Bucks News, Transactions, Trade Ideas

[MickeyDavis]

Last thread maxed out

[raferfenix]

Hot take: The league is full of talented scorers and every team has guys capable of filling the void.

Bucks got an exceptional opportunity for some combo of KPJ/Green/GTJ/Rollins/Anthony to seize the day.

Horst’s recent interviews sure sound like he’s comfortable giving the kids a chance to develop too.

And yes this may just be GM-speak but it also seems notable how he cites “Doc having been a point guard and being able to mentor [Cole Anthony] the way he has with Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins.”

[BigO]

Hot take: The league is full of talented scorers and every team has guys capable of filling the void.

Bucks got an exceptional opportunity for some combo of KPJ/Green/GTJ/Rollins/Anthony to seize the day.

Horst’s recent interviews sure sound like he’s comfortable giving the kids a chance to develop too.

And yes this may just be GM-speak but it also seems notable how he cites “Doc having been a point guard and being able to mentor [Cole Anthony] the way he has with Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins.”

I hate it when coaches are given credit for the skill and hard work players put in.

I give no credit to Doc for developing Rollins or any other of the Bucks guards, any more than I blame him for the lack of development in AJJ.

Until proven otherwise, I have no faith in Doc playing the right players the right amount of time.

I fear his ego will want to prove that Kuzma and Anthony were the right moves, since he appears to be behind both of them being here.

If Anthony proves more efficient than in the past, so be it. But don't keep playing these players to prove a point.

[jakecronus8]

RE: Doc and player development

Having watched a couple NBA practices, I was really surprised by the lack of interaction between the players and the head coach. I'm sure each team is different but Kidd kind of stood in the back and the assistants ran everything.

[Licensed to Il]

RE: Doc and player development

Having watched a couple NBA practices, I was really surprised by the lack of interaction between the players and the head coach. I'm sure each team is different but Kidd kind of stood in the back and the assistants ran everything.

I have seen some practices, shoot arounds, and workouts and this is true.

Head coaches are usually more vocal and towards the front in film sessions, but not always.

[CharityStripe34]

What's even crazier is that basketball coaching staffs are filled with 15+ people. I personally think it's overkill. There are obviously dozens of subtle nuances to the game but it isn't exactly brain surgery. I wonder if it's a by-product of AAU culture.

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

head coaches in college hardly give any one on one interaction let alone instruction and thats thru the entirety of D1. the entire role is to address team concepts in a general way and direct the assts. i think a head coach is more like a CEO than what i grew up with. that father figure thing i had is over....been over. nba is even more that way and practice and game development is something you do on your own time.

doc may go a different direction than hes outlined.... and horst has outlined.... and all signs within the org have been pointing.... but i think if anything he screws up hes gonna go to hard the other way with these new concepts. if being really small and fast was the universal thing than all teams would commit to it. but size and length and strength still matter in this game. i hope we dont throw the baby out with the bath water. weve always been able to outsize teams and pound them universally and successfully until we couldnt. that doesnt mean its still not a strength we have if we use it strategically

[Bernman]

I would be interested in a buy low here. I don't weight offensive efficiency or lack there of in summer league that much.

Read on Twitter

He's got about the physical profile we're looking for. Over 6'5" & long. Fits our shooters off Giannis plan. Rebounding is neutral. Defense is an issue. That's where I have concerns.

Ajax wasn't a 1st rd pick. High 2nd. What about Ajax for Knecht? Lakers could use wing defenders w/ Luka & Reaves there.

[raferfenix]

size still matters in this game.

Agreed. But with Giannis and Turner on the court I don’t think having an undersized 3 will be so much of an issue.

[emunney]

I would be interested in a buy low here. I don't weight offensive efficiency or lack there of in summer league that much.

Read on Twitter

He's got about the physical profile we're looking for. Over 6'5" & long. Fits our shooters off Giannis plan. Rebounding is neutral. Defense is an issue. That's where I have concerns.

Ajax wasn't a 1st rd pick. High 2nd. What about Ajax for Knecht? Lakers could use wing defenders w/ Luka & Reaves there.

