Is the Milwaukee Bucks defense already in a much better spot than it was last year

Is the Milwaukee Bucks defense already in a much better spot than it was last year

on today’s lockdown bucks we discuss the defense is it actually a more versatile group for reasons outside of the big man plus some news and notes to catch you up on the NBA has a new media partner and we promised some more context on free agency money what’s actually out there we get into it next unlocked on bucks you are locked on bucks your daily Milwaukee Bucks podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day welcome into lock on bucks I am Justin Garcia joined as always by Camille Davis and we thank you for making lock on bucks your first listen every day as always we’re free and available wherever you get your podcast you can find us on YouTube as well it’s all part of the lock on podcast Network your team every day uh Camille the defense we talked a little bit about this already in the off season but we cited that reports that was out there I suppose we’ classifi it as that Doc Rivers wants a more versatile defense and when we left that series with the Pacers I think it was easy for everybody to say yeah I believe that’s his Viewpoint and that’s something that he or any other coach or front office member of this team would have said um I think all of us are guilty of this we kind of took that and ran with it and said well they’re clearly shopping Brook Lopez there was no mention of Brook Lopez we should classify or clarify as well no mention of Brook Lopez no mention of hey the Bucks are trying to to shop him I know other reports circulated of that notion but no mention of that in the want some more versatile defense and now when you look at the moves that they’ve made are they there you know like we spend so much time saying they need to switch five have they built a more versatile defense while keeping Brook Lopez in toe I think the answer to that question is yes just because they have a few more defensive guys coming off the bench now okay so I think I know where you’re going yes compared to last year is it versatile enough I mean Tom’s gonna tell because here’s the thing with the the Brook Lopez piece of it uh when those reports not necessarily from the same reports that we saw about the Bucks looking for more versatile defense coming out that hey the Brooks have made or the bugs have made Brook Lopez available you know they’re hoping to get a first round draft pick all these rumors that we’ve been hearing around Brook being available for the right price have been out there we’ve had conversations as well of going okay well even if that is the case what is the move that you can make that upgrades from Brook Lopez and what he brings to the team now all of the people who have been saying Brooke needs to be traded the reasons behind that are because he’s getting older uh he moves slowly uh and he’s efficient very much so in that drop cover defense but if you pull him out into space he can be exploited in that way which 7 foot yeah that that makes sense you know 280 that makes sense that he’ll get exploited in that way um so the question has been or the what people have won is okay let’s get a versatile Center out there someone who can you know switch out who can do this and do that and that sounds good I would love to have that as well on the team um but I think that as we mentioned like the options just weren’t there not necessarily in the free agency market and finding a one forone trade that works in that sense has been very difficult to do while we’ve been brainstorming uh so like if you keep Brook Lopez there I think then the question becomes how do you plan to also utilize Giannis are you open to having more lineups where you are running him as a small ball five because maybe the the switch and getting that more versatile defense is just playing Yannis at the five a bit more not making him the five at all times not trading Brook Lopez but just having more line s with him in that role and then switching out those guys around him to make that small ball lineup the most lethal is it you know you’re going really small you’re having Prince out there at that for spot next to him while you also run with you know Chris and Dame and then whatever other shooter of your choice like what is the combinations of players that you’re going to use but signing Prince signing right those are two guys coming off your bench who figure to be in the rotation who are versatile Defenders so they give you a lot more flexibility than what the bugs had last year because last season we’re like well who else can they throw out there is it gonna be Pat conington you know is AJ Green is it um you know a Ajax which is why everybody wanted Ajax because he shown showed that like hey I’ll play some defense I’ll give you some energy I’ll go get the boards I’ll do whatever fils get some fils I’ll do whatever while I’m out there the fils are part of the energy Justin you know what I’m saying but I think that’s when thinking about how is this team more versatile defensively now I think if fits more into that sense of like maybe we can just use these pieces differently and maximize them in different ways than we were able to do last year so a couple things um like we don’t need to get into Rel litigating it in specifics because I mean we’re both on record of how much we support and are big fans of Brook Lopez and the need for for him and the value that he brings to this team but when I look what Philadelphia did that to me especially means okay this is a team you’re going to have to contend with with in the East you need somebody to at least throw out there a body on Joel and beat him I going to say stop him but you need somebody of Brook size to defend him so I think it’s it’s all the more imperative that you keep him the other thing is you know when you mentioned the versatility that guys like torian Prince and dlon Wright specifically are going to bring to this team um you know you you think back to the last couple weeks of the season last year where obviously the disappointing postseason end where you didn’t see Giannis at all you didn’t see Dame in two of those games but you know Camille I think I must have blocked it out of my mind the game where Giannis got injured against the Celtics that was coming off of a four-game losing streak right I always equated the losing streak was a little bit before that it wasn’t just one after another so it just paints a picture of man it was really really Bleak that last basically month of Bucks basketball month and a half but I I bring up that game against the Knicks a night two of WrestleMania um because here are the guys that the Bucks played on and he played and heavily relied on in that game and I think this kind of backs up the well yes