Middleton is gone. Traded for Kyle Kuzma.
I can't tell you how much I hate this deal. Kuzma is shooting 28% from three this year and 33% for his career. He is a playoff choker. He can't guard anyone and he turns 30 later this year.
This is largely a salary dump to get under the second apron. This does not improve the Bucks at all this year and they had to give up their 1st round pick from this year and a future pick swap to do it.
The Milwaukee Bucks generate $29 million in savings by trading Khris Middleton and AJ Johnson for Kyle Kuzma and Patrick Baldwin Jr. They also create a $5 million trade exception. However, they’re still $1.5 million above the second apron. Look for them to make an additional move to get below it.
Soooo happy we got 1 chip.
Great - salary dump - how long before Dame & Giannis are out with "injuries" or "personal matters"
Speaking of.....where is Portis??
@Boris posted:Soooo happy we got 1 chip
Haslem takes control in 2028. That's when it will really get ugly.
This trade moves one of the best players in franchise history who, even if limited, is a guy you want taking shots in the 4th quarter of a playoff game for a guy who is total space cadet.
Watch Middleton get flipped by the Wizards somewhere else and end up on a contending team in the playoffs.
Will Portis and/or Connaughton be the next out the door??
From CBS Sports:
Notably, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks, Kuzma has agreed to reduced his trade bonus to help push this deal through for the Bucks. That matters because this deal saves the Bucks enough money to get under the second apron. Teams above the second apron cannot aggregate salaries in trades, meaning Milwaukee was limited in the sort of moves it could make to improve ahead of Thursday's 3 p.m. ET deadline.
Now, however, the Bucks can aggregate salaries, and that therefore opens the door to a number of follow-up moves. The likeliest course for them now would be to attempt to aggregate the salaries of Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis, who make around $22 million combined, to trade for another significant piece. They still have their 2031 first-round pick at their disposal to entice sellers as well.
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@Boris posted:Will Portis and/or Connaughton be the next out the door??
Connaughton for sure, but there was a lot of discussion (to the point it was a foregone conclusion) that they'd first try to dump Connaughton (maybe attach a 2nd round pick or AJ Johnson) to someone to get under the second apron and then aggregate Portis and Middleton for a star-level player (Butler or LaVine). Now, they really don't have the players to aggregate for a guy like Butler. The obvious ones are Lopez (25 million), Portis (12 million), and Connaughton (9 million), but that doesn't get you to the level of Butler or Durant.
The 1st round pick swap is essentially meaningless to the Wizards. In 2028, the Blazers, Wizards, and Bucks will split the 3 picks. If the Bucks are worse than the Blazers, the Blazers get the pick. If the Bucks have a better record than both of them, the pick stays with the Bucks. If, and it's a big if, Giannis is still in Milwaukee in 3 years, the pick swap isn't that valuable.
The Bucks get a second round pick in the 2025 draft that will probably be around the middle of the round.
As part of the Kyle Kuzma-Khris Middleton trade, Washington will get 2028 swap rights with the Bucks' first-round pick that is already swapped with Portland, according to a league source. That means Washington can swap the lesser of the two selections. That pick is also protected 15-30 if the Blazers haven't yet conveyed their future pick to the Bulls by that time — i.e,, they can only execute the swap if they actually have the pick.
The Wizards will send back to Milwaukee the second-most favorable of its 2025 second-round picks originally belonging to Detroit, Phoenix or Golden State.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:The obvious ones are Lopez (25 million), Portis (12 million), and Connaughton (9 million), but that doesn't get you to the level of Butler or Durant.
I was just going to ask....
Maybe they add cash?? Or something/someone else?
If they can get Durant.....that's the sell your soul for a chip.
Dame, Durant and Giannis. that would be fun for as long as it lasts
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If you had Giannis on board, the best course of action would be to punt on this season and set yourself up to reload around him this summer. They aren't winning anything this year other than maybe a first round series with the current lineup.
Move Dame out for a couple of decent players and draft capital. Move Lopez for some more young talent and/or draft picks.
If Giannis pulled his hamstring or rolled his ankle tonight and was going to be out for 6-8 weeks this is what you'd do.
