Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks needed to do something amid an uneven start to the 2024-25 NBA season, but fans aren't convinced acquiring Kyle Kuzma is the cure that ails the 2021 champions.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported Milwaukee is sending forward Khris Middleton, guard A.J. Johnson and a pick swap to the Washington Wizards for Kuzma, forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. and a second-round pick.

While Middleton is having one of his worst year in a Bucks uniform, many are raising the question of whether Kuzma was the right piece to target:

I would’ve rather traded Middleton as a salary dump and picked up future picks or expiring contracts. Kuzma is a net negative player. He’s literally a second version of Bobby.

— Dylan Pease (@dpease23) February 5, 2025

That is quite a vote of no-confidence in Middleton. A.J. Johnson yet another late 1st-round pick down the drain. It's hard, but just have to hit on more of those in MIL's position. MIL does gain some positional size/versatility on D. Current Giannis-at-C lineups were too small.

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) February 5, 2025

No, I'm saying I don't think Kuzma is enough of an upgrade over KM to justify using the pick-now-player in this way. https://t.co/8z11JHZgif

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) February 5, 2025

Do Kuzma help the bucks over Middleton?

— King Mook® (@yungmook3_) February 5, 2025

https://twitter.com/SnellSZN/status/1887160019260789192

https://twitter.com/TiWindisch/status/1887159309995233723

Can someone tell me the difference between Kyle Kuzma and Khris Middleton? Explain it to me like I'm 5. 🤔 https://t.co/lzPsmb71lv pic.twitter.com/Ozdd79WhRR

— Raashaan Myers (@raashaan) February 5, 2025

Bucks front office can’t be real pic.twitter.com/ayyi69gdIE

— 🎬 (@ChargersRuined) February 5, 2025

It sounds a bit reductive, but Kuzma hasn't been a winning player in a high-usage role. He has made the playoffs twice in his career and both came when he was a reserve for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 29-year-old put up solid numbers with the Wizards, averaging 19.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Washington was consistently a lottery team with him as one of its top scoring options, though.

Acquiring Kuzma right now is also a little surprising because he's shooting a career-worst 28.1 percent from beyond the arc to go along with what has consistently been his negligible impact on defense.

Maybe the 6'9" forward can thrive on a team that's significantly better than the Wizards and one on which he'll have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard to occupy the defense's attention.

Still, this is a pretty big gamble for the Bucks given how much they have riding on this season.

The theory of Kuzma > What Kuzma has been for most of his career, by a pretty significant margin.

Bucks better hope that other guy is still in there, even though he's really only even been that guy for ~1.5 seasons of his career. https://t.co/gpWUEfNia7

— Yaya Dubin (@JADubin5) February 5, 2025

Milwaukee knows full well that Antetokounmpo's patience isn't infinite and the fact he's signed through 2026-27 at a minimum is mostly irrelevant as it relates to his long-term future.

Should the Bucks suffer another early playoff exit, the rumblings about Giannis could grow to a fever pitch.

Swapping Middleton for Kuzma doesn't make Milwaukee that much worse, but it might not make the team that much better, either.

In their desperate attempt to upgrade the roster before the trade deadline, the Milwaukee Bucks are acquiring Kyle Kuzma from the Washington Wizards in a package for Khris Middleton.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, the Bucks will receive Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and a second-round draft pick from the Wizards for Middleton, AJ Johnson and a pick swap.

The Bucks will also acquire center Jericho Sims from the New York Knicks as part of the deal, according to Charania. The Knicks will receive Delon Wright and cash.

The Athletic's Josh Robbins and David Aldridge previously reported the two teams were engaged in talks about a Kuzma-Middleton swap.

Wizards plan, for now, is to hold on to Khris Middleton, who played with Malcolm Brogdon in Milwaukee. Move gives Washington a little financial flexibility and frees up even more playing time/responsibility for its young wings. Plus they can take a flyer on AJ Johnson.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) February 5, 2025

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, "a key element" of the deal involved "a large vote of support" from Giannis Antetokounmpo:

I’m told a key element of the trade talks that brought Kyle Kuzma to Milwaukee in exchange for championship mainstay Khris Middleton: a large vote of support for Kuzma from one Giannis Antetokounmpo.

