Milwaukee Bucks Blog – Page 5 – NBA Blog

Bucks sign Jeff Dowtin to 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed Jeff Dowtin to a 10-day contract under the NBA’s hardship allowance.

A 6-3, 177-pound guard, Dowtin most recently played in four games with the Golden State Warriors and averaged 1.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in 6.9 minutes per game. He was signed to a Two-Way contract by Golden State on Oct. 18 and also appeared in 12 games (all starts) with the team’s G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, where he averaged 17.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 35.1 minutes per game.

Undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Rhode Island, Dowtin also played in 15 games with the Lakeland Magic of the NBA G League last season, posting averages of 6.5 points, 2.5 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game.

Dowtin will wear number 15 with the Bucks.

Bucks sign Langston Galloway to 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed Langston Galloway to a 10-day contract under the NBA’s hardship allowance.

A 6-1, 200-pound guard, Galloway most recently appeared in four games with the Brooklyn Nets while on two 10-day contracts and averaged 3.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 14.5 minutes per game. Last season, the Saint Joseph’s product played in 40 games with the Phoenix Suns and averaged 4.8 points and 1.1 rebounds in 11.0 minutes per contest.

Undrafted in 2014 NBA Draft, Galloway has appeared in 449 career games (62 starts) with New York, New Orleans, Sacramento, Detroit, Phoenix and Brooklyn throughout his NBA career and holds averages of 8.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 21.8 minutes per game.

Galloway will wear number 12 with the Bucks.

Bucks waive DeMarcus Cousins

The Milwaukee Bucks have waived center DeMarcus Cousins.

Signed by the Bucks on Nov. 30, Cousins appeared in 17 games (five starts) with Milwaukee and averaged 8.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.9 minutes per game.

Per CBS Sports, “it is possible that Cousins’ replacement is already on the roster. Luke Kornet signed a 10-day contract on Monday. It is unlikely, however, that the Bucks will simply fill their vacant roster spot in the immediate future. Keeping it open gives the front office more flexibility in between now and the Feb. 10 trade deadline.”

At 31 years old, Cousins in recent NBA seasons finds himself trying to prove to NBA teams that he is worth keeping on a roster. He scored 25.2 points per game in 2017-18 with the Pelicans, 16.3 ppg in 2018-19 with the Warriors, then missed serious time with a major injury, and in the past few seasons has bounced around with the Rockets, Clippers and Bucks, averaging below 10 ppg with each team, and now finds himself a free agent once again.

The Bucks roster is now stands at 17 players.

Bucks sign Luke Kornet to 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed Luke Kornet to a 10-day contract under the NBA’s hardship allowance.

A 7-2, 250-pound center, Kornet most recently appeared in two games with the Cleveland Cavaliers last month while on a 10-day contract. Prior to that, the Vanderbilt product played in 10 games (all starts) earlier this season with the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League where he averaged 11.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.7 blocks per game.

Undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft, Kornet has appeared in 135 career games (35 starts) with New York, Chicago, Boston and Cleveland throughout his NBA career and holds averages of 5.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 15.1 minutes per game.

Kornet’s father, Frank, was drafted by the Bucks (30th overall) in the second round of the 1989 NBA Draft and played two seasons with Milwaukee.

Kornet will wear number 35 with the Bucks. Milwaukee’s roster now stands at 18 players.

Milwaukee Bucks sign Javin DeLaurier to a 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed center Javin DeLaurier to a 10-day contract under the COVID-related hardship allowance.

DeLaurier (Duh-lore-ee-aye) has appeared in 12 games (5 starts) with the Wisconsin Herd this season and is averaging 7.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 17.0 minutes per game while shooting 60% from the field. The 6-10, 234-pound center spent the 2021 preseason with the Bucks, appearing in four preseason games.

After going undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Duke, DeLaurier played the 2020-21 season with both the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA G League and the Niagara River Lions of the Canadian Elite Basketball League.

DeLaurier will wear number 12 with the Bucks.

Bucks center Brook Lopez undergoes back surgery

Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez underwent back surgery today in Los Angeles.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Robert Watkins with oversight by Bucks team physician Dr. William Raasch of the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network.

Lopez has been sidelined since the Bucks’ regular season opening win vs. Brooklyn on Oct. 19, where he tallied eight points, five rebounds and three blocks in 28 minutes of action.

Per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “no timeline for a potential return was provided, though Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer believes Lopez will play again at some point. Lopez, 33, had been sidelined with what was characterized as back soreness on the league injury reports since playing in the Bucks’ season opener Oct. 19. Two days later in Miami, Lopez participated in a shootaround but then was scratched from the game. Budenholzer said no specific incident occurred in Miami either.”

Lopez will continue to be listed as out. There is no estimated return date yet.

Bucks sign Wesley Matthews, waive Georgios Kalaitzakis

The Milwaukee Bucks signed free agent swingman Wesley Matthews today.

And in a related transaction, the team waived rookie guard Georgios Kalaitzakis.

