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36 games remaining and the Bucks have an impressive 40-6 record... It means that in the highly unlikely situation that the Bucks achieve only a 0.500 record for the remaining of the season, they would still end up with 58 wins! But even if the Bucks drop one for every three games they have to play, which again seems to be highly unlikely to happen as the Bucks are clearly on a pace to be the 3rd team in NBA's history that achieved 70 wins or better, the Bucks would still end with an impressive record of 64 wins!
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The Bucks have stayed put before the trade deadline, but added all they would ever want to end up with a dreadful roster that is as deep and with as much quality a roster can be for the upcoming postseason on Marvin Williams!
There was an obvious for an experienced and knowledgeable observer "hole" in the Bucks roster caused by the luck of a big and lengthy SF/PF 3&D wing which was causing some weaknesses on the Bucks game:
1. Khris Middleton plays SF for 90% of his time, because he is the lengthiest among the "army of wings" that the Bucks have in their roster, but Khris is as effective if not even more effective when he plays at SG, because he is also an excellent passer of the ball as well as a great "ball-handler" who can help and expand the PG's game in playmaking. Therefore by adding Williams, the Bucks can now have a "big" 3-towers line up on the floor with Williams taking some of Middleton's minutes at SF and Khris spending more of his time at SG.
2. The Bucks have the entire league's negative record by being the team that allows its opponents to score more 3pts against them, than any other team in the NBA. The few defeats that the Bucks have suffered this season, were all because the opponent team scored exceptional number and percentage of 3pt shots against the Bucks. This was because the size and length of the Bucks wings that were guarding the periphery, was allowing the lengthier shooters of the opponents to shoot over them and take the shots practically unguarded.
By having Williams playing the SF and Middleton the SG, the Bucks can now move Middleton to guard the periphery and have (excellent defender) Williams to defend the mid-distance area around the paint as well as assist the bigs on collecting the boards.
3. The Bucks had only Ersan Ilyasova to rotate on Giannis, who does have the size and length required, but is a slower and by far less athletic PF/sbCF "big" who can't really make up for the absence of Antetokounmpo's game, since Giannis moves like a wing, is fast on the breaks and can stretch the floor with the ball faster than any other player.
Now by adding Williams, the Bucks have an additional on Ilyasova rotation piece that can use for when Giannis takes breaths, but can additionally "load manage" Giannis much better so that they can condition him and have him to his best for the postseason, but have also added a player who's game resembles better a wing's game like with Giannis and additionally, the Bucks can have more of Ilyasova's time playing at sbCF.
But other than making a very important addition to the roster, the Bucks have also hugely benefited financially for the next season, because if the Bucks would have proceed on a trade for a big SF/PF wing before the trade deadline, it would have surely costed more assets to depart in order to match salaries, but would have probably costed the picks they now have in stock too.
Of course the Bucks lost one of the most valuable assets they were counting a lot upon for their future on 22y.o. Dragan Bender they had to waive in order to open a roster spot up, but then Bender was a future plan (albeit an important one) that couldn't be counted for immediate win-now contribution which is what a contending for the title team like the Bucks needs more right now and then, the cost of adding a player with similar to Williams' abilities (or Williams himself but via an "offical" trade) would have surely costed to pay Bender as return and then much more on top of that.
As it looks, it is quite eye-popping that Bender is now heading to the Hornets in what in all reality is a "player for player camouflaged trade", which couldn't happen under the CBA rules and which benefits both sides on their (very different) priorities, but the players too.
Hornets are on the finishing touches of an extremely successful rebuilt which adds (and then perfectly) a clutch potential center to the rest of clutch potential youngsters the Hornets have invested upon for their (bright) future which is as promising as any other in the league and the Bucks add an important player who increases further and by a lot the roster's capabilities in order to contend for the championship this season. OTOH, Bender goes to a new home which is ideal for his age and potential, while Williams at his 33y.o. has a huge and unique opportunity in front of him to be part of a championship contending team and fight to add "a ring" in his career.
Win-win for all sides.Last edited by Buckalis; 02-09-2020, 02:26 PM.Comment
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With 26 games remaining on the regular season, the Bucks record now is 48-8. If the Bucks only keep a 0.500 record for the remaining of the season, they'll still end up with 61 wins beating their previous season's record of 60 wins which was the best in the league.Comment
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On 25th of Feb 2017, GSW became the team that has clinched a playoff spot earlier than any other before in the league's history...
On the 23rd of February 2020 the Milwaukee Bucks beat the GSW previous record by two days, despite the season starting a week later.Comment
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Interesting that the Bucks "trio of youth" for last season on Divincenzo, Brown and Connaughton, all showed significant improvement on their game, but were all given ball-handling minutes other than their (usual for previous season) off ball role.
In a word, the Bucks looked absolutely scary by comfortably winning the game with a 10pts points differential 122-112 despite mostly playing their deep bench, their 2-way contracts and their exhibit-10 contracts. auto clickerComment
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Bucks hold the Indiana 1st round pick which is currently at 19, which is pretty scary to be that good and highly likely to land a piece this summer.