We'll see what Giannis says about losing Middleton. It may be the first step in him moving on. He made some comments about how the NBA is a cold business with no loyalty when Doncic got traded last week. Middleton and Giannis played more games together than any other Bucks teammates in history. I would guess they are probably top 20 all-time in NBA history for games as teammates. The only active teammates that played more games together are Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
We saw what this team is capable of when they destroyed OKC in the Cup.
That was quite impressive especially watching OKC play this year.....and don't tell me OKC didn't care because the game didn't count for regular season record. Bullshit! OKC tried to win that game & they had no answer for what Milwaukee did to them.
2024-25 Bucks ....The "Randy Moss" of the NBA this year .....we play when we wanna play.
If they get Durant....the media is going to cry the rest of the season ...and I'm all about it.
Giannis apparently on board for Kuzma.
FWIW Stephen A likes Kuzma to the Bucks, claims he was uninspired playing for a terrible Wizards team and will be rejuvenated in Milw. Also younger and less injury prone than Middleton. I know, I know it's loud mouth Stephen A, but at least 1 talking head likes the move.
This trade blows. Please tell me there’s more to follow because I could argue this deal makes them worse.
I hate seeing Middleton gone, loved that guy. But if they could somehow turn this into a deal for Durant, I'm all for it.
@Tschmack posted:This trade blows. Please tell me there’s more to follow because I could argue this deal makes them worse.
It Middleton was guaranteed to be available for the playoffs, this deal makes them exponentially worse. If Middleton wasn't going to be fully healthy again, at least Kuzma is another Bobby Portis type that can soak up minutes.
The real reason for this is that it gets them below the second apron and gives them a lot more flexibility going forward.
@Trailrunners posted:I hate seeing Middleton gone, loved that guy. But if they could somehow turn this into a deal for Durant, I'm all for it.
It removes any possibility of trading for Durant. Middleton and Lopez aggregated salaries would have worked (after they could have dumped Connaughton to get below the second apron and aggregate salaries). Lopez, Portis, and Connaughton aren't enough.
I mean throwing Kuzma in the trade. What does he make? Maybe it still won't work, but maybe they got Kuzma to help them make other moves? I don't know. Didn't like the Middleton for Kuzma move though,
You gotta think they aren't done. Trade deadline is tomorrow unless they're blowing it all up and Giannis ends up on the Knicks with Brunson......
Orrrrr .......Conspiracy theory time.
Knicks agree to trade Brunson to the Bucks for this season.....Bucks win the title and Bucks turn around and send Giannis, Dame and Brunson back to NY for 2025-26 season
As long as we're having fun.....let's have fun.
@Trailrunners posted:I mean throwing Kuzma in the trade. What does he make? Maybe it still won't work, but maybe they got Kuzma to help them make other moves? I don't know. Didn't like the Middleton for Kuzma move though,
I think one of the main reason they got Kuzma was that he makes 10 million less than Middleton. Here's the contracts currently according to Sportrac
Giannis 49 million
Dame 49 million
Kuzma 23.5 million
Lopez 23 million
Portis 12.5 millon
Connaughton 9.4 million
Beauchamp 2.7 million
Baldwin 2.4 million
Everyone else makes around 2 million or less except Tyler Smith who makes 1.1 million. Rollins is a two way player and you have to think they'll convert him to a full-time NBA contract.
Beauchamp has been looking to get out the entire year when they didn't pick up his option for next year. They are trying to give him away at this point to clear that cap space. Connaughton has a terrible contract as well.
One of the important aspects of the trade was Kuzma lowered his salary and as MP2 indicated he’s only making about 20M the next 2 years.
He doesn’t play defense nor does he shoot the 3 very well but he can score and has decent size.
I’m hoping it paves the way to another deal between now and end of day tomorrow.
Just heard that Durant is not playing tonight.
Butler to the Warriors. They signed him to a 2 year, 121 million extension. That's nuts.
From Shams:
BREAKING: The Miami Heat are finalizing a deal to send Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson and a protected first-round pick, sources tell ESPN.
Bucks now up 19 and didn't even need to bring Dame back in the 4th. If this is it for Portis in Milwaukee, he's gone out with a good one. 23 points, 17 rebounds, 6 assists.
