Monday Morning Media Roundup: November 16th, 2020

If you’ve ever sat back with a warm drink in your hand, a fire raging in the hearth, and your most beloved robe on to think about what it’d be like if a professional sports league jammed its entire transactional offseason into a one-week window, you’re in luck: The NBA is about to put that experiment to the test.

As of some time this morning, teams are free to strike trade deals with one another, and the Lakers have already jumped ahead of the pack in a move swapping Danny Green for Dennis Schröder. Oh, and players can start making decisions on contracts like (formerly) our very own Wes Matthews!

All of this will lead in to the NBA Draft this Wednesday, the 18th, which will then be followed on Friday, the 20th, by the official start of free agency. It’ll be much like if we took the drama and tension of the trade deadline and dragged it out over the course of seven days. Think of the content! Think of the hot takes! Think of the doomsaying! THE NBA IS BACK, BABY!

Let’s roundup!

Giannis Antetokounmpo on future with Bucks: ‘It depends on what decisions they make’ (CBS Sports)

Oof. There’s something about talking to foreign media that gets Giannis to get right to the heart of the matter when it comes to how hot or cold he is on staying with Milwaukee. The above quote comes from an interview he did with a Swedish journalist and a follow-up said journalist did to (admirably) try and get a scoop on Giannis’s supermax intentions.

However, as usual there was the prior qualifier that so long as Milwaukee remains committed to trying to be competitive, he’s on board.

Reading between the lines, I wouldn’t expect him to immediately sign the supermax when offered. Rather, he may wait out the rest of the offseason leading up to December 21st before making a final decision based on whatever Jon Horst & Co. whipped up for the team. It’ll keep the pressure on management which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and if it all ends up with him signing the extension then all these quotes will recede into nothingness immediately.

Bucks’ Sterling Brown agrees to $750K settlement with city of Milwaukee (ESPN)

We’re now closing in on three years since Sterling Brown was tased in a Walgreens parking lot while waiting for MPD officers to issue him a parking ticket, and his subsequent lawsuit against the city of Milwaukee is now concluded.

Brown will receive $750,000 from the city of Milwaukee, a statement from the city admitting to a breach of his constitutional rights, and a commitment for improvements to MPD’s operating procedures. The city had previously offered him $400,000 to settle, but he rejected that proposal. Now, with a higher settlement amount and the other promises from the city, he opted to close proceedings before the suit went to trial.

Magic talking Gordon trades; Bucks interested, source says (Amico Hoops)

With most rumors about X team interested in Y player I can at least squint my eyes and get where they’re coming from. This one, uh... not so much? Gordon is a fine player, and I can only assume Jon Horst still has John Hammond in his phone contact list so the connection is there, but beyond that I just don’t see how Gordon fits in Milwaukee.

Maybe we’re only seeing interest from an incomplete point-of-view: The Bucks could be interested in Gordon as a chip to be included in a three-team trade or to be re-routed elsewhere to facilitate a wider move. I’m too CBA dumb to understand if that makes sense, but that route feels more plausible than Gordon starting alongside Giannis.

How Tyrell Terry Became a Potential Lottery Pick Amid a Six-Month Hiatus & The NBA’s Next Star Big Man May Be Hiding in Plain Sight on the Free Agent Market (The Ringer)

I wanted to include these two articles for a couple of reasons. First, I find the Terry story interesting as an example of the fluid nature of life without sport for a lot of the NBA prospects. How they have handled an extended break away from the regimented life of preparing for the next season could go a long way in determining how teams have adjusted their valuations. Terry has gone from scrawny freshman to likely lottery pick (if the hype is indicative of how draft night will go) since the NCAA season ended. That means he may be outside of Milwaukee’s range, but it is an aspect to this draft I hadn’t considered.

The second story is about my good friend and yours, Christian Wood. His career arc is truly bizarre, and I will never forget the almost weekly tweets he’d fire off criticizing Budenholzer for not playing him enough. Well, to his credit, he latched on in Detroit, had himself a relatively strong season, and looks set to make cash in a big payday. Godspeed, Christian. It was our pleasure.

The Social Media Section

This dude lives in Milwaukee during the winter and still opts to go to Scandinavia. He’s a lock to sign the supermax

“I don't want to be here” part 2 incoming

Can’t catch Covid if you’re moving faster than the air

#JaguarGreece

Trades that fell-through that make you go “hm”

Don’t let this get lost in the shuffle this week

Somehow one of the fountain pen ink greats found our site and podcast. Salute, Mr. Oster

I’ll leave you off here since there is likely to be news flying fast and furious around these parts in the short future. You’ll see plenty of me and the rest of the BH crew as we try to keep up with Jon Horst’s progress in ensuring that this franchise doesn’t go right back down the tubes of irrelevance a year from now. Fun!

Happy Monday!