I've never been big on Knecht but this seems like a reasonable thing for both teams to do. Both guys just seem like better fits on the other team. Good thought. It can hardly be a surprise that he's slumping given his situation with the Lakers since the failed trade.

[BigO]

I would be interested in a buy low here. I don't weight offensive efficiency or lack there of in summer league that much.

Read on Twitter

He's got about the physical profile we're looking for. Over 6'5" & long. Fits our shooters off Giannis plan. Rebounding is neutral. Defense is an issue. That's where I have concerns.

Ajax wasn't a 1st rd pick. High 2nd. What about Ajax for Knecht? Lakers could use wing defenders w/ Luka & Reaves there.

I would do Ajax for Knecht. Knecht was not great in his first year, but relatively efficient. It all depends on how bad his defense is. If his defense is as bad as Ajax's offense, then there's a problem.

[tedbrogen]

AJJ for Knecht is a no brainer. Knecht at least has promise as a shooter. Even if his D is bad, he’s a useful bench piece. AJJ is about to be cut.

I can’t imagine the Lakers would actually do this trade though.

[raferfenix]

Kuzma for Rui and Knecht works under the cap.

Bucks probably send Hachimura and his ending contract (maybe Knecht too) to a different team.

Potentially a thing? Just caught wind of this part of it which might make Kuz's extra year on his deal attractive (provided they think he'd be better playing next to Lebron again):

As of the publication of this article, there has not been the slightest of peeps concerning a contract extension nor buzz on any commitment from both sides going forward. Hachimura, like James, is set to enter this upcoming season as a walking expiring contract.

This is not an anomaly around the league, to be clear. However, the lack of noise feels like it deserves more attention than it is receiving.

From the Lakers’ perspective, playing out the year with Hachimura without any written long-term commitment in place provides them with the financial flexibility they covet. The front office reportedly has its sights on cap space in 2027, where they hope to find a potential running mate for the franchise’s new cornerstone, Luka Dončić.

This goal for clean books has already played a large role in the team’s willingness to allow Dorian Finney-Smith to walk this summer. It was also a move that could be a potential precursor to how they may handle Hachimura as well.

https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2025/7/18/24469438/rui-hachimura-lakers-extension-nba-free-agent-trade-rumors

[soxperry]

Knecht is in DDV territory now after his trade got reversed and Knecht is nowhere near as good as DDV was at the time.

Id like to get in on this

[Profound23]

Shoot I like Andre more than most of you but that's a no brainer if it's actually possible.

[soxperry]

Shoot I like Andre more than most of you but that's a no brainer if it's actually possible.

Well, no, no one is doing Andre for him straight up. But they need cap relief, so, he could be part of it

[midranger]

Kuzma
Ajax

For

Knecht
Vanderbilt
Vincent

Save a year on Vincent for an extra year of Vanderbilt. Both are decent emergency options at guard and switchable big respectively. Both on tradeable sized deals and allows a bit more flexibility at deadline as we can aggregate if needed.

[yb90]

Would anyone be okay with Tyler Smith for Knecht?

[midranger]

Obviously, Knecht was a couple years older, but his rookie year compares favorably to Middleton’s.

The hope is he has yet another gear, like he’s shown an each level of bball previously. Don’t think the ceiling is sky high (certainly, not Middleton), but I could squint a see a starting caliber guy if he develops. Like prime Taurean Prince level

If not, he’s a decent shooter you can bring off the bench in spots. Worth a flier for sure.

EDIT: watched some Lakers highlights from last year. Looks like Brent Barry with the quick release and the way he moves off ball. And the way he Occasionally comes out of nowhere to stuff two dudes in the hoop on a lob or straight line drive.

[Ron Swanson]

I mean, yeah, every one of these deals where all we're giving up is our end-of-roster chaff (Andre, Tyler Smith, Livingston, whatever) for Knecht is an absolute no-brainer. I'm guessing the Lakers aren't just gonna dump him for that though. They'll be looking to use him as a throw-in for an actual upgrade.