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Bucks Reportedly Pursued 1 Warriors Player In Offseason

Milwaukee Bucks v Golden State Warriors
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The Golden State Warriors have reportedly been trying to deal away Jonathan Kuminga this offseason, but haven’t had much luck.

According to Brett Siegel, the Warriors were in communication with the Milwaukee Bucks recently, but the two sides were unable to agree on a deal.

The Warriors would only accept an offer that featured Bobby Portis, and the Bucks said no to that.

“It is also worth mentioning that the Milwaukee Bucks were another team that kicked around the idea of pursuing Kuminga. If they were to do so, the Warriors made it known they would want Bobby Portis in a sign-and-trade scenario, which is something Milwaukee wasn’t willing to do,” Siegel said, via NBACentral.

This is a sign of just how much the Bucks value Portis, who has been in Milwaukee for five seasons and has averaged 13.6 points and 8.3 rebounds.

Considering he just signed a new deal with Milwaukee, it’s very clear just how much they like him.

As for the Warriors, this news is evidence that they think Kuminga is special and worth a lot.

They aren’t going to give him away for just any return, and they only want something and someone they think will help them for a long time.

The Bucks and Warriors weren’t able to hash out a deal this time, but will they change their tune in the months ahead?

Right now, most people assume Kuminga will stick with the Warriors, at least until the midseason trade deadline.

At that point, you can be sure more rumors about his departure from Golden State will grow, and perhaps the Bucks will be involved in them.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo Gets Brutally Honest About His 2021 Injury

Milwaukee Bucks v Indiana Pacers - Game Five
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Giannis Antetokounmpo won his first championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, but it almost didn’t happen.

That’s because he suffered a hyperextended knee during his team’s run to a championship.

He was able to play through it, but says it still bothers him to this day.

“I still feel it… I think I’m going to feel it until I die,” Antetokounmpo said, via Legion Hoops.

Antetokounmpo was definitely hurt during that Finals campaign, but he was still a monster through it all.

He averaged 30.2 points,12.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists on 56.9 percent from the floor.

He definitely earned his Finals MVP trophy and was a vital part of the Bucks’ success that year.

Since then, the Bucks haven’t been able to repeat that success, and injuries to Antetokounmpo have been part of the problem.

He is sadly not able to stay as healthy as he would like and the worse his body is, the worst the team’s chances are.

Last season, Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points and 11.9 rebounds so he is obviously still playing at an extremely high level.

But the injury he suffered back in 2021 is still there, still nagging him, and might not go away ever.

Can he still lead his team to the postseason promised land even with that knee issue plaguing him?

Unlike certain other stars in the NBA, he doesn’t make it obvious that he’s hurt but this admission from Antetokounmpo is troubling and will give all Bucks fans pause, especially because they have such high hopes about the year ahead.

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Bones Hyland Named ‘Leading Candidate’ For Western Contender’s Final Roster Spot

Los Angeles Clippers v Portland Trail Blazers
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During his four seasons in the NBA, Bones Hyland has played for several teams.

He last suited up for the Minnesota Timberwolves but only participated in four games.

Will he be back with them in the new season?

According to Jon Krawczynski, via Fullcourtpass, Hyland is currently a leading candidate for the last roster spot with the T-Wolves.

Hyland got his start with the Denver Nuggets in the 2021-22 season.

During his rookie year, he produced 10.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.

He was young and energetic and seemed like the sort of up-and-coming star that the Nuggets could use for years to come.

But he only spent a year and a half with the Nuggets before moving on to the Los Angeles Clippers.

When he was sent to LA, a lot of people thought he was about to start an exciting new chapter in his career.

They imagined that he’d get more time on the court and could possibly even carve out a starting position for himself.

That isn’t what happened, and he remained a bench player who actually got fewer minutes on the floor.

After that, he went to the Timberwolves last season, playing in four games and averaging just 1.3 points across 4.3 minutes per game.

If Hyland stays in Minnesota, he will want to play more, but can the team allow that to happen?

They have a fairly full roster and might not be able to let him develop into the star he wants to be.

People have been waiting to see more from Hyland for years – will he give it to them in 2025-26?

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Insider Hints At Austin Reaves’ Future With Lakers

Chicago Bulls v Los Angeles Lakers
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The better Austin Reaves gets, the more speculation about his future with the Los Angeles Lakers grows.

He just had his best season yet for the Lakers, so, of course, people are talking about him leaving the team in the future.

But according to Lakers insider Jovan Buha, Reaves doesn’t want to go anywhere and hopes to remain with the team for the rest of his career.

“He wants to be a Laker for life,” Buha said of Reaves, via Legion Hoops.

Reaves just produced 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists on 46.0 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from the three-point line in the 2024-25 season.

This was his fourth year in the league and with the Lakers, and he became a reliable and proven third option for the team behind Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

A lot of people can see him as a part of the team for years to come, but that means LA will need to pay him.

He has one more season before he has to choose or decline a player option.

With the way he’s been playing, there is little doubt that he will decline his option so he can get a better deal.

But that doesn’t mean he will leave the Lakers, because they can provide him with a healthy and big new contract.

