Marc Stein had us as the 4-seed and even Bill Simmons was saying stuff along the lines of why can't this team be the 3rd best squad behind Cleveland and New York given the state of the East?

[BigO]

1 week from media day, 2 weeks from the first preseason game, 1 month from opening night. The season is coming up fast.

And more importantly, 2-3 weeks before BigO returns.

[raferfenix]

Justin and Camille on Locked On Bucks think it's very possible that Chris Livingston ends up the odd man out for our final roster spot.

How would that square with the guaranteed deal we gave him? Just a straight payment to Rich Paul for a favor (and that day may never come) TBD?

Seems most likely Ajax's non-guaranteed deal doesn't get picked up and the team simply doesn't sign Coffey.

They mostly disregarded the idea of Tyler Smith getting waived but that's the one I'm least sure of considering the team just gave Livingston a vote of confidence they didn't need to, and we'd otherwise have two PF's who seem a year away from being a year away.

[MVP2110]

It feels like a camp battle between Ajax, Coffey, Tyler Smith, & Livingston. Keep 2. My bet is Coffey & Livingston are kept but camp & preseason might change that

[CharityStripe34]

I'd be totally fine with the 4 seed and 48 wins. Anything above that is gravy. 50+ wins and Giannis would be getting some heavy MV3 considerations.

Sent from my Pixel 8 Pro using RealGM mobile app

[tedbrogen]

Justin and Camille on Locked On Bucks think it's very possible that Chris Livingston ends up the odd man out for our final roster spot.

How would that square with the guaranteed deal we gave him? Just a straight payment to Rich Paul for a favor (and that day may never come) TBD?

Seems most likely Ajax's non-guaranteed deal doesn't get picked up and the team simply doesn't sign Coffey.

They mostly disregarded the idea of Tyler Smith getting waived but that's the one I'm least sure of considering the team just gave Livingston a vote of confidence they didn't need to, and we'd otherwise have two PF's who seem a year away from being a year away.

It’s possible. They are far under the tax, so cutting him and eating his small salary means nothing. They can churn whoever they want from the bottom of the roster. None are potential rotational players.

[soxperry]

1 week from media day, 2 weeks from the first preseason game, 1 month from opening night. The season is coming up fast.

Holy cow i had no idea.

Im very excited. Very.

[yb90]

Justin and Camille on Locked On Bucks think it's very possible that Chris Livingston ends up the odd man out for our final roster spot.

How would that square with the guaranteed deal we gave him? Just a straight payment to Rich Paul for a favor (and that day may never come) TBD?

Seems most likely Ajax's non-guaranteed deal doesn't get picked up and the team simply doesn't sign Coffey.

They mostly disregarded the idea of Tyler Smith getting waived but that's the one I'm least sure of considering the team just gave Livingston a vote of confidence they didn't need to, and we'd otherwise have two PF's who seem a year away from being a year away.

It’s possible. They are far under the tax, so cutting him and eating his small salary means nothing. They can churn whoever they want from the bottom of the roster. None are potential rotational players.

Waiving Livingston to sign him to a 2 way deal is an easy way to keep him around while he develops.

[raferfenix]

Waiving Livingston to sign him to a 2 way deal is an easy way to keep him around while he develops.

Would Livingston keep the money if we waived him like this?

That'd be an interesting way to pay our 16th man more than I imagine we could on a 2 way deal alone.

[MVP2110]

Justin and Camille on Locked On Bucks think it's very possible that Chris Livingston ends up the odd man out for our final roster spot.

How would that square with the guaranteed deal we gave him? Just a straight payment to Rich Paul for a favor (and that day may never come) TBD?

Seems most likely Ajax's non-guaranteed deal doesn't get picked up and the team simply doesn't sign Coffey.

They mostly disregarded the idea of Tyler Smith getting waived but that's the one I'm least sure of considering the team just gave Livingston a vote of confidence they didn't need to, and we'd otherwise have two PF's who seem a year away from being a year away.

It’s possible. They are far under the tax, so cutting him and eating his small salary means nothing. They can churn whoever they want from the bottom of the roster. None are potential rotational players.