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) February 5, 2025

Fischer also noted the Bucks were talking to the Chicago Bulls about Zach LaVine before he wound up getting traded to the Sacramento Kings as part of the three-team deal that sent De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.

Middleton's name had popped up in trade rumors in recent weeks as one of the few Bucks players with any real value who they might consider moving.

Even though it can be argued that Middleton is the best player being moved in this trade, there's a level of certainty that Kuzma offers the Bucks that they didn't have before.

Kuzma is four years younger than Middleton and doesn't have nearly as many injury concerns.

Middleton missed the first 21 games this season recovering from offseason surgery on both ankles. His minutes have been carefully monitored and he was held out of back-to-backs since returning, save for one time that didn't work out when he was scoreless on two field-goal attempts in 15 minutes against the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 27.

The Bucks also get financial relief from this deal because Kuzma is making $8 million less than Middleton this season. He also has a descending contract that has two additional years beyond this season, with salaries of $21.5 million in 2025-26 and $19.4 million in 2026-27.

Middleton is making $31.7 million this season and has a $34 million player option for 2025-26. ESPN's Bobby Marks added that Kuzma agreed to reduce a portion of his trade bonus to keep the Bucks under the second apron.

To help Milwaukee build out their roster now and in the future, Kyle Kuzma is reducing a portion of the trade bonus in his contract, sources tell ESPN.

The reduced trade bonus allows Milwaukee to remain below the second apron.

Kuzma won a championship with the Lakers in 2020.

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 5, 2025

While there was a time when Middleton was one of the better two-way wings in the NBA, age and injuries have made him a liability on defense.

Kuzma isn't anyone's idea of a defensive stopper, but he can be an effective offensive player in the right role. His numbers this season were the Wizards are dreadful, though that came in a situation with Jordan Poole as the primary ball-handler.

The 29-year-old Kuzma is averaging 15.2 points on 42.0 percent shooting (28.1 percent from three). Putting him in a situation where he only has to be the No. 3 scoring option and won't attract a lot of attention because defenses have to focus on Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard should help improve those numbers.

This isn't a trade that vaults the Bucks into the top tier of Eastern Conference contenders, but given the limited resources they had available to move, it was probably the best deal they could make at this point while also getting a player who has multiple years left on his contract.

Pat Connaughton has been a member of the Milwaukee Bucks since the 2018-19 campaign, but that tenure could come to an end this season.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Thursday that executives around the league see Connaughton "as a potential trade candidate" to help the Bucks avoid being a second apron luxury tax team given their current position of approximately $6.5 million over that second apron.

Connaughton is making $9.4 million in salary this season ahead of his $9.4 million player option for the 2025-26 campaign.

By avoiding being a second apron luxury tax team, Milwaukee would be granted more flexibility for moves with the mid-level exception or trades involving multiple players.

Despite his history as an important role player for the Bucks, Connaughton hasn't been a significant contributor this season. He has appeared in just 21 of the team's 39 games and is averaging 15.7 minutes per night.

His 4.6 points per game total would be the lowest of his career since his second season in the league in 2016-17, and he is shooting just 28.8 percent from deep after connecting on 34.5 percent of his triples last season.

There is an emotional attachment to Connaughton in Milwaukee seeing how he helped lead the team to the championship in 2021 by appearing in 23 playoff games and hitting 38.9 percent from deep during that postseason run, but trading him would better position the Bucks moving forward.

Given that reality, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him traded ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline.

After the Dallas Mavericks traded star guard Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has some lofty ideas about where other stars should end up before Thursday's trade deadline.

"You know what I want? I want Luka to the Lakers, I want Nikola Jokić to the New York Knicks, I want all the Europeans to go to all the big markets to see something incredible," Giannis said, per BasketNews.

Of course, the Denver Nuggets are unlikely to follow the Mavs' footsteps and trade away their biggest star. Still, Sunday's deal was enough for Antetokounmpo to keep his dream alive.

"This is what I want, this is my dream, but again, I wish both teams the best of luck with their journey moving forward," he added.

