Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly transitioning veteran forward Khris Middleton into a bench role moving forward.

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers informed Middleton of the move Sunday, citing a desire to have continuity in the starting lineup while Middleton continues to work his way back from offseason double ankle surgery:

Sources: Milwaukee Bucks star Khris Middleton is returning for tonight’s game against San Antonio Spurs and will come off the bench as the team tries to find continuity in starting lineup. #haynesbriefs pic.twitter.com/CgKOD5Oo4e

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 8, 2025

Since Middleton remains on a minutes restriction, bringing him in off the bench and putting Taurean Prince back in the starting lineup will perhaps give Rivers more flexibility.

The 33-year-old Middleton did not make his season debut until Dec. 6, as he missed the Bucks' first 21 contests.

Since then, Middleton has appeared in 12 games, starting seven of them, averaging 12.7 points, 5.0 assists. 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 three-pointers made per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Middleton's scoring average is his lowest since his second NBA season in 2013-14, but that is largely because his 23.8 minutes played per game are his fewest since his rookie campaign.

Despite the limitations, Middleton has been fairly productive and efficient this season, shooting better than his career mark of 38.8 percent from three-point range.

Monday against the Toronto Raptors marked the first game Middleton missed since returning, as he was dealing with ankle tendonitis.

Prince was inserted back into the starting lineup for that game after coming off the bench in each of Milwaukee's previous seven contests, and he contributed eight points, four assists, three steals and two rebounds in a 24-point win.

It has been an up-and-down season for the Bucks, but they are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference at 18-16, which is no small feat considering they started 2-8.

Giannis Antetokounmpo playing at an MVP-caliber level is a big reason the Bucks have righted the ship, as is the play of Damian Lillard, who has improved in his second season with the organization.

Middleton is a three-time All-Star who played a key role in the Bucks winning a championship in 2021, but he clearly isn't quite himself yet as he continues to move past his ankle issues.

Bringing Middleton off the bench could make it much easier for Rivers to monitor his minutes since he won't have to worry about how it impacts the starting lineup.

Middleton also has what it takes to be an elite scorer off the bench, meaning he could be the type of catalyst the Bucks have been searching for in a sixth-man role.

Per Haynes, Middleton will be available to come off the bench Wednesday night when the Bucks host the San Antonio Spurs.

The Milwaukee Bucks' trend of falling to teams with losing records continued on Saturday after they dropped a 105-102 home game to the 12-22 Portland Trail Blazers.

After the game, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers was asked whether he needed to adjust his messaging to his players, and he provided this response, per The Athletic's Eric Nehm.

"I think you guys think we don't say anything or something," Rivers said.

"Do you think we're watching film and just, it's quiet time? Do you think we're not saying stuff? We say stuff every day. What's not happening is we're getting off to bad starts. We're not moving the ball. We're not playing right. We've gotta play right. We've done that. We've gotta get back to doing it."

The 17-16 Bucks have lost four of their last five games. Two of those losses have been against the 13-22 Nets, and another occurred against the 16-19 Bulls. Now Portland took a game from Milwaukee, which finds itself struggling much like it did during a 2-8 start to the season.

Rivers is obviously frustrated and rightfully so given his team's performance. Saturday featured a particularly tough game against a rebuilding Blazers team that had lost 10 of 13 going into Saturday and stands at just 4-14 on the road. Numerous Bucks stars struggled, including Damian Lillard (16 points on 5-of-15 shooting against his ex-team), Khris Middleton (two points in 26 minutes) and Brook Lopez (five points on 2-of-9 shooting).

The Bucks have another test against a losing team on the road Monday against the 8-27 Toronto Raptors. A defeat there places the Bucks at .500 and puts them dangerously close to being a losing team themselves. Milwaukee certainly has the talent, though, to turn this around.

