Report: Milwaukee Bucks Are Leaders to Sign Austin Rivers

The buyout season is in full swing, and the Milwaukee Bucks are leaping in headfirst as they are leaders to sign Austin Rivers, per a report from Shams Charania.

After River was dealt from the New York Knicks to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the George Hill to 76ers deal, there were already reports that he would be waived. Now, the former 10th overall pick in the 2012 draft will reportedly be joining a Bucks team looking for guard depth after the departure of D.J. Augustin in the P.J. Tucker deal. Rivers never found a consistent role on a revitalized Knicks team this season. He appeared in 21 games for them, averaging 7.3 points per game on 43%/36.4%/71.4% shooting splits.

Rivers has never quite lived up to his billing coming out of high school, but he is posting a career high eFG% this season, 53.3%, and would give Bud another semi-capable ball handler with more size than the diminutive Augustin. He also is used to switching defensively after spending last season with the Rockets. It seems like a decent enough signing given the buyout market rarely nets anyone who makes a true impact, but the Bucks could use another guard and Rivers should fit in well enough with Bud’s scheme.

This move would leave the Bucks with just one open roster spot left, which could be used on another guard to shore up the rotation. As Marc Spears reported, an old reunion may be in order:

I have literally no clue what Knight has left in the tank, and I’m pretty dubious that his “regained explosiveness” merits anything more than he can move capably around the court. I guess he carries the nostalgia factor, but I’d probably prefer Jeff Teague if at all possible given he was playing for the Celtics. Still, I would be wary of Bud relying on Teague too heavily for minutes, so Knight may be the better pick in that regard. Either way, look for Horst to make at least one more roster move in the days or weeks ahead.