The Milwaukee Bucks need a bounce-back year. They have been knocked out of the first round of the playoffs for the past two seasons. The Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo tandem must capitalize on its potential if the franchise is to make it back into the championship mix.
Of course, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton will have their part to play. Lopez's future with the franchise has been a consistent talking point throughout the summer. The veteran big man looked a step slow last season, leading to fears that age has finally begun sapping him of his elite rim protection.
"I typically don’t talk about any of this stuff with the media, but I will say, because Brook is so core to who we are, we have zero intentions of trading Brook,” Bucks GM Jon Horst told The Athletic's Eric Nehm in an exclusive interview. "... Brook has been and will continue to be core to who we are.”
Lopez is in the final year of his two-year $48 million deal. He will earn $23 million this season before hitting unrestricted free agency in the summer. When at his best, his performances for the Bucks are invaluable. His ability to space the floor ensures Giannis and Lillard have room to attack the lanes and get behind the point-of-attack defense on the perimeter.
Last season, Lopez averaged 12.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from three-point range. Milwaukee doesn't need much more from him on the offensive end. However, the Bucks need him to rediscover the defensive dominance that positioned him among the top centers in the league over the past few years.
Given Milwaukee's precarious cap situation and its lack of tradable assets, sticking with Lopez is a logical decision. He's still one of the best veteran bigs in the NBA. His contract expires next season, but he could re-sign on a team-friendly deal if he chooses to extend his career.
Milwaukee is backing its championship-winning big man. Now, it's on Lopez to repay that trust.
More must-reads:
It has been a busy offseason for the Phoenix Suns as they have completely overhauled their roster after another disappointing season last year. Of course, the Suns have broken up their star trio of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal as they traded Durant to the Houston Rockets and bought out Beal’s contract. Now Booker is the only one remaining and it is clear that Phoenix is looking to build around him for the future after they gave him a massive two-year contract extension. For the Suns, they have added a ton of talent this offseason via trades, free agency and the draft with the headliners being Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Khaman Maluach and Mark Williams. During the draft, the Suns selected Maluach 10th overall with the pick they received from the Rockets in the Durant trade but they reportedly turned down an offer from another Western Conference team during the draft. According to The Athletic’s John Hollinger, the Suns turned down an unprotected 2026 first-round pick and the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 draft from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for the 10th pick. Of course, the Pelicans would later trade both picks they offered to the Suns for the 13th overall pick from the Atlanta Hawks that they used to select Derik Queen. This is a move that may haunt the Pelicans as they could end up being one of the worst teams in the NBA again next season due to the loaded West but it could also come back to hurt the Suns as well. For the Suns, it is clear that they have high hopes for Maluach but if they would have pulled off the trade with New Orleans and the Pelicans end up being a bottom feeder once again next season, they could have gotten the first pick in next year’s draft. Instead, the Hawks now own the Pelicans’ first-round pick next season and it remains to be seen whether not making this trade will come back to haunt the Suns in the future.
Only eight plate appearances into his New York Yankees career, Ryan McMahon has already been more productive than the team’s previous third base options. What might sound hyperbolic or outright false at first glance is actually true, at least from a certain point of view. Analytics — specifically, Wins Above Replacement — proves that argument, and it’s one that Yankees manager Aaron Boone should be ashamed of. McMahon went 2-for-3 with a two-run double in Sunday’s victory over the Phillies, giving him four hits in his first eight at-bats. FanGraphs ruled that McMahon is already worth 0.2 fWAR through two games in a Yankees uniform. Amazingly, McMahon has a higher fWAR than the trio of DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Jorbit Vivas, who have played a combined 148 games in the infield thus far. LeMahieu provided -0.1 fWAR over 45 games before being unceremoniously cut earlier this month, while Vivas (-0.2) is currently at Triple-A. Peraza and his -0.6 fWAR remain on the active roster, though he’s shifted into a bench role. Baseball-Reference has been slightly more generous, giving Peraza -0.2 bWAR. Boone stuck with LeMahieu and Peraza until he couldn’t anymore, and it’s partly why the Yankees have dropped to 5 1/2 games back in the AL East. Injuries and age took their toll on LeMahieu, who only played second after returning from calf and hip problems. Peraza owns a .152 average and .452 OPS in 170 plate appearances. We’ll see if McMahon can elevate the Yankees, who open a pivotal four-game set with the rival Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.