The first fan voting returns for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game were revealed on Monday with a pair of former league MVPs leading the way.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was the leading vote-getter overall with more than 1,700,000 votes. Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić isn't too far behind and leads the Western Conference with more than 1,400,000 votes. Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum also earned nearly 1,400,000 votes. Here are the rest of the results:

Giannis and Jokic leading the first ballot returns of All Star voting. Remember, new format this year pic.twitter.com/GbgXvy6W9x

— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) January 2, 2025

Antetokounmpo has been on an absolute tear in his 11th season in Milwaukee, leading the NBA with a career-high 32.6 points per game while shooting 61.0 percent from the field and also adding 11.6 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.4 blocks. He led the Bucks (17-14) to the NBA Cup championship, and he's motivated to add to his mantle later this year.

However, he's not the only former NBA MVP looking for some more hardware. Jokić has continued his incredible run of all-around brilliance while leading the Nuggets to a 19-13 record. He ranks third in the league with averages of 30.7 points and 13.0 rebounds and second with 9.7 assists. He's shooting 56.1 percent from the field and a blistering 49.2 percent from three-point range, by far the best mark of his career.

Tatum has been the driving force for the defending-champion Celtics, who rank second in the East with a 24-9 record. He leads Boston with 28.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game while also adding 1.3 steals.

Oklahoma City Thunder star point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the only guard in either conference to have earned over 1,000,000 votes. The 26-year-old has led the Thunder to first place in the West with a 27-5 record and ranks second in the league with an average of 31.3 points per game. He's also contributing 6.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.2 blocks.

Voting for the 2025 All-Star Game will conclude on Jan. 20 at 11:59 p.m. ET and the starters for the game will be revealed on Jan. 23 during TNT's NBA Tip-Off before a doubleheader featuring the Bucks vs. the Miami Heat and the Celtics vs. the Los Angeles Lakers.

The format for this year's All-Star Game will be very different, as it will be a four-team tournament featuring three teams of eight NBA All-Stars and the winning team from the Rising Stars Game. Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith will draft the three teams of All-Stars on Feb. 6. All-Star Weekend will kickoff on Feb. 14 and conclude with the All-Star Game on Feb. 16.

Rival NBA teams are reportedly keeping an eye on the "longer term" possibility that an early playoff exit this spring could lead the Milwaukee Bucks to consider a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

The Bucks have not made it back to the Eastern Conference Finals since winning the 2021 title and have been bounced from the first round for two straight seasons.

Despite coaching turnover and a blockbuster trade for Damian Lillard last fall, the Bucks won just a single playoff game last spring with Antetokounmpo sidelined by injury.

According to Bontemps, other NBA teams are now watching to see the Bucks' next move should Lillard and Antetokounmpo suffer another first-round exit this spring.

The Bucks head into Friday ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference through an up-and-down campaign to this point that has seen Antetokounmpo express frustration with his team after a 2-8 start to the campaign.

But Milwaukee has since stabilized at 16-13, putting the team back into a projected playoff spot and leading to a Dec. 5 report by The Athletic's Sam Amick that the Bucks have so far rebuffed teams interested in Antetokounmpo.

Given the lofty expectations for the Bucks' star duo, however, it seems likely nothing short of a long playoff run will completely quiet the trade rumors.

Antetokounmpo is under contract for at least two more seasons and could add a third season with his player option for 2027-28.

According to Spotrac, he will earn $54 million next season, an amount that will tie him with Lillard for the fifth-most lucrative annual salary in the NBA.

For now, the Bucks will focus on getting their two stars healthy and back in the lineup. Both Antetokounmpo and Lillard have missed multiple games with illness and injury and remain questionable heading into Saturday's matchup with the Chicago Bulls.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and some of his Milwaukee Bucks teammates weren't thrilled to learn they have Christmas Day off this year.

Antetokounmpo told The Athletic's Eric Nehm he was initially "pissed" about the Bucks' omission from Wednesday's slate, since the holiday serves as a showcase for the NBA's best teams and biggest stars.

It didn't take too long for the two-time MVP to see the bigger picture, though, since he'll now have all of Christmas Day to spend with his family.

"Like, you don't take it for granted because like, LeBron (James) plays, Steph (Curry) plays, all of these big-time players play in Christmas games all the time in their career and they miss valuable moments," he said. "Like, we miss so much valuable moments from our lives and I'm a person that I try to not take things for granted. And if this is how it should be, this is how it should be."

His frustration at first was shared by other Bucks players.