Waiving Livingston to sign him to a 2 way deal is an easy way to keep him around while he develops.

Same could be said of Tyler Smith or Ajax

[raferfenix]

Doesn’t sound like Giannis enjoyed the Dame experience so much based on this.

Also apparently he’s a big Cole Anthony fan:

“To get the best out of the team and to get the best out of me, I have to be a creator,” Antetokounmpo said. “I have to feel like I can create. If you look at the last two months of the team, when I had the green light, if I have the ball in my hands and I have that green light to create, I don’t always have to execute, but I have to feel like I’m creating. I have to feel the ball and like I’m part of the team. Not just be a play finisher. Not just go score 30. Get the ball in the pick-and-roll, get the ball in the post and score it.

“(Creating) is my real self coming out, because that’s (what) I did at Filathlitikos, and that’s what I always wanted to do. There have been times in my career when I’ve done it, but most of the time, I’ve been the finisher. In the last two months when I was more of a creator of the team, I had a good time. I think the team did very well during that time.”

Antetokounmpo continued: “We certainly don’t have a lot of experience, but we’re young; we have legs, fresh legs. We got a really good big man (Turner). We got a good point guard, Cole Anthony, who I think will be an X-Factor and be the surprise of the year.”

Following Antetokounmpo’s response about how to build a team around him, Stavrou interjected to ask the forward if his description of the team meant that he believes the Bucks have a chance to compete this season.

“Yeah, we have a chance,” Antetokounmpo replied. “For sure.”

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6655568/2025/09/23/giannis-antetokounmpo-bucks-nba-greece/

[emunney]

I really took Lowe's comments as high key saying, (what is the opposite of low key?) "Doc isn't a good enough coach to get the most out of this team"

This. I don't know where everyone is getting the "nobody believes in us" stuff from. Since the Turner signing, I've seen mostly a lot of 4-6 seed and mid-upper 40's wins predictions which is 100% fair if not slightly optimistic considering both A) Doc is a bottom-tier coach, and B) how unproven this entire roster is outside of the frontcourt players. Marc Stein had us as the 4-seed and even Bill Simmons was saying stuff along the lines of why can't this team be the 3rd best squad behind Cleveland and New York given the state of the East?

Vegas has our over/under at 42.5 wins, dude, the same as Philly.

[Bucknado]

It’s possible. They are far under the tax, so cutting him and eating his small salary means nothing. They can churn whoever they want from the bottom of the roster. None are potential rotational players.

Waiving Livingston to sign him to a 2 way deal is an easy way to keep him around while he develops.

Same could be said of Tyler Smith or Ajax

Can't we just have Edens pay him to do a job that doesn't exist? Couple million bucks to "plant trees at Bradford Beach" or something?

[Ron Swanson]

I really took Lowe's comments as high key saying, (what is the opposite of low key?) "Doc isn't a good enough coach to get the most out of this team"

This. I don't know where everyone is getting the "nobody believes in us" stuff from. Since the Turner signing, I've seen mostly a lot of 4-6 seed and mid-upper 40's wins predictions which is 100% fair if not slightly optimistic considering both A) Doc is a bottom-tier coach, and B) how unproven this entire roster is outside of the frontcourt players. Marc Stein had us as the 4-seed and even Bill Simmons was saying stuff along the lines of why can't this team be the 3rd best squad behind Cleveland and New York given the state of the East?

Vegas has our over/under at 42.5 wins, dude, the same as Philly.

I can't think of too many things more meaningless than Vegas betting lines.

[ReasonablySober]

This. I don't know where everyone is getting the "nobody believes in us" stuff from. Since the Turner signing, I've seen mostly a lot of 4-6 seed and mid-upper 40's wins predictions which is 100% fair if not slightly optimistic considering both A) Doc is a bottom-tier coach, and B) how unproven this entire roster is outside of the frontcourt players. Marc Stein had us as the 4-seed and even Bill Simmons was saying stuff along the lines of why can't this team be the 3rd best squad behind Cleveland and New York given the state of the East?

Vegas has our over/under at 42.5 wins, dude, the same as Philly.

