So, what players will be Bucks keep going into next year? Will they be able to keep Lopez? Would love for @malakas to chime in. UFA Middleton UFA Lopez UFA Mirotic RFA Brogdan Hill's contract likely not picked up. Any regrets on the Bledsoe extension?
My guess is they'll keep Lopez, he had a good season but i'm not sure how many teams can pay him and start him at the same time, the Bucks are agreat fit for him all things considered. Not sure about Mirotic tbh, i have a difficult time thinking about what is market value is but i guess they'll try to keep him if Lopez or Middleton are gone, Giannis can pretty much play in every position so, they can adapt a bit to the situation i think. The biggest question marks for me are Middleton and Brogdon. Middleton is really a good player, i like him a lot, but he might command something close to a max if not a max, and i don't think he's worth it, i expect teams like the Clippers, Lakers, Mavs, Knicks, Nets to be all over him, at least as plan B to Klay so, the Bucks will be forced to pay him in the end. As for Brogdon, he's another guy i really like, i expect some teams to throw him a contract around 12/15M per season, and i think the Bucks will match. I've never been a fan of Bledsoe but all things considered the contract doesnt' look that bad.
Here is what Bobby Marks writes about Brogdon. Brogdon is coming off an impressive 50/40/90, making Bledsoe's recent four-year, $70 million extension a good estimate of Brogdon's market value. That $17.5 million per season cap hit would be in the top 15 among shooting guards. Brogdon's agent, Danielle Cantor, probably will point to the contracts of Allen Crabbe, Kent Bazemore and Evan Fournier as a minimum starting point -- salaries that averaged $18 million per year. However, those three players were signed in 2016, when the salary cap exploded and teams took spending to an extreme. Those comps are unlikely to work with teams this summer. Brogdon will have the option to sign the $3 million qualifying offer and enter unrestricted free agency in 2020, ranking among the best available shooting guards. However, there is the injury factor (he has missed 58 games in two seasons) and no guarantee that Brogdon would recoup the lost salary.
I agree that the market will give Middleton the max even though he isn't worth it production-wise. I call these guys *Market-Max* guys. The Nets to me look like a team that can be leveraged for a lot of these max deals.
Brogdon appears to be a solid role player going forward. I don't know much about him, but let me ask Clutchfans, would you guys consider a sign and trade deal where we get Brogdon and Bucks get Gordon?
I'd do that in a heartbeat, Eric might be better as today, especially on defense since he's much more stronger than Brogdon will ever be, but Malcolm is younger, more consistent as a shooter, better ball handler and passer so...
No. Gordon's extended range 3 point shooting is incredibly valuable to this team and he is a very underrated defender. If we are losing Gordon, it has to for some sort of deal for a star/elite player.
Brogdon is already a poor man's Kawhi (though I think Brogdon's ceiling is somewhat limited). Elite defender with size and 50/40/90 shooting splits... Getting him for Gordon straight up would be a robbery. Y'all need to follow the Bucks more closely if you really think Gordon is better.
No tax MLE (around 9M) or with cap space, they should've enough to offer him even more if they work that out before resigning Middleton and matching Brogdon.
If I were the Buck's, the question would be "what pieces do you need to put around Giannis to top of the east?" Top of that list would be a star perimeter player - a Kobe to his Shaq. All moves should be towards acquiring that player. Also think they should keep Hill if possible while Middleton will likely get offers for more than he is worth
Lopez may come back but not at the same price IMO Middleton is making 14 this year. . . .. I suspect at least doubling that Brogdon is making 3 mill this year . . . . ..so yea 12~15 is probable. The NBA has informed its teams of updated projected salary cap and tax level for 2019-20 ($109M, $132M Currently the bucks have 107437599 in contracts for next year Middleton and Brogdon puts them near Luxury Tax (they were at 125 mill this year) It will be interesting Rocket River
Lopez showed out in the ECF, was really good on offense in many games and had some great defensive moments. I don't think he's just going to get 10 million. I can see multiple teams paying a lot of money for a stretch 5. But one knock against him, is that he IS 31.