Antetokounmpo and Jokić will meet for the first time this season when the Nuggets visit the Bucks on Feb. 27 on TNT at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly interested in adding a veteran forward amid rumors involving Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler.

Per NBA insider Jake Fischer, "there has been little fresh chatter" about the Bucks pursuing Butler and the team has "more recently had conversations about pursuing" Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma.

Kuzma, now in his fourth season with the Wizards, is putting up 15 points and 5.8 rebounds per game this year. His numbers are slightly down from the past few seasons, which have seen him average north of 20 points per game, but he's still a reliable scorer who could fit well into the system in Milwaukee.

Recent reports have also indicated that Kuzma could be open to a change.

The Athletic's Josh Robbins reported last week that "all indications are that Kuzma is less patient now with the Wizards' direction" than he was a year ago when Washington asked him if he would be interested in a trade.

Kuzma said recently that last year wasn't the right time for a trade, but seemed more open to the idea this year.

"We'll see how it goes. I don't know. I didn't think last year was the right time (for a trade) after signing the deal (a four-year contract in 2023)," Kuzma said, per Robbins. "That was kind of more of a last-year thing. I haven't had conversations (with Wizards management). I haven't even talked about the deadline, haven't talked about being traded. So, this is really the first time I'm really talking about it."

A trade to the Bucks could be the right move for all parties. The Wizards, still deep in a rebuild, could get some valuable draft picks (the Bucks have first-round picks in 2026, 2027, 2028, 2030 and 2031). Milwaukee could add another scoring option alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, which it seemingly needs to compete for a title.

Kuzma, 29, would get the chance to play for a Finals contender for the first time since his days with the Lakers.

Kuzma is already an NBA champion, but he's spending his prime playing for a team unequipped to make the playoffs, let alone a deep postseason run. If Milwaukee wanted to trade for him, he'd likely embrace joining the Bucks.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was like a lot of fans and initially thought the blockbuster trade involving Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis was "fake news" and "insane."

That was the reaction from some when ESPN's Shams Charania first broke the news, to the extent he posted, "Yes, this is real," when providing the full details.

Antetokounmpo said after Sunday's 132-119 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies the Dallas Mavericks' decision to deal Dončić was a reminder of the harsh realities of playing in the NBA.

"This is the world we're living in," he told reporters. "It's a business, you have to understand nobody's safe, nobody's safe. … At the end of the day—I've said this in the past—you get evaluated every single day. You don't take nothing for granted."

After tonight's game, Giannis Antetokounmpo was asked for his thoughts on Luka Dončić getting traded by the Dallas Mavericks.

Turns out Antetokounmpo had quite a few thoughts on the matter: pic.twitter.com/nNWNpg1LfJ

— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) February 3, 2025

Antetokounmpo also referenced the "double standard" that can often be applied to star players. He said that "we cannot crucify the person and say that he's not loyal" when a player makes the same calculation Dallas did when it offloaded its franchise cornerstone.

Granted, the Luka trade is a bit of an exception because plenty of skeptics are questioning whether the Mavericks made a decision in their best interests.

It was one thing when the Los Angeles Clippers traded Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons in 2018 only months after they made an elaborate pitch to re-sign him, which included a mock jersey retirement ceremony. The Clippers, and others, could foresee Griffin's decline and knew his contract would become pretty onerous down the line.

Dončić, on the other hand, is in the prime of his career at 25 and one of the five best players in the NBA. Teams simply don't move off of stars this good and this young unless their hand was forced, and that doesn't appear to be the case here.

Look no further than the immediate response from Mavs fans Sunday as everything sunk in to get an idea of how unpopular this was.

Dozens of Dallas Mavericks fans gathered Sunday outside the American Airlines Center to pay tribute to Luka Doncic after he was traded to the LA Lakers.

Two #MFFL even brought a coffin to mourn the loss of their favorite player.@dallasnews pic.twitter.com/fNKEcXlN1k

— Elias Valverde (@elias_valverde) February 2, 2025

Dallas Mavericks fans upset about the @luka7doncic trade let out their frustrations at the AAC on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/WhrilpUE4M

— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) February 3, 2025

In a sense, the extraordinary circumstances of the Luka/AD trade prove Antetokounmpo's point more than any NBA transaction in recent memory.

