SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 16: Khris Middleton #22 and Brook Lopez #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks ... [+] reacts after a call by the officials against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of an NBA basketball game at Golden 1 Center on March 16, 2022 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesThe Milwaukee Bucks face a complex offseason that will challenge their front office to balance short-term winning versus long-term team-building.
They prematurely bowed out of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion, losing to the eighth-seeded Miami Heat in just five games in the first round. That’s an unacceptable result for a team built to win now. It’s also led to a sense of desperation, as Jon Horst is left, once again, needing to prove their commitment to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee was already rumored to be involved in the Bradley Beal sweepstakes, but fell short to the Phoenix Suns. That could be the start of an offseason motivation to improve the team at the top of the depth chart.
That’s where the most significant challenge arises. Milwaukee has minimal tools to improve their team outside of retaining the same squad that fell woefully short in the postseason. They must also balance the line of the second apron—a figure in the new CBA that further limits what assets a team can use once they cross it. It implements restrictions on mid-level exceptions, trades and other penalties.
To better understand where the Bucks are, here's your handbook to everything Bucks this offseason.
Draft Picks
The 2023 NBA Draft is nearly upon us. It’s been tranquil in Milwaukee, however, as they only hold the 58th selection (the last pick in the second round, but two other teams forfeited second-rounders due to league violations).
The Bucks are reportedly interested in acquiring a late first-round pick or early second in this year’s draft, with their eyes set on an older wing who could make an immediate impact. I’m unclear how they would obtain such a pick, but Horst always does his due diligence. For now, these are the only draft picks they have available:
58th selection in 2023
2024 first-round pick (NOP hold rights to swap, untradeable)
2024 second-rounder (via Portland)
2026 first-round pick (NOP hold rights to swap, untradeable)
2027 second-rounder
2028 first-round pick (untradeable)
2029 first-round pick
Player Options
Khris Middleton: Middleton has a $40.4 million player option he needs to decide on by June 21. He’s coming off a down season in which he battled injuries for most of it and was never able to showcase his skills at full strength. That hurts his immediate value, but Milwaukee is extremely limited in their path to acquire talent anywhere close to Middleton’s.
If Middleton opts out, he can’t re-sign a deal with the Bucks that is worth less than his player option until after free agency begins. That’s an important detail to understand about how the timing of this all works. If he declines his option, the max contract Milwaukee can offer him before free agency is for five years and $272 million. If he accepts, they could ink him to an extension of up to four years and $204 million.
Jevon Carter: Carter's $2.2 million player option must be decided on by June 29, giving him more time than Middleton. Carter earned a full-time role with the Bucks last year and is likely in line for a raise from someone. If he opts out, the Bucks will have early bird rights on him, allowing them to re-sign him to a deal for at least two years and worth up to a first-year salary of $11.3 million.
Unrestricted Free Agents
Brook Lopez
Jae Crowder
Joe Ingles
Goran Dragic
Meyers Leonard
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Wesley Matthews
Lopez is the big (no pun intended) free agent to monitor on this list. He’s essential to what they accomplished on both ends of the court and appears to have a lot left in the tank.
Due to how the new CBA works, it all becomes a math game for Milwaukee. The second apron sits at $179.5 million. If Middleton and Carter opt out, the Bucks would have about $49 million to re-sign Middleton and Lopez, $5 million for the taxpayer mid-level exception and then veteran minimums to fill out the rest of their roster. As Bucks’ legend Frank Madden points out, that puts them in a hard-cap situation where they can’t cross the second apron threshold at any point next season.
2023-24 Salary Cap Table
Under Contract: 8 players
Active Roster Cap: $157.9 million (includes Middleton’s $40.4 million player option and Carter’s $2.2 million player option)
Luxury Tax Space: $4.1 million
Apron Space: $5.9 million
Second Apron Space: $16.4 million
Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception
The Bucks will potentially have the ability to use their taxpayer mid-level exception this season to pay a free agent (theirs or someone else's) $5 million next year. This tool will only be available to the Bucks if they hard-cap themselves under the second apron at $179.5 million. If they go over that at any point next season, they will be unable to use it.
Brian Sampson, Contributor
https://www.forbes.com/sites/briansampson/2023/06/20/milwaukee-bucks-2023-24-offseason-handbook/
By: Brian Sampson, Contributor
Title: Milwaukee Bucks 2023-24 Offseason Handbook
Sourced From: www.forbes.com/sites/briansampson/2023/06/20/milwaukee-bucks-2023-24-offseason-handbook/
Published Date: 06-21-2023
Frequently Asked Questions
Who holds the record of the most consecutive NBA playoff wins?