I can't think of too many things more meaningless than Vegas betting lines.

Huh?

[MickeyDavis]

Vegas lines are a current snapshot of what the bettors think. Books set the line and adjust it based on incoming bets. The goal of a sports book is to try to even out the action. If they get the same amount on each side they are guaranteed a profit on the juice. That's why lines move. Obviously 50/50 doesn't happen but they do what they can to mitigate risk. Juice used to be a straight 10% on single bets. Now it's often more. Bettors have to win at least 55% to make a profit. Difficult. Parlays are extremely profitable for books.

[CharityStripe34]

Doesn’t sound like Giannis enjoyed the Dame experience so much based on this.

Also apparently he’s a big Cole Anthony fan:

“To get the best out of the team and to get the best out of me, I have to be a creator,” Antetokounmpo said. “I have to feel like I can create. If you look at the last two months of the team, when I had the green light, if I have the ball in my hands and I have that green light to create, I don’t always have to execute, but I have to feel like I’m creating. I have to feel the ball and like I’m part of the team. Not just be a play finisher. Not just go score 30. Get the ball in the pick-and-roll, get the ball in the post and score it.

“(Creating) is my real self coming out, because that’s (what) I did at Filathlitikos, and that’s what I always wanted to do. There have been times in my career when I’ve done it, but most of the time, I’ve been the finisher. In the last two months when I was more of a creator of the team, I had a good time. I think the team did very well during that time.”

Antetokounmpo continued: “We certainly don’t have a lot of experience, but we’re young; we have legs, fresh legs. We got a really good big man (Turner). We got a good point guard, Cole Anthony, who I think will be an X-Factor and be the surprise of the year.”

Following Antetokounmpo’s response about how to build a team around him, Stavrou interjected to ask the forward if his description of the team meant that he believes the Bucks have a chance to compete this season.

“Yeah, we have a chance,” Antetokounmpo replied. “For sure.”

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6655568/2025/09/23/giannis-antetokounmpo-bucks-nba-greece/

The whole interview is excellent, but yes, I also caught the specific praise for Cole Anthony. I thought that was interesting.

[Ron Swanson]

Yes, when people constantly harp about the "national media", I'm assuming we're not talking about bettor pools full of doofus, casual NBA fans and the teams they throw money at, but rather the actual national media guys. I don't know what kind of pods/content you guys have been listening to and reading, but unlike the Giannis asking for a trade junk, I'm not seeing some lock-step narrative that we're being **** on.



ESPN Prediction: 46-36
Bleacher Report: 45-37

Simmons even believes that they have a chance to win it all in the Eastern Conference.

“The team’s gonna be pretty good. They actually had a really good offseason when you consider the second best player on the team who [is supposed to] make $50 million is gonna miss the whole season,” he said.

“The Cole Anthony thing was a big deal. He’s a rotation guy. They kept [Gary] Trent for nothing. He’s a rotation guy. They’ve added together a team that in a weak conference with the best player in the game [Giannis Antetokounmpo]. I think they have at least now more of a punchers chance.”

Video starts at 47:47:

Watch on YouTube

https://marcstein.substack.com/p/this-is-how-the-eastern-conference-9bc

I guess the community is trying to tell me that I do have too much faith in Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks to have placed them at No. 4 on my ballot below. Yet you clearly did agree with me that Washington is going to escape the East basement and hand those keys to Brooklyn.

This was my 1-to-15 East ladder in the original story published on Sept. 3 seeking your votes:

1. Cavaliers
2. Knicks
3. Magic
4. Bucks
5. Hawks
6. Pistons
7. 76ers
8. Heat
9. Pacers
10. Celtics
11. Raptors
12. Bulls
13. Hornets
14. Wizards
15. Nets

[ReasonablySober]

ESPN has the Bucks 6th and a play-in. Seems low.

[EasyE31]

Alright with training camp coming up what is your preferred rotation?

I'm going with:

KPJ / Anthony
Green / Rollins
Trent / Kuzma / Prince
Giannis / Kuzma
Turner / Portis / Sims

Hoping Coffey snags the last roster spot over Livingston or AJAX.