Latest news with #Bucks
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Forbes
7 Point Guards The Milwaukee Bucks Should Target In Free Agency
The Milwaukee Bucks will need to dip into the free agent pool this offseason if they want to stay competitive around Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2025–26. With Damian Lillard expected to miss most—if not all—of next season due to an Achilles injury, and Kevin Porter Jr. likely to decline his player option, Milwaukee is staring at a point guard rotation that's completely empty. The good news is the Bucks have a few tools at their disposal this summer that weren't available in years past. They hold a $14.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception and a $5.1 million biannual exception, which they can use to bring back their own free agents or go shopping for new talent. Most of the midlevel exception should be earmarked to retain Gary Trent Jr., but the biannual could come in handy—especially if they keep their spending in check with Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis. With that in mind, here are seven affordable free agent point guards the Bucks should target this offseason. Tyus Jones might not make many highlight reels, but he's a steady hand at the wheel. He took a discount to play with the Phoenix Suns last year and could do the same to come (close to) home—he's a Minnesota native. Jones protects the ball, knocks down open threes, and makes smart decisions. Defensively, he's a target due to his size, and opponents will likely go after him in the playoffs. But during the grind of the regular season, he should hold up just fine. At 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, Dinwiddie brings size to the position—something that could benefit the Bucks if Doc Rivers wants to experiment with more switching defensively. Dinwiddie's best days are behind him, but he still averaged 11 points per game with the Mavericks last season and can create his own shot when needed. He's also a better table-setter than Jones when it comes to creating for others. Monte Morris has been quiet the last two seasons, which could work in Milwaukee's favor if it drives his price down. At his best, Morris is a reliable tertiary playmaker with a smooth midrange game. The Bucks would be banking on him rediscovering his Denver Nuggets form from 2020–2022. Exum never lived up to his top-five draft billing, but he's carved out a second act as a versatile bench contributor. He has the size to play multiple guard spots and could give the Bucks lineup flexibility. He's not flashy, but he's proven he can stay on the floor and make an impact. Lowry is no longer the bulldog he once was, but he could bring veteran leadership, steady hands, and 15 smart minutes per night. He knows how to manage a game, keep teammates organized, and play within his limitations. If the Bucks want to take a flyer, Fultz fits the mold. The former No. 1 pick has battled injuries for most of his career and appeared in only 21 games last season. Still, when healthy, he can flash explosive playmaking ability and would bring a different dynamic to the rotation. Carter found out the hard way that the grass isn't always greener. After a breakout season with the Bucks in 2022–23, he signed a bigger deal with Chicago—only to see his minutes and production drop off. A reunion could make sense if he's willing to return in a depth role. He wouldn't be a regular rotation lock, but he knows the franchise and could step in when needed.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Surprising Mock Trade Sends Bradley Beal to Bucks, Suns Land $112 Million Guard
Surprising Mock Trade Sends Bradley Beal to Bucks, Suns Land $112 Million Guard originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Phoenix Suns continued on a downward spiral this season. After being swept out of the NBA Playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, they followed up by posting a disappointing 36-46 record, missing out on the NBA Play-In Tournament, and finishing as the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference. Advertisement There were many reasons for the decline, one of which was their atrocious defense. They finished the season as the third-worst team in terms of defensive efficiency, in front of only the New Orleans Pelicans and the Utah Jazz. Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports Surprising mock trade sends Bradley Beal to Bucks, Suns land $112 million guard The Suns wasted no time making changes, as they fired head coach Mike Budenholzer the day after the regular season ended. That proved to be just the first move, as the Suns soon after moved James Jones into a senior advisory role and installed Brian Gregory as the new general manager. While all eyes are on the Suns amid Kevin Durant trade rumors, a recent article by ESPN suggests that Suns shooting guard Bradley Beal could be on the move. It has the Suns trading Beal, Royce O'Neale, and the No. 29 pick in next week's NBA Draft for Pat Connaughton and Damian Lillard. Advertisement "On paper, there is logic to a swap of Beal for Lillard," wrote Kevin Pelton. "The Bucks were linked to Beal during the season, when it would have meant building a package around the now-departed Middleton, and getting nothing out of Lillard's $54 million salary while he recovers from Achilles surgery might not be tenable." Apr 8, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) reacts during the first half against the Golden State Warriors at Footprint Center. © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Beal's contract is arguably the worst in the NBA. He's due to make $53.66 million next season and has a player option for $57.12 million for the following season. To make it even worse, he's the only player in the NBA other than LeBron James with a no-trade clause. If the Suns are ready to move on from Beal, waiting for Lillard's return might not seem so bad," Pelton wrote. "And if he is able to return at something close to his All-Star form at age 35, Lillard would be a better fit alongside Devin Booker in the Phoenix backcourt. However, it's unlikely the two sides will agree on how much more valuable Lillard is while injured than Beal." Advertisement If the Suns can miraculously get anyone to take Beal off their hands, it should be considered a win, even if they have to hold onto Lillard. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stephen A. Smith's 1-word Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo take may frustrate fans