Dončić should've been bulletproof, somebody who had a place in Dallas for as long as he wanted one. Instead, even he was ultimately deemed expendable by general manager Nico Harrison.

That sends quite a message to any other star who might consider joining the Mavs.

Chris Paul, who has a long history of being an on-court agitator, was able to get under the skin of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the fourth quarter of the San Antonio Spurs' 144-118 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.

Antetokounmpo took exception to Paul shoving him as he was driving to the basket, leading to the Bucks star landing on his hip and back. Antetokounmpo pointed at Paul and said something to him, resulting in a brief skirmish between both teams.

"People that know me, they don't try me," Antetokounmpo told reporters after the game. "If you try me, it's a different side. If you try me, you're gonna get that different side of me."

The situation didn't end after officials broke up the on-court skirmish. Antetokounmpo waited at half court after the final buzzer sounded to say something to Paul. He explained after the game why he made a point to wait on the court:

"At the end of the day, I think we're all men. We all respect one another. If words cross the line, then there's got to be consequences. I really don't say much. I don't say much to start with, try to play the game the right way. If I feel like you're putting my livelihood, my career and my body in jeopardy in danger, enough is enough, brother. I have a family to feed, and what makes you laugh can also make you cry sometimes."

It does appear in the video that Paul's arms are extended when Antetokounmpo falls to the ground, suggesting the Spurs guard shoved him down.

Paul has developed something of a reputation for being a feisty player, but there was nothing about this that looked egregious. Officials reviewed the play and determined it was a common foul, rather than a technical or flagrant.

There's also an argument that Paul made things worse because in between Antetokounmpo's first and second free-throw attempts, he pantomimed a free-throw motion with Antetokounmpo looking right at him.

The Spurs were winning by 20 points at the time of the foul. Both players were removed from the game after Antetokounmpo's second free throw.

While Antetokounmpo certainly had reasons to be angry at Paul for what happened, there may have been additional frustration with how the Bucks performed. They allowed a season-high 144 points and have lost three of their last four games.

Damian Lillard remains winless at Moda Center in two games as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, were defeated 125-112 by the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night. Lillard scored 20 points on 7-of-17 shooting and dished out six assists in 38 minutes.

The game did start on a high note for Lillard, who received a warm welcome from the Portland crowd during pregame introductions.

A warm welcome back for Damian Lillard. pic.twitter.com/MHGpNvmLWX

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 29, 2025

That was about the end of the good vibes for Lillard. His 20 points were his fewest in a game since Jan. 4 when he scored 16 against these same Trail Blazers in Milwaukee.

There haven't been a lot of wins by the Blazers in recent years, but they certainly have fun going up against Lillard and the Bucks.

Damian Lillard's 4 games vs. Blazers since the trade:

Loss
Loss
Loss
Win

0-2 in Portland as a visitor.

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) January 29, 2025

I miss Damian Lillard in Portland man..

I am so glad I never took him for granted when he was a Blazer..This dude will FOREVER be the Blazers GOAT.

This will FOREVER be HIS City and HIS arena!! ❤️♾️ pic.twitter.com/vcyW8s1jRi

— ᴛʏʟᴇʀ (@blazersforreal) January 29, 2025

https://twitter.com/brewcitypaul/status/1884468369077768564

"I know we for sure get up for them."

The Blazers now own a three game winning streak over the Milwaukee Bucks and tonight was pure domination as the closest the Bucks got in the 4th was 7 pts with 11 mins to go.

My full wrap from Moda: pic.twitter.com/k0VYIwOvmI

— Brenna Greene (@BrennaGreene_) January 29, 2025

The big winner of the game was Anfernee Simons, who thrived up against his former mentor and teammate. He dropped 25 points on 9-of-17 shooting and had one moment in the third quarter when he was able to shake off Lillard in a manner similar to what Lillard has done to opposing players throughout his career.

"Simons dancing with his mentor..."

Anfernee Simons spent 5 seasons learning the trick of the trade from Damian Lillard...