A 6-5 guard, Matthews averaged 4.8 points and 1.6 rebounds in 19.5 minutes over 58 games (10 starts) for the Los Angeles Lakers last season.

“Wesley is a proven veteran whose shooting, defense and experience will help us,” said Bucks General Manager Jon Horst. “He is familiar with Coach Bud’s system and our team. We’re excited to have him back with us.”

Per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Matthews would provide some additional depth in the back court for the Bucks behind starters Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen. Backup point guard George Hill, also 35 years old, has been averaging over 27 minutes per game. Pat Connaughton (28 minutes per game) has also been logging heavy minutes early in the season.”

A 12-year NBA veteran, Matthews has appeared in 849 games (739 starts) over his 12 seasons with Utah, Portland, Dallas, New York, Indiana, Milwaukee, and Los Angeles, and holds career averages of 12.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal per game. The former Marquette standout who attended high school in Madison, Wis., has also played in 52 playoff games in his career and is averaging 10.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.1 steals in postseason action.

Matthews will wear No. 23 with the Bucks.

Bucks sign Javonte Smart, waive Justin Robinson

The Milwaukee Bucks yesterday signed guard Javonte Smart to a Two-Way contract.

And in a related transaction, the Bucks waived two-way guard Justin Robinson.

Smart (6-4, 205), appeared in five games (all starts) with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League this season and averaged 22.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 35.5 minutes per game while shooting 49.4% from the field and 39.6% from three. After going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft out of LSU, the 22-year-old played in six NBA Summer League games with the Heat before appearing in five of Miami’s preseason contests where he averaged 8.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 18.1 minutes per game.

A 2021 Second Team All-SEC selection, Smart averaged 16.0 points, 4.0 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game and led the SEC in three-point field goal percentage (.402) in his final season with the Tigers. In three seasons at LSU, the Baton Rouge native appeared in 93 games, making 76 starts, and averaged double figures in scoring each season.

Smart will wear No. 6 with the Bucks.

Originally signed to a Two-Way contract on Sept. 15, Robinson appeared in 17 games with the Bucks this season and averaged 2.8 points and 1.2 assists in 11.6 minutes per game.

Bucks sign DeMarcus Cousins

The Milwaukee Bucks yesterday signed free agent center DeMarcus Cousins.

“DeMarcus is incredibly talented and his size, toughness and experience will help us,” said Bucks General Manager Jon Horst. “He will provide added depth to our front court rotation and we look forward to working him into our system.”

Cousins, 31, is a 10-year NBA veteran whose recent seasons have been a struggle. His career averages are excellent: 20.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.2 blocked shots in 606 career regular season games for the Kings, Pelicans, Warriors, Rockets and Clippers.

The fifth overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, Cousins most recently played in 41 games (11 starts) last season with Houston (25 games, 11 starts) and the Los Angeles Clippers (16 games), combining to average 8.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 17.4 minutes per game.

Cousins was selected to four All-Star games while a member of the Sacramento Kings (2015-17) and New Orleans Pelicans (2018) and was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2015 and 2016. He was a gold medal winner for the United States in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, as well as the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He reached the playoffs twice (2019, Golden State, and 2021, LA Clippers) during his career, but did not play in the 2019-20 season due to injury.

Cousins will wear No. 15 with the Bucks.

Bucks sign head coach Mike Budenholzer to contract extension

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed head coach Mike Budenholzer to a multi-year contract extension.

Per the Bucks: “What an incredible journey we’ve been on and winning the NBA Championship this season makes us appreciate how difficult it is to win and how grateful we are to have the best players and coaches in place to get the job done,” said Bucks owners Marc Lasry, Wes Edens and Jamie Dinan. “Mike’s strong leadership, coaching expertise, commitment to player development, and adaptability have been instrumental as we work together to compete for and win championships. We’re thrilled with the work Bud has done together with Jon Horst and Peter Feigin and are proud to sign him to this extension.”

“The appreciation I have for being a part of the Bucks organization is hard to express,” Budenholzer said. “And today, to realize that Marc and Wes and Jamie from our ownership group, along with Jon as our GM, have extended my contract to be the head coach is very special — thank you!

“The players make the success happen on and off the court. We have the best players and to them I am grateful. They’ve grown and we’ve grown together during the last three seasons. We’ve had success along the way, finishing with an NBA Championship this season! The assistant coaches’ efforts and contributions to our success has been so vital also. Each of them individually are so important to me, and collectively they make so much good happen for me and our players. We all can’t wait to get back to work and face the great challenge of competing again for an NBA Championship. Again, being a part of the Bucks organization is very special. Let’s keep getting better and building great teams and doing great work on and off the court. Let’s go Bucks!!!”

And per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Budenholzer was named the 2018-19 coach of the year after leading the Bucks to a regular-season-best 60-22 mark in his first year on the bench, but the Bucks surrendered a 2-0 Eastern Conference finals lead to Toronto and eventually lost in six games. The Bucks marched to a 56-17 regular-season mark last year before exiting the playoffs in the second round of the “bubble” against Miami.”