Reaves wants to stay in Los Angeles, and the Lakers hope to keep him.

That’s possible, but LA will need to give him a large contract.

He is earning it now, but will need to keep playing well in 2025-26 in order to bring home a hefty paycheck that keeps him with the Lakers for years.

The post Insider Hints At Austin Reaves’ Future With Lakers appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Austin Rivers Turns Heads With LeBron James Statement

Minnesota Timberwolves v Los Angeles Lakers - Game Two
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LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is the most accomplished NBA player of all time, but is he the best shooter?

Austin Rivers has an opinion about that and shared it recently.

It is sure to raise eyebrows.

He thinks that James is the best jumpshooter he’s ever been, but he doesn’t consider him the best scorer.

Instead, he thinks Kevin Durant is better than James.

“LeBron is number one [in scoring], but his game doesn’t match a prototypical scorer. It’s also not sexy. LeBron’s game is built on force, sheer will, dedication, his mind, his IQ, the way he is able to dissect and control a game, and power, above anything else. He wills himself to the basket. Now, you have to give the guy credit. As he’s gotten older, he’s become a better jumpshooter. It’s crazy that he’s going to retire the best jumpshooter he’s ever been…For instance, LeBron has scored more points than Kevin, but Kevin can score in a much bigger variety of ways than LeBron,” Rivers said, via NBACentral.

Rivers might not think James is the best scorer, but he certainly listed a ton of features to respect about him.

He doesn’t feel that James’ style of scoring is “sexy,” but it gets the job done, and the Lakers are very happy with how he produces on the court.

And no one will argue against James’ will, dedication, and mindset.

Even if he isn’t the best scorer, it’s clear that James is an NBA player unlike many others.

He has a deep bag that comes with many different tools that he can use.

And as he gets older, he is focusing on new areas of his game, such as his jump shots and assists.

This is allowing him to play after 40 years old and ensures that he is still helping the Lakers a lot, even as he grows older.

Sexy or not, James can score and, perhaps more importantly, he can lead.

The post Austin Rivers Turns Heads With LeBron James Statement appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Details Emerge About Austin Reaves’ Contract Demands

New Orleans Pelicans v Los Angeles Lakers
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The upcoming season is going to be beyond pivotal for Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Not only does Reaves want to help his team win, but he also wants to show his value so he can get a major new deal in the summer.

Writing for NBC Sports, Kurt Helin said that Reaves will most certainly become a free agent next summer, and he wants a deal similar to that of Tyler Herro of the Miami Heat, who is pulling in $30 million a year.

“Reaves will be a free agent. There is zero chance he is picking up his $14.9 million player option, even if he plans to stay with the Lakers. Reaves reportedly wants to be paid in the Tyler Herro range of $30 million a year (and Herro is a good comp in a lot of ways),” Helin wrote, via NBACentral.

When the Lakers gave Reaves his last deal, everyone agreed that they got him as a steal.

In 2025-26, he is owed just under $14 million.

Following that, he has a player option and is in control of his fate.

He could accept the $14,898,786 that will be offered by the Lakers, or he could try his hand at free agency and see what other teams have to give.

Is a deal like Herro’s out there waiting for him?

It may be, and it might come from his current team.

If Reaves plays well in the upcoming season, the Lakers would leap at the chance to keep him and would offer him $30 million annually, or even more.

But if he has more problems in the playoffs, they might not be eager to sign him, and Reaves may have to look around the league for a healthier contract.

Reaves loves playing in LA, and the Lakers cherish him, so both sides could work out a package that makes everyone happy.

However, that all depends on how the upcoming season goes and what Reaves does on the court.

The post Details Emerge About Austin Reaves’ Contract Demands appeared first on The Cold Wire.

1 Warriors Player Draws Comparison To Jaden McDaniels

Golden State Warriors v Minnesota Timberwolves - Game Five
(Photo by Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)

Jaden McDaniels of the Minnesota Timberwolves has made a name for himself as one of the best supporting stars in the league.

What other players in the NBA can be compared to him?

An unnamed NBA exec said that Jonathan Kuminga is in line with McDaniels and deserves a very healthy contract to respect that.

“McDaniels is great in his role, but J.K. is more talented and has higher upside if he ever can hit,” an anonymous NBA executive said of Kuminga.

There are many people, both in and out of the NBA, who think that Kuminga can do a lot more for his team.

The only question is this: which team should be his?

Kuminga has only ever played for the Golden State Warriors, but there have been a ton of rumors about him leaving soon.

The team doesn’t always have a place for him, and he only appeared in 47 games last season, starting in just 10 of them.

It’s clear that he isn’t a crucial part of the lineup, but he wants to be.

Kuminga has publicly stated that he wishes to perform for a team that will use him a lot.

He doesn’t view himself as a bench player but as someone who can be starting in games and leading a squad.

Unfortunately, he likely won’t get that honor with Golden State, and a big contract probably won’t come his way there either.

Kuminga will have to move to a new destination if he wishes to show more of his skills, but for now, he might be stuck with the Warriors.

Many people expect him to sign a short-term deal with the team before a potential trade at midseason.

He has upside and potential, but he might not be able to showcase it in Golden State.

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