Kirk Cousins might be relegated to the job of backup quarterback, but he is showing veteran leadership to his Atlanta Falcons teammates. Following Sunday's practice, Cousins pulled aside rookie defensive end James Pearce to encourage the first-round pick after his fourth practice in the league at Flowery Branch, Georgia. "QB Kirk Cousins pulled aside Pearce after practice to compliment him on a pass batted down," wrote Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Cousins reportedly had a solid day of practice on Sunday, going 7-of-12 passing against the first-team unit. If Cousins wants out of Atlanta, he's not showing it at practice. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is competing on the field and being a good teammate around the facility. Cousins' actions on the field backed up what Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot praised Cousins for before the team's practice on Sunday. “Outside, it's a lot more of a deal than it is in the building,” Fontenot said to the media about the idea of friction between the Falcons and Cousins, per video from D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He shows up, he does his job, just like anybody ... We've gotta build the best 70-man roster so we can go win games. "That's what we're focused on, and Kirk, just like all the other players, is focused on coming in here and doing their job. That's what he's been doing." Fontenot didn't dismiss the idea that Atlanta would trade Cousins before the season. He said the Falcons will do whatever it takes to make the team better, but stressed that Cousins has been a professional throughout the process of being replaced by Michael Penix Jr., a first-round pick from the 2024 draft. “In terms of making moves, whether it's trades or acquiring players, we're always looking at those factors," Fontenot said. "We're gonna do whatever we can do to make this team the best it can possibly be. But he's been a great professional, and he's handled himself well.” Cousins is coming to work in a manner that will make another owner want to take a chance on the veteran quarterback. That could be one of his best-selling points before he plays in his 13th season in the league.
The Pittsburgh Steelers made a shocking move early in the 2025 offseason. In a bold and unexpected trade, the team acquired star wide receiver DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks, instantly changing the outlook of their offense. Shortly after the deal, the Steelers committed long-term, signing Metcalf to a five-year contract worth $150 million, with four new years and $132 million in fresh money. At $33 million per year, the Steelers made it clear they believe Metcalf is a rare talent worth every dollar. While the Steelers were focused on boosting their offense, their move has caused problems elsewhere in the NFL. The Washington Commanders now find themselves in a difficult position with their own star wide receiver, Terry McLaurin. During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that McLaurin "wants considerably more than" the $33 million per year that Metcalf received in Pittsburgh. That revelation has sparked questions about whether the Commanders are prepared to meet McLaurin’s growing demands. The Steelers may not have intended to impact other teams' contract negotiations, but their deal with Metcalf is now being used as a measuring stick. McLaurin, who has consistently been one of the most reliable wideouts in the league, is looking to cash in at a level that reflects his value. Pittsburgh’s decision to pay top dollar has inadvertently put pressure on Washington, who must now decide whether to match or exceed those terms to keep their top receiver happy. The Commanders find themselves in a difficult position as the NFL continues to see critical positions like wide receiver experience rapid increases in market value. As star players across the league sign massive deals, it becomes increasingly challenging for teams to build balanced rosters while also keeping their top talent and maintaining consistency from one season to the next. Washington is now facing that exact challenge with McLaurin. It makes perfect sense that Metcalf’s massive extension with the Steelers is being used as a comparison. This is a common pattern in the NFL. One player gets paid, and others in the same position group see it as their opportunity to cash in. McLaurin, after watching Metcalf land a $33 million per year deal, likely sees this as the perfect moment to get the contract he believes he deserves. It is not about being greedy. Players understand the business side of the league and know their value can shift quickly. When the opportunity comes, they have to take advantage of it. Steelers' Omar Khan Has A Chance To Do Something Crazy At Wide Receiver The bigger question is whether McLaurin could become available if things continue to stall in Washington. While the Steelers might seem like a potential landing spot, they are already investing heavily in Metcalf. Paying McLaurin even more than Metcalf would be incredibly difficult under the current financial structure. However, if General Manager Omar Khan were somehow able to make it work, it would completely reshape how the rest of the league views Pittsburgh entering the 2025 season. For now, both sides appear to be stuck, and that uncertainty could eventually lead to McLaurin’s name surfacing in trade talks, even if his price is far too high for Pittsburgh to realistically consider. While it’s highly unlikely the Steelers would make another major move at wide receiver, Khan has shown a willingness to get creative with the salary cap, so nothing can ever be completely ruled out. With the right cap maneuvering, there’s always a slim chance something unexpected could happen. Though the idea of the Steelers making McLaurin higher paid than Metcalf certainly sounds very unlikely at this point.
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!