Big man Brook Lopez called it "disrespectful," while forward Bobby Portis said it was "disappointing. That's the same wording three-time All-Star Khris Middleton used, though he, like, Giannis came around to see it as a positive.

"We always want to play on Christmas. It's the biggest day in the NBA besides the playoffs and the Finals and whatnot," Middleton said. "But I have a family now and kids, so now I can have a chance to open gifts without having to work the same day, so I'm definitely happy about that. But hopefully we won't have too many more Christmases where we don't play again."

The Bucks were coming off a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Indiana Pacers when the NBA made its 2024-25 schedule. Despite boasting Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Damian Lillard, Milwaukee faced questions over whether it could seriously challenge for a title.

Those concerns haven't gone away despite the franchise lifting the NBA Cup.

At 15-12, the Bucks are fifth in the Eastern Conference and nine games behind the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers.

Should their NBA Cup run be a sign of what's to come, though, a deep postseason run might unfold down the road, and in that case, Milwaukee will have a pretty good idea of its plans on Christmas Day 2025.

The Milwaukee Bucks struggled mightily without Damian Lillard on Friday night.

With Lillard ruled out due to a calf strain, the Bucks suffered a lopsided 124-101 loss at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Back home tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/zOrrvPRKr7

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 21, 2024

Head coach Doc Rivers' team fell into an early 17-8 hole and couldn't recover, as Cleveland led by 18 at the half due to a 40-point second quarter.

The Cavaliers shot 51 percent from the field as a team, hitting 20 of their 47 three-point attempts. The Bucks had issues with ball security, committing 20 turnovers compared to 23 assists.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 33 points and 14 rebounds to go along with three steals, but no other member of Rivers' rotation scored at least 15 points.

Giannis throws down the oop with one hand. pic.twitter.com/1W4zWg9jlX

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 21, 2024

While Cleveland owns the best record in the association at 24-4, it was still a disappointing result for Milwaukee following the team's 2024 NBA Cup victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.

Fans called out Rivers and the Bucks.

Doc Rivers might run out of timeouts in the first half with the way the Bucks are getting back in transition defense.

— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) December 21, 2024

Horrible game by the Bucks so far. Safe to say Doc Rivers is unhappy, as he just used two timeouts less than 75 seconds apart.

— Bucks Film Room (@BucksFilmRoom) December 21, 2024

The Bucks really sold lol

— Brian Spaulding Jr (@Bspauld12) December 21, 2024

Bucks get blown out by the Cavaliers, it’s a “letdown” game. They didn’t show up tonight and got worked over post NBA Cup competition against a really, really good team in Cleveland.

It’s time to get back to it tomorrow quick and bounce back against a lesser opponent: Wizards.

— Ben Sig (@sig_50) December 21, 2024

Bucks getting boat raced tonight was not on my bingo card

— Lance P (@LancePiep) December 21, 2024

doc rivers bad at coaching

— LETS GO GRIZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (48-34) (@will_edmunds04) December 21, 2024

I don't comment much on NBA but I gotta say that the Milwaukee Bucks played atrocious tonight and should be embarrassed.

— Nationalize Blizzard👓 (@CallMeGdubG) December 21, 2024

Donovan Mitchell led the way for Cleveland, finishing with 27 points and six assists on 9-15 shooting. He also connected on three of his seven attempts from behind the arc.

SPIDA SHOW TO END THE 1H 😈

Lob to Mobley for the HUGE slam... to the steal and slam of his own! pic.twitter.com/yZxuWGAnTO

— NBA (@NBA) December 21, 2024

Friday represented the third time this season that the Bucks and Cavs have met, with Cleveland winning all three matchups.

Milwaukee will attempt to bounce back against the Washington Wizards on Saturday. Tip-off is at 8 p.m. ET.

The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly aren't planning to use a Khris Middleton trade in order to circumvent the trade restrictions levied by their position above the second apron.

ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel reported that the Bucks "have zero interest in trading Khris Middleton at this time."

The Bucks are not allowed to aggregate salary in a trade due to their $207 million payroll, which leaves them $6.5 million above the restrictive second apron.

Given that Milwaukee is unlikely to move on from their star duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, trading Middleton and his $31.7 million cap hit for the season is the only viable route for the Bucks to make any major trades before the Feb. 6 deadline.