An injured project could fall, or they could take another flier on potential.
Maledon looks very interesting and Nesmith was shooting 50% from 3 on 8 3s per game before he got injured.
Jaden Mcdaniels could replace Ersan long term, great handles and touch for his size.Comment
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Yes... Pretty much, what you are saying agrees with my views, but it will much depend on the where the cap space will settle for the the next season.Originally posted by Dayv121 View Post
The Bucks would look to both improve the roster as to be able and contend and should also look to add a young piece for their future next to the Giannis, Middleton, Divincenzo trio...
IMO, they would look to draft a big SF/PF forward first, because Khris can handle SG particularly well and by adding a SF/PF forward and perhaps obtain Bender back out of free agency, they can "lock" a starting roster for the future and will have plenty of time to develop it.
Additionally, lets not forget that it looks like Frank Mason could be promoted and signed on a regular from the 2-way spot he now occupies and therefore drafting another guard may be postponed for later.
If the lux tax threshold will stay at this season's level though (131M), the Bucks may have to move Bledsoe in order to gain cap flexibility and that should unable them to add another 1st draft pick, which could then be Theo Maledon. McDaniels looks to be a good choice to draft, but Precius Achiuwa and Paul Reed could be other alternatives, this draft seems to have plenty of alternative choices a team can make and all draftees seem to be pretty talented.Comment
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I just saw this proposal for Giannis on NBCsports
Milwaukee Bucks receive: Andrew Wiggins, GSW 2020 first-round pick, MIN 2021 first-round pick (top-three-protected), GSW 2022 first-round pick
Golden State Warriors receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
in light of contract this could be decent if the drafts were actually any good. Minnesota are good for a low pick but idk they could jump into top 3 every year knowing them.
AW is on too much money as well.Comment
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Trades are of course under the responsibility of each team's GM, but as far as I know, Jon Horst has no intentions to trade Giannis but instead to keep him under a ludicrous contract for as long as his career lasts... Therefore Giannis will leave the Bucks only if he demands to do so and there is not a single indication that he is willing to jump ship...Originally posted by Dayv121 View Post
I would therefore dare to say that as impossible it may seem, it is twice as possible for Steph (Curry) asking to be traded to the Bucks, than for Giannis to do the opposite...Comment
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There is an important rule that the league has announced for the 22 teams which will participate in Orlando... The teams can declare and take to Orlando not 15, but 17 players this time. The additional two players can be either out of the 2-way contracts or out of free agency.
For the purpose of signing a free agent, or converting a 2-way contract to regular, there will be an open window of one week at the end of June.
Still, although there will be 17 players for each team which will be allowed to go to Orlando, there will be only 15 players which will participate when the games begin which then means that if a team will go to Orlando with 17 players, then two must be rejected by the end of July...
For the Bucks, I would expect that the F.O. will include 2-way contract Frank Mason (in order to increase the team's depth in the guards) and remains to be seen who the 17th will be...
I do wish though that the Bucks will resign Dragan Bender next to Mason and could possibly "cut" D.J Wilson and Ersan Ilyasova. I have the feeling that after the Bucks have signed Marvin Williams, they won't need the services of Ilyasova to back up Giannis and the Lopez twins and Bender was surely a more future promising prospect than D.J. Wilson to invest upon for the team's future.Comment
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2-way player of the Bucks Frank Mason III, who will be traveling to Orlando with the team and will surely be included in the final 15 players which the Bucks will have to declare for the Orlando games before they start, has been awarded with the G-league MVP award for the interrupted due to the pandemic 19-20 season.
Frank Mason is expected to be signed on a regular contract with the Bucks for the following season.Comment
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Starting PG Eric Bledsoe has been tested positive for COVID-19 and he will (hopefully) be joining the Bucks later as the games in Orlando will progress.
He will be missing all the scrimmage games and at least most of the remaining regular season games if not all, but the main concern is of course his ability to be ready for the playoffs after missing the preparation period and the regular season games.
It is therefore expected that the 2-way guard Frank Mason will have an advanced role and perhaps will start during the scrimmage games in attempt to be ready and help the Bucks later if required.Comment
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This obviously is worth watching...
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If the Bucks fail to Miami, I can see Giannis heading somewhere else and leaving Milwaukee.Comment
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It certainly could be the case, but it will be very difficult for Giannis to work in another environment than the Bucks. There are some crucial factors which differentiate Giannis from other super Stars:Originally posted by YouMe View Post
1. Giannis won't go to a team where there is another player who might want to challenge him for the leadership of the team.
2. The Bucks are famous for the locker room relationships between the players under Giannis leadership.
3. Giannis remembers... There were 14 teams that passed on drafting him back in 2013... These reams are out of the question.
4. The team in which Giannis plays for, must also sign his brothers as soon as the opportunity comes up.Comment
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