they’re clearly more versatile defensively than they were a year ago Malik Beasley was in the starting lineup and and this is the game we’re pointed out because this the last time this group was at full strength you know withis Dame and Chris on the floor Malik Beasley was your starter only played 23 minutes but if D Wright starts whoever it is you’re getting more versatility defensively than you had with with bees on the floor a year ago the bench Bobby Portis played 29 minutes um I’m not sure what to expect for Bobby’s minutes this uping season if it’s more of a a brook thing where it’s okay we feel like we have other guys that can play the four and a stretch four that it’s going to be as on an as needed basis Pat conon played 31 minutes which came to the Delight of many Bucks fans that are listening to this Jay Crowder played 15 minutes AJ Green played 13 Andre Jackson Jr played four so right there it is already feels like there’s a night and day different group than you have to rely on than it was a year ago where just take Jay Crowder out of the mix and say torian prince get 15 minutes from him I would assume more but you get that time it’s probably at this point in his career going to be more productive than what you got from J Crowder let’s say dlon Wright takes over the pat conon role and maybe he plays 30 minutes and he’s coming off the bench you’re getting more defensive versatility there from dlon Wright as well AJ Green maybe the numbers bump up and he’s starting the Andre Jackson Jr number I would assume those minutes are coming up as well so that to me is what really struck me as look now more than ever if the Sixers are going to be a team that you have to contend with you need Brook Lopez so to me the versatility isn’t so much we need a center that can switch because that’s not versatile that’s just plain one way we need to be able to do other things and also have Brook as the traditional big yeah I would agree with that and and thinking about you pulling up that lineup and thinking about how many allocations will be different this upcoming season it makes me think about this as well because I know if this season begins and Pat conon is still on the roster and Bobby is still on the roster and Brooke is still on the roster there are going to be people who are saying like we’re doomed to repeat how last year went and so on and so forth but just because the same guys are on the same roster does not necessarily mean they’re going to have the same amount of minutes allocated to them uh because you’re coming in training camp it’s a battle and the best guys are going to get out there so if you don’t step the game up like maybe we have a a pat conon Resurgence year I would love it because there’s a benefit for the bucks whether he’s on the team or whether that’s good enough to use for trade bait like whatever way it goes that’s going to be good for the bucks if he bounces back but just because he is coming back if he does I don’t think that necessarily means like you should expect him to play the exact same role or anyone to play the exact same role exact same amount of minutes that they did last year outside of you know your Giannis your Chris your Dame um and even those minutes might look different in the regular season next year if they’re trying to preserve them a little bit more for the playoffs well just because you you brought them up I have some thoughts on Pat hon we’ll get into in the next segment and take a look at what is exactly out there in terms of free agency dollars we’ll do that next unlocked on bucks passion drive and patience that’s the formula for winning championships and also what keeps your ride or die alive eBay Motors has everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to Peak Performance superchargers roof racks exhaust kits LED headlights and more whether you’re into speed power or style eBay Motors has you covered with over one 122 million parts for your number one ride or die you’ll always find exactly what you’re looking for and with eBay’s guaranteed fit your part is guaranteed to fit your ride every time or your money back because with eBay Motors you’re burning rubber not cash with all the parts you need at the prices you want it’s easy to make your car the MVP and bring home huge wins keep your ride or die alive at ebaymotors.com eligible items only exclusions apply eBay guaranteed fit only available to us customers if you’re watching Fox Sports or ESPN on your TV all day but have to turn down the volume because of all the shouting what just means it’s time to make the switch to locked on sports today a free 247 sports streaming channel that is programmed for you every day to bring you the biggest stories without all of the screaming locked on sports today brings you can’t miss analysis opinions and news in it streams 247 on YouTube or the free Amazon Fire TV channels app part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day uh that pacon in point Camille uh I was talking about this with with someone else as well you were one of them we were all having the conversation uh I just don’t know if Bucks fans are ready for the moment that Pat conon has this bounceback resurgent year so much so that he plays himself out of the $9 million player option that he has declines it signs elsewhere next summer and then Bucks fans are allowed to point out what some other fan bases have of man the second apron it is just killing me it’s not allowing us to keep our homegrown teams together and teams that were built the right way oh man I mean that’s that’s the argument that’s the argument but then all you have to do is point to the cell and go well hey if you like your team this is going to forbid you from keeping your team it’s going to stop you from adding around it for sure it’s gonna handicap you in that way but if you want to just keep everybody go right on ahead but no jokes aside with Pat conon like I said like I hope that it’s a bounceback for him um because last year was just a weird year for him like it looks like the athleticism is leaving him a little bit um we just didn’t see some of like the normal effort plays that we get from Pat conon generally when he’s on the court um and I mean when doc came in he mentioned that he was spending a lot of time trying to build up Pat Hon’s confidence again and just get him ready because he trusted him as a player so it’s a big summer for Pat conon as well because as much as players you know mention like you know I’m not hearing these things I’m ignoring it um when your name is involved in trade conversations and you’re seeing all that like it it gets to you somehow if not from your own social media from other people around you who happen to see it they just might throw it your way as well so that’s how it tends to go mom calls you and says hey why is