Middleton was sidelined for the first 21 games of the season after undergoing surgery on both ankles this offseason. He returned on Dec. 6 and has averaged 7.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals while coming off the bench in four games since.

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal recently said that the Bucks were willing to trade Middleton in 2023 in an attempt to acquire Beal from the Washington Wizards, but Milwaukee could be taking a different stance on Middleton this season for multiple reasons.

For one, Middleton's trade value could be impacted by both his recent return from injury and the chance he could walk this spring rather than taking his 2025-26 player option.

For another, since the Bucks ended up acquiring Lillard rather than Beal, Middleton is a good fit on the wing alongside the Bucks' star duo.

The Bucks are willing to listen to offers on Pat Connaughton, MarJon Beauchamp and potentially Bobby Portis, according to Siegel. Those options would prevent Milwaukee from bringing in any major contracts the other way, but it sounds like the reigning NBA Cup winners would prefer to stick with Middleton than make a splash at the deadline this winter.

Milwaukee Bucks star point guard Damian Lillard added a unique distinction to his resume on Wednesday.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Lillard agreed to a lifetime contract extension with Adidas, making him just the fourth active player in the NBA to have a lifetime shoe endorsement deal. Lillard joins Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, who is signed to Under Armour/Curry Brand, and Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who are both signed to Nike.

Lillard originally signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with Adidas upon entering the NBA as the sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and then negotiated a new 10-year deal worth up to $100 million with the company in 2014. Earlier this year, Adidas announced that it named the gymnasium court at the company's headquarters in Portland after Lillard.

Charania noted that Lillard's new deal pushes his career salaries from his on-court and shoe contracts to above $600 million. The veteran floor general's representative Aaron Goodwin of Goodwin Sports Management had been negotiating a new deal with Adidas since his previous contract expired this past offseason. Goodwin had also negotiated James and Durant's initial deals with Nike.

The lifetime shoe deal continues a monumental week for Lillard, as he helped lead the Bucks past the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night in Las Vegas to win the NBA Cup championship. The 34-year-old had 23 points in the 97-81 victory and is now averaging 25.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game this season.

After a disappointing first-round exit from the playoffs last season amid injuries to Lillard, star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and other key players, the Bucks have put themselves in the conversation of top title contenders in the Eastern Conference. If Lillard continues performing at a high level, Milwaukee will have a strong chance to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since its last title win in 2021.

The Bucks (14-11) will return to action on Friday when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers (23-4).

Beyond the bragging rights that come with winning the NBA Cup, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo had another motivation to help his team beat the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Antetokounmpo said he made a promise to Liam Robbins, who is playing on a two-way contract, that the Bucks would win the NBA Cup and get the prize money that comes with it to allow Robbins to purchase a house he wanted in Iowa.

Giannis Antetokounmpo talks about how he promised #Bucks rookie Liam Robbins that Milwaukee would try to win the #EmiratesNBACup so Liam can buy a house in Iowa @FanDuel pic.twitter.com/UBZcHRoESQ

— Rob Lopez (@r0bato) December 18, 2024

Robbins went undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2023. He was set to play for the Birmingham Squadron in the G League last season, but he suffered a stress reaction in his right leg with the New Orleans Pelicans during the preseason that prevented him from playing in a game.

The Bucks signed Robbins as a free agent in August and converted his deal to a two-way contract on Oct. 21. The move allows him to play in up to 50 regular-season games with the main club, as well as play for the Wisconsin Herd in the G League.

Robbins was born in Davenport, Iowa, and attended Assumption High School in the city before reclassifying and transferring to Sunrise Christian Academy. He played college basketball at Drake, Minnesota and Vanderbilt before making it to the NBA.

Two-way contract values are worth 50 percent of the rookie minimum salary, pro-rated based on the signing date. Since Robbins signed before the start of the 2024-25 season, he will earn the full $578,577.

The Bucks' 97-81 victory on Tuesday night earned Robbins nearly as much money for one game as he will earn all season. Players on the winning team receive a prize payout of $514,971.

