Photo via Milwaukee Bucks - nba.com
Brook Lopez and Damian Lillard on January 1, 2024
Brook Lopez and Damian Lillard on January 1, 2024
Baseball has the “hot stove league,” a platform to discuss potential trades, what not, and other ephemera, for fans. There is no equivalent in the National Basketball Association. In fact, with the championship finals just completed, and the summer league about to start, they have found a way to play all year-round. What’s to discuss?
The rumor mill, of course, and it’s where the Bucks have become the top conversation piece. The saga revolving around Giannis Antetokounmpo wanting to leave for a winning team, and then, maybe not, serves the purpose. For now, he wants to stay, maybe. It started with last season’s early first-round exit in the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers.
The focus was on Damian Lillard being unavailable, because of an ACL tear. It equates to potentially not playing next season, and getting paid on his $58.4 million contract. A decision to waive him, allowing him to sign with anyone, frees the front office management to shuffle the deck. Maybe.
He will receive $20 million from the Bucks regardless, for the next five years, if he sits or signs elsewhere for the minimum. The Boston Celtics have been mentioned as a smoke and mirrors option. The mantra that Antetokounmpo and Lillard never meshed as a scoring unit is a plausible reasoning, although nothing really meshed last season.
Make the Greek Happy
What has general manger Jon Horst done? It would appear that he’s trying to surround our “Greek Freak” with help, and make him happy. The names of certain Bucks players were being tossed around, under the heading of “letting them go.” Patrick Connaughton was traded to the Charlotte Hornets, after a seven-year run, and a hand in the 2020-2021 title.
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Gone too is Brooks Lopez, another title team member, who signed a two-year $18 million deal with the L.A. Clippers.
The Bucks have engaged in savvy market talk, at least, to stir the pot. They began by obtaining center and franchise player, Myles Turner, from the Pacers. According to Pacers head Coach Rick Carlisle, it reportedly was a deal that he had to accept immediately, or it would be “pulled.” Carlisle says many things, though.
The Bucks front office issued a flurry of announcements in the past few weeks about signings and departures. Mark Sears agreed to a two-way contract. The Bucks also picked up guard Gary Harris for two years, hoping to shore up their back court.
Familiar Faces
They’ve also ensured the return of familiar faces and team stalwarts with the re-signing of forward Bobby Portis Jr., late-season addition Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., and Taurean Prince, and Ryan Rollins. All five players were part of last season’s squad, and Portis Jr. is also a 2020-2021 championship club member. All being under contract means that all can be traded too.
The bad part is a salary cap hit of nearly $23 million per year, until 2030. The other question is that despite the resemblance to activity, they are keeping the same dysfunctional and aged team together.
If the goal is to get help for Antetokounmpo, there is a problem. Watching Lillard, Lopez and Connaughton use the exit door, while Turner and Harris unpack, is not enough. They are an aging core. Head coach Doc Rivers can only do so much, before the golf course beckons again, shimmering in the distance.
Antetokounmpo obviously has honor and an emotional tie to Milwaukee. However, Horst should not bank on loyalty in these times, especially when there’s no real improvement and no reciprocation.
