Sterling Brown Heads to Herd and Bucks Have Interest In Mindaugas Kuzminskas

It’s an off day for the Milwaukee Bucks as they get prepped for their road game in Dallas tomorrow night. If anyone remembers the Bucks first foray into Mavs country last year, even a rock fight might be a generous description for that eye-gouging affair. However, even off days in the NBA have become on-days, as the NBA rumor mill keeps a turning and one of their rookie gets the roster shuffling treatment. The Bucks announced yesterday that Sterling Brown, their second-round pick out of SMU, would be dipping his toes into the G(atorade)-League by joining the Wisconsin Herd. Brown has played around 16 minutes total for Milwaukee, most of which came in blowout losses to the Cavaliers and Thunder.

Brown was known for his 3-point accuracy coming out of college, but his stroke looked errant in the preseason, hitting just 28.6% on 2.3 attempts per game. Hopefully some extended playing time will help restore some confidence in himself from the deeper arc. Fortuitously, he will also have his older brother, Shannon Brown, on the Herd roster to help him throughout the process. Shannon is joining the squad while Xavier Munford hops aboard Team USA for 2019 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. Munford was recently announced as the G-League performer of the week, so Sterling getting an opportunity to feast on weaker competition in Munford’s absence should give him valuable reps. He certainly wasn’t getting any after 15th roster spot man, Deandre Liggins, badgered his way into regular minutes.

Speaking of late additions to the Bucks roster, Mike Scotto of Basketball Insiders, is reporting that Milwaukee are among the teams interested in the stylings of Mindaugas Kuzminskas.

As Scotto points out, the Bucks would indeed have to create a roster spot given Liggins slotted into that final slot. I’d be surprised if they released Liggins at this instant given his significant playing time in recent games and the injury to Matthew Dellavedova. Kuzminskas, the 28 year old Lithuanian forward, was released by the Knicks recently and is hoping to snatch up a spot on some NBA roster willing to take him on. The small forward shot only 32.1% from three last year on 2.5 attempts per game, but he averaged six attempts per-36 minutes so he’s more than willing to launch them.

Milwaukee’s interest could indicate that Teletovic’s injury will linger longer that I would have presumed when it was cavalierly announced. The Bucks have been running out small lineups with Liggins, Brogdon and Dellavedova on the court while Khris Middleton slots in as a four of late to make up for Telly’s absence. D.J. Wilson doesn’t seem ready for primetime, but Milwaukee is clearly searching for someone to spell Giannis during his, always brief, stints on the bench.

Perhaps Kuzminskas is that guy, but I don’t think he’s necessarily worth spending a roster spot on, even if his “Cheese” nickname is almost too fitting for Milwaukee.