Antetokounmpo had an excellent performance in what has been a fantastic season for the two-time MVP. He recorded a triple-double with 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists against a Thunder defense that has been the best unit in the NBA.

The Bucks made it through the tournament with a perfect 7-0 record. Robbins has played in five games this season, with his most recent appearance coming on Dec. 4 against the Atlanta Hawks.

The Milwaukee Bucks are NBA Cup champions after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81 on Tuesday in Las Vegas.

BUCKS WIN! pic.twitter.com/7I4A2kLXUq

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 18, 2024

Giannis Antetokounmpo's 26-point, 19-rebound and 10-assist triple double led the way. He also excelled defensively, adding three blocks and two steals. Damian Lillard added 23 points (5-of-10 from three).

Milwaukee led 51-50 at the half but took control in the third quarter, outscoring OKC 26-14. The Bucks started the third quarter with back-to-back threes en route to a 13-3 run, and Antetokounmpo scored 12 points in the frame.

The Thunder couldn't stop the Giannis-Lillard duo, but moreover, they couldn't make buckets to keep pace with them.

OKC shot just 33.7 percent from the field and 5-of-32 from three-point range. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 21 points but shot 8-of-24 from the field (2-of-9 from three).

Isaiah Hartenstein added a productive 16-point, 12-rebound double-double, and Jalen Williams scored 18 points (with three blocks and two steals).

Ultimately, this was an exceptional win (and NBA Cup run) for a team that started 1-6 (and 4-9) before turning its season around. Milwaukee is now 14-11 with the momentum of an NBA Cup title in hand, and now momentum is on its side as the 2024 calendar year draws to a close.

In the meantime, fans praised Antetokounmpo and Lillard for a job well done.

The gap between Giannis and Shai is bigger than the Grand Canyon

— NoTechBen (@NoTechBen) December 18, 2024

please appreciate giannis. this a top 25 player ever idc…he’s quickly approaching top 20 too

— SJ (@SJBasketball8) December 18, 2024

Giannis looking like both the DPOY and MVP

— ᴅ ʀ ᴇ ᴡ (@FeelLikeDrew) December 18, 2024

Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo when there’s $500K on the line 😤pic.twitter.com/MDdCfrgXmB

— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) December 18, 2024

There’s no way you’re watching what giannis has been doing and is doing tonight and still believe he has no argument for best in the world

This man has been unbelievable not only tonight but all season and you can clearly see his impact on both ends of the floor. pic.twitter.com/s1iTH6DM3d

— KB (@KBknowsball) December 18, 2024

Giannis and Dame doing this to the best defense in the league btw

— ‎ً (@JahGoated) December 18, 2024

giannis is quite simply the best player in the world i dont understand how anyone could say otherwise

— zay 🦌 (@Mr_Buckworth) December 18, 2024

Giannis is carrying the Bucks on both ends

— Justin Wills (@itsjwills) December 18, 2024

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are the best duo in the NBA.

— Nathan Marzion (@nathanmarzion) December 18, 2024

Giannis has a level that only Jokic and Luka can reach

— kingtisemedia (@kingtisemedia) December 18, 2024

Damian Lillard every time he has to play the OKC Thunder in a meaningful game. pic.twitter.com/5Dyncz6cHv

— At The Buzzer (@AtTheBuzzer1) December 18, 2024

Damian Lillard’s team stomping OKC?

Nothing new 🥱🔥 pic.twitter.com/MuDOorwKPD

— ᴛʏʟᴇʀ (@blazersforreal) December 18, 2024

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard Masterclass Vs the OKC Thunder.

I hope they make the NBA Finals. That’s a special duo.

— Swipa (@SwipaCam) December 18, 2024

Seeing Dame hold a trophy has my heart doing hurdles bro

— GiannisMuse 💫🦌 (@GiannisMuse) December 18, 2024

The Bucks going from 2-8 to 14-11 and NBA Cup champs is an amazing early season turnaround.

Major props to them, Giannis, and Dame.

— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) December 18, 2024

Bucks have flaws but so what man.

Giannis has been playing like the best player on the planet and Dame is still very much a top 10 offensive player

— Sean Davis (@Sean_Davi) December 18, 2024

The Bucks have a couple days off before visiting the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday evening.