LeBron is one of today's most sought-after basketball stars, having won an incredible 174 NBA Playoffs wins and played 266 games.
How much does the NBA pay its players?
The NBA's average salary for the 2021-2022 seasons is $7.3million. This figure is based the maximum salary cap of $134million, which was set in this season. However, salaries for individual players will vary depending upon their experience and achievements.
Kevin Durant and LeBron James are superstar players who can make upwards of $40 million per year. Rookies, on the other hand, may only earn $898,310. Based on years of experience, veteran players might be eligible for mid-level exception salary ranges from $4.76million to $9.258m. Players may also be eligible for bonuses and other incentives based on their performance or team success.
How long can a waiver-bound player remain?
The waiver applies to any NBA player who is fired by their team in the course of the season. Waived athletes have 48 hours to claim another team. If more than one team claims the player in that time frame, priority goes to the team with the worst record.
Statistics
- The 2013–14 season opened with 92 international players on the opening night rosters, representing 39 countries and over 20% of the league. (en.wikipedia.org)
- Williams would 'likely' accept a deal worth $14-15M/year; Celtics are 'unlikely' to offer such a deal (HoopsHype) (bleacherreport.com)
- Williams would 'likely' accept a deal worth $14-15M/year; Celtics are 'unlikely' to offer such a deal (HoopsHype) (bleacherreport.com)
- An estimated 800 million viewers watched the [105]2017–18 season. (en.wikipedia.org)
- The 2013–14 season opened with 92 international players on the opening night rosters, representing 39 countries and over 20 percent of the league. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
si.com
- NBA Free Agency Preview - Biggest Questions and Rumors
- Free from Quarantine: The NBA bubble Is A Unique Experience
bleacherreport.com
basketball-reference.com
- Thomas Bryant Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com
- Dennis Schroder Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com
twitter.com
- Tweet / Twitter
- Sam Amico on Twitter: "Timberwolves Waive PJ Dozier, CJ Elleby and AJ Lawson - Hoops Wire https://t.co/xKu1ZTuQZN" / Twitter
How To
Is there a better way to be drafted into the NBA than the traditional route?
High school and college are the two main routes to becoming a NBA basketball player.
NCAA schools such as Duke University and North Carolina State University offer college-level educations. These schools offer training and education for four years. Players develop ball handling, shooting, and rebounding skills during this period. They learn how defense and offense can be run. And they hone the mental aspects of being a professional athlete.
High school players attend prep schools outside of their home states. These schools give athletes individual attention and develop talent. The schools teach academics, character development and sportsmanship.
Before they can be allowed to join the draft, both types of players must pass the exact same physical test. The test consists of running 40 yards, jumping over a 5'6" box, standing on one leg, and throwing a football through a tire.
After passing these tests, players can be invited to workout with different NBA teams. Teams evaluate them based on their height, weight, wingspan, and speed.
Teams also consider their past experiences. AAU Basketball players are likely to be given preferential treatment.
Some players are considered too small for professional play and are known as "one-and done" prospects. These players are usually chosen by the second round.
Some players will skip college to go straight to the NBA. These players are called "prospects." Prospects don't need to wait until the end of the year to declare themselves eligible for the draft.
They may apply for an exemption in order to be permitted to join the draft earlier. If a prospect does this, he can compete with other prospects during the predraft process.
Prospects can improve their chances of getting selected by participating in summer leagues. Summer league games are played in July or August.
These events allow scouts to see players in action without worrying about injury risks.
The NBA Draft is held each June. It is when all the top NBA prospects are evaluated. Each team has a specific number of picks for each round.
In this example, the 15th overall pick is the first pick of the first round. The 60th pick in the third round is the 20th selection.
After the draft, teams make trades to fill out their rosters. Mini-camps are sometimes held by some teams to allow potential draftees to come train with them.
It is an exciting day on draft day! What happens next?
You can start waiting to hear your name called once the draft starts. Each NBA team picks a player from the pool.
After a player is selected by a team, it sends him an agreement that details his salary, playing time and benefits. He becomes an employee of the company.
He also receives an embroidered jersey with his name on the front and a shirt with his new nickname.
He signs the contract. That is when he officially joins NBA.
