NEWSLETTER
News just broke that the Bulls have signed free-agent forward Thaddeus Young. We’ll have more on that in a second! Busy night!
The Milwaukee Bucks had basketball’s best record during the regular season and are looking to run it back again in 2019. Bringing back two key cogs from their rotation should help matters:
Once free agency opens at 6 PM ET, Brook Lopez is planning to sign a four-year, $52M deal to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2019
Once free agency opens at 6 PM, All-Star Khris Middleton plans to return to the Milwaukee Bucks on a five-year, $178M contract, league sources tell ESPN. The deal is expected to include a player option on final year.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2019
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports the Bucks are bringing back sharp-shooting big-man Brook Lopez, along with All-Star forward Khris Middleton on big-money deals. Lopez will reportedly receive a four-year pact worth $52 million, while Middleton is set to get $178 million over the course of a five-year deal. That’s $230 million worth of new paper for two of Milwaukee’s best ballplayers.
Big bucks for big Bucks leaves just one matter of suspense for Milwaukee — what’s going to happen with point guard Malcolm Brogdon?
After committing more than $200 million on Middleton and Brooks, the last big fish for the Bucks to reel in is Brogdon. The Bucks could bring back Brogdon for more money and more years than any other team, but it would come at the cost of paying the luxury tax. And while the cost would just be real dollars, it could ultimately limit what Milwaukee could do with the mid-level exception. For example, the non-tax-payer mid-level exception is projected to be around $9 million. HOWEVER, the mid-level exception for luxury tax payers is just $6 million. It’s a difference of $3 million, but that could be enough to sway a player who could come in at that price range.
Because Bulls have been connected to Brogdon throughout the offseason, we’ll keep a close eye on what their rivals north of the border do with a player who figures to be highly covered — even as a restricted free agent. Although, with this recent signing of Young (more on that in a second), it may be tough (impossible?) to pull off.