The post Stephen A. Smith's 1-word Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo take may frustrate fans appeared first on ClutchPoints. Giannis Antetokounmpo and his future with the Milwaukee Bucks are in the spotlight, as many are wondering whether he will stay with the team or request a trade. Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the league, and with him being in the prime of his career, he should be chasing as many championships as he can. Advertisement The latest debate on First Take was what would be the one word to describe Antetokounmpo if he doesn't win another title, and Smith may have frustrated some people with his answer. 'Underachiever,' Smith said. 'He's one of the greatest players to ever play the game. Over the last four years, minimum 200 games, Giannis is second in the league with 30.4 points per game, fifth in the league with 11.7 rebounds per game. Nine All-NBA selections in his career, nine All-Star selections, and top-10 in MVP voting nine times. He has more of that than postseason series wins. That's unacceptable. 'You don't look at somebody that dominant, that fantastic, with that kind of fire in his belly to compete on a night-in, night-out basis, and all you have is one championship to show for it. He's got one playoff series win in the last four years. Not fault; he was hurt a couple of times.' Advertisement Like Smith said, it's not Antetokounmpo's fault that he was dealt this deck of cards, but it's hard to diminish what he's done throughout his career because he only has one ring. Will Giannis Antetokounmpo stay with the Bucks? Everyone is wondering what Antetokounmpo will decide to do regarding his future with the Bucks. With the team's lack of playoff success over the past few seasons, there is considerable uncertainty about whether this team has reached its ceiling and needs to start anew. At the same time, Antetokounmpo can lead a team by himself, but he will need help to get to the next level. The Bucks may not have the pieces and cap space to make that work, and with Damian Lillard set to miss most of next season as he recovers from an Achilles injury, Antetokounmpo might not want to wait for the dominoes to fall, and he can try to request a trade to another team. Advertisement That scenario could also bring some problems because Antetokounmpo can cost a team a lot of assets, and by the time he's traded, the team might not have that much talent to work with. Related: Shams Charania responds to Bucks star Giannis' missing 'Woj' post Related: Bucks rumors: Brian Windhorst makes firm declaration on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bucks' Giannis drops simple response to Stephen A. Smith's ‘underachiever' hot take
The post Bucks' Giannis drops simple response to Stephen A. Smith's 'underachiever' hot take appeared first on ClutchPoints. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the talk of the past two months, as many are still trying to figure out if he's going to request a trade or stay with the Milwaukee Bucks. While most of the conversation has been around that, another topic was recently brought up as Stephen A. Smith said he would describe Antetokounmpo as an underachiever if he were to not win another ring in his career. Advertisement Smith's comments had some people fired, and it looks as though Antetokounmpo caught wind of what he said. On his Instagram, he posted a tweet that someone made, saying, 'Giannis went from selling sunglasses on a beach in Greece, to a multi-millionaire who won a championship without having to run off and create a super team. He has over-achieved his wildest dreams and anyone who thinks otherwise is ridiculous.' Antetokounmpo put two '100' emojis and a fire emoji above the comment, insinuating that he agrees with what the person was saying. It's hard to discredit what Antetokounmpo has done in his career, because outside of winning one championship, he also has multiple MVPs and a Defensive Player of the Year award. He's one of the best players in the league today, and nobody can take that away from him. Stephen A. Smith calls Giannis Antetokounmpo an 'underachiever' After Smith said that he would describe Antetokounmpo as an underachiever if he didn't win another ring, he tried to explain his reasoning. Advertisement 'He's one of the greatest players to ever play the game,' Smith said. 'Over the last four years, minimum 200 games, Giannis is second in the league with 30.4 points per game, fifth in the league with 11.7 rebounds per game. Nine All-NBA selections in his career, nine All-Star selections, and top-10 in MVP voting nine times. He has more of that than postseason series wins. That's unacceptable. 'You don't look at somebody that dominant, that fantastic, with that kind of fire in his belly to compete on a night-in, night-out basis, and all you have is one championship to show for it. He's got one playoff series win in the last four years. Not fault; he was hurt a couple of times.' Some of the stuff that Antetokounmpo has been through isn't his fault. Though he hasn't had playoff success in the past few years, it's hard not to see the situations he's been in as far as injuries. When he is healthy, Antetokounmpo leaves it all out on the floor. Advertisement Related: Bobby Portis takes strong stance on Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo trade speculation Related: Jay Williams blasts Stephen A. Smith for ridiculous Bucks' Giannis take
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Damian Lillard gets return prediction from Doc Rivers
The post Damian Lillard gets return prediction from Doc Rivers appeared first on ClutchPoints. In late April, Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard tore his Achilles and had to sit out for the playoffs. While Lillard recently posted an encouraging video on social media of his recovery, Bucks coach Doc Rivers is being extremely cautious. Advertisement During an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast, Rivers said outright he is not involved in Lillard's recovery. Instead, he is taking a wait-and-see approach, while saying that Lillard could return later rather than sooner. 'I'm staying out of it but I do think he'll come back by the end of the next season you know because he had it early enough in the playoffs,' Rivers said. Later on, Rivers said that Lillard was battling a blood clot before tearing his Achilles. Thus, putting his career in jeopardy. 'But I got to say this about Dame, Dame had two injuries you know I jokingly told Dame I cried twice for you damn it in one year. You know and because when he had the blood clot Bill there was a moment when I got the news, because I'm old and I know what blood clots usually mean, you know so when I first heard the news I literally, my eyes watered because I'm thinking this guy's about to get robbed of the rest of his career. And then within the next day we find okay no not career threatening he may even come back.' Will the Bucks see Damian Lillard play again? Lillard is 34 years old now and has played 12 seasons in the NBA. Two of those years were spent with the Bucks. Advertisement He joined the team for the 2023-2024 season. Lillard finished averaging 24.3 points and 7 assists per game. This past year, Lillard averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists per game. The Bucks were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the first round in five games. Lillard's age combined with this recent injury could lead towards the end of his career. Even if he recovers, he could be heading towards the finish line. As for the Bucks, there is a chance that Giannis Antetokounmpo could be traded. If that happens, Lillard would be left with the daunting task of carrying a rebuilding team. All in all, Lillard's future is as uncertain as it can be. Related: Thunder draw '90s Bulls comparison from Doc Rivers Related: Spurs rumors: ESPN puts together Giannis, Kevin Durant trade offers
