A few weeks early. Always have to take reports like this with a grain of salt, but interesting if true.
https://twitter.com/brewcitypaul/sta...29773996191745
A few weeks early. Always have to take reports like this with a grain of salt, but interesting if true.
https://twitter.com/brewcitypaul/sta...29773996191745
I just hope the Bucks don't overpay for Middleton. He should not get top level free agent max type money.
We want to keep our core, but if you are planning to give a guy a max deal, then try to get a max deal type player. I see Middleton in a next group of players after the top max free agent guys.
Problem is there are about 20 max slots available, and only about four free agents out there worth the max salary, and one of them just tore his Achilles. Someone is going to pay Middleton, and we would not be able to replace him it we lose him. Keep in mind even a guy like Jabari Parker got 20 million last year, albeit really only on a one year deal.
That is my concern, far more slots than players deserving of the money. I'm ok with giving Middleton money, but have to make sure it is reasonable so we can sign others too. I think a lot of teams will be giving out big money contracts this offseason, and two years from now will be tying to unload those players.
To me it is not a matter of how much he gets, it is more of an issue of how much luxury tax are the Bucks owners willing to swallow. The NBA salary cap is designed to let you keep your best players if they want to stay. Losing Khris does not create cap room to go out and get other free agents. The Bucks can go over the cap as much as they want to resign guys like Middleton and Brogdon. Bucks are most likely going to have to overpay to keep both because the market is very soft. If they time the contract signings in the right way they probably would also be able to sign Lopez. I'm not worried about two years from now, because if we are in a position to have to unload a max Khris contract, it probably also means we don't have Giannis, and a complete rebuild would most likely be necessary. I personally think Khris gets a bad rap, and he actually needs to be encouraged to shoot more, including some of the analytically bad two pointers that he is deadly at, that coach didn't want him taking.
Bucks have the unique ability, owning Middleton's Bird Rights, to exceed the cap to re-sign him. The CBA makes it easier to retain your own versus signing free agents who were with other teams. The Bucks could practically re-sign everyone, but then you are talking about how much luxury tax you are willing to spend. Quite honestly, despite a career year from Bledsoe, he would have been the guy I would not have worried about re-signing. Middleton, Brogdon and Lopez would have been the priorities. Bledsoe is good, a great defender, but deep in the playoffs, when it becomes more of a half-court game, Bledsoe's offense can struggle (saw that against Toronto).
I also believe DiVincenzo and Wilson can take the next steps and be part of the rotation in next season's playoffs.
I think Hill is the kind of guy that has made the big money (ending an $18 mil per year deal), and may stay for a more reasonable $10 mil type deal if he really did enjoy playing here. Hill has bounced around a bit the last few years being on 5 teams in 4 years.
Brogdan is restricted, but some team may make it difficult to keep him. I really like the Brogdan, Bledsoe, Hill trio and hope we can keep them all. I think Lopez is a key too.
As was stated earlier, a lot of this depends on what the Bucks owners are willing to spend.