And gets the tough floater to fall here! pic.twitter.com/iXr8bpS2Cx

— NBA (@NBA) January 29, 2025

The biggest issue for the Bucks in this game was trying to contain Deni Avdija. The 24-year-old put up a season-high 30 points in 38 minutes. Deandre Ayton, returning to the lineup after a three-game absence, recorded his third straight double-double (21 points, 14 rebounds).

Milwaukee definitely looked like an older team playing its second game in as many nights. Khris Middleton, after playing 27 minutes against the Utah Jazz on Monday, had zero points in 15 minutes against the Blazers. This is the second time in three games he's been held scoreless.

Giannis Antetokounmpo did all he could to carry the Bucks with 39 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. He's recorded a double-double in 17 consecutive games, including three straight games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.

Even though the Bucks have figured out some of the issues that contributed to their slow start this season, playing on the road remains a problem. They are now 9-12 away from Fiserv Forum.

Lillard and the Bucks will wrap up their four-game Western Conference road trip on Friday when they take on the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center.

The Milwaukee Bucks have come a long way from their disastrous start to the 2024-25 season, but they're reportedly set on making a splash at the trade deadline to bolster their roster.

Per NBA insider Marc Stein, the Bucks are "as determined as any team on the NBA map" to make at least one trade before the deadline, which is just over a week away. One such deal could be for the Miami Heat's disgruntled star Jimmy Butler, who requested a trade earlier this month.

Stein noted that to combine contracts in an offer for Butler—or any player—Milwaukee would first have to shed Pat Connaughton's three-year, $28.271 million contract. Getting rid of Connaughton's contract could be achievable in a trade for Butler if the Heat want it.

It's also worth noting that the only pick the Bucks can trade is their 2031 first-rounder.

The Bucks also have two players that would likely be appealing to Miami in Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis. The Heat are on the brink of playoff contention and could likely stay in the postseason race with Middleton and Portis on the roster.

Even if Milwaukee can't make a move as extreme as landing Butler, there are a number of players that could help turn the Bucks into more of a championship contender. Whether they will go all in for Butler or pivot to other options remains to be seen.

The Bucks are currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference at 26-18.

Milwaukee's success can mostly be attributed to the play of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard this year. Antetokounmpo is playing at an MVP level, putting up 31.5 points, 12.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists while Lillard has had his usual offensive production, averaging 25.5 points and 7.3 assists per game.

From there, the Bucks don't have too many offensive options, so adding a scoring threat could be a priority before the deadline.

Unsurprisingly, the Milwaukee Bucks will not be dealing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

ESPN's Bobby Marks provided a thorough breakdown on where general manager Jon Horst and the Bucks are at right now, noting the team could still make other moves while mentioning Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton as the "most valuable assets."

"Antetokounmpo and Lillard are not trade candidates, leaving Horst with the expiring contracts of Lopez, Portis and Pat Connaughton as his most valuable assets," Marks wrote.

The Bucks certainly wouldn't want to deal either of their top two players with the team squarely in playoff position. They've rebounded quite nicely after a 2-8 start, going 24-10 since then for a 26-18 record overall, good enough for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

The big question is whether a bad playoff showing could lead to seismic moves this summer. ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported on Dec. 27 that rival NBA teams are monitoring Milwaukee regarding the "longer term" chance an early playoff departure this year leads to the team dealing Antetokounmpo.

For now, though, Milwaukee is clearly hoping the Giannis-Lillard pairing leads to a title. Last year, the Bucks encountered struggles en route to a first-round exit to the Indiana Pacers. This year's squad is on fire with a 9-2 record in its last 11 games.

Milwaukee could very well make some moves at the deadline, though. Per Marks, the Bucks have made 28 trades since Horst was promoted to GM in June 2017.

"Jon is one of the more aggressive executives because he realizes the goal is to continue putting a championship roster around a once-in-a-lifetime player in Giannis," a team executive told Marks. "But like any championship team that continues to push their chips to the middle of the table, you eventually run out of options in how you improve from the outside."

We'll see soon enough if the Bucks get anything done. For now, Milwaukee is in a tough stretch with seven of eight games on the road. A visit to Portland against Lillard's old team, the Trail Blazers, is up next Tuesday.