Delon Wright gets wrapped into the Middleton trade and heads to the Knicks. Bucks get Jericho Sims back. He's a 6'10" wing that can't shoot and won't make much difference, but neither will Wright.
Without any additional moves, I really don't like the Middleton trade. Kuzma doesn't seem like an upgrade at all and AJ Johnson was probably their best prospect by far. There's been a lot of talk since the trade about the amount of potential Johnson has. What did the Bucks hate so much about him that they didn't give him a chance?
It’s become obvious to me the Bucks were way more interested in cleaning up their salary cap situation than improving the roster because adding Kuzma and Porter Jr. and Sims really doesn’t do much IMO. I also don’t like the fact they gave up on AJ Johnson so quickly but the good news is they kept their 2031 1st rounder.
As things stand today, I just don’t see this team going far in the playoffs. They are 0-8 against the 3 best teams in the East and their road record is atrocious. I also think their roster is a bit flawed because Lopez can’t play against certain teams and we all know Bobby’s limitations as a defender.
Seems to me they are comfortable to let it ride.
It’s easy to overlook the flexibility but the moves that have been made are fairly significant for their ability to maneuver this offseason.
Getting under the apron allows them to unfreeze their 2032 1st rounder and they kept their 2031 1st. I believe this also opens up a full mid level exception salary slot which can be really useful in terms of adding another key contributor.
Lopez is a free agent and you almost have to assume Pat C picks up his option but that expiring deal will be easier to move. Not sure what Bobby will do but it’s almost guaranteed he opts out and he’s due for a sizable raise. In theory, the flexibility would allow Milwaukee to extend both Lopez and Bobby and still likely stay under the apron.
Or, they could punt on both and have enough space to add a decent free agent this offseason. Their 2031 and 2032 picks can also be used as ammo to make a deal if that’s a better path.
The question to me is what Giannis wants. As it stands, there’s zero chance this is a Finals team this season. Unless they make some sizable moves in the offseason, it’s likely not a Finals team next year either. But at least they now have space to give them a chance to upgrade the roster.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:Imaging being a Mavs fan today.
You get kicked out for saying "Fire Nico!"
the last dude screams "FIRE NICO!!" pic.twitter.com/jI1VBWEE2k
— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) February 11, 2025
The immediate outcome of the Doncic-AD trade was so predictable. In AD's first game he has an absolutely dominant first half and then gets hurt on a non-contact injury in the second half and is now out for several weeks.
Doncic is going to be the next Magic Johnson in LA. Kobe was a great player, but he didn't quite have the charisma of Magic nor did Kobe make his teammates that much better. Doncic will be throwing no look half court lobs for the next decade there.
AD and Embiiid with injury issues. Who would have guessed that? At least Embiid plays hurt.
Davis is a super annoying player IMO. He’s the anti Giannis in my book and it makes me crazy when I hear people say he’s the best of one of the best big men in the game. He’s also one of the most brittle and/or laziest in the league.
The Clippers just waived Beauchamp to sign a two-way player to a full contract.
@Tschmack posted:AD and Embiiid with injury issues. Who would have guessed that? At least Embiid plays hurt.
Davis is a super annoying player IMO. He’s the anti Giannis in my book and it makes me crazy when I hear people say he’s the best of one of the best big men in the game. He’s also one of the most brittle and/or laziest in the league.
That Mavs trade just keeps getting worse.
They traded a 25 year old once-in-a-generation (at least on offense) player that didn't want to leave. A guy that basically plays more like Magic Johnson than any player I've seen - except that he's a better scorer than Magic.
They traded Doncic because he was injury prone and not taking his conditioning seriously enough (he's 25, you think he might continue to mature?) for a guy that the TNT crew literally nicknamed "Street Clothes" and who is 7 years older. The goal was to pair 32 year old AD and 33 year old Kyrie and compete for titles. AD got hurt in his first game as a Mav and Kyrie just tore his ACL and probably won't be back until 2026.
It would have been like if the Bucks decided to take a shot at a title by building around Dame and trading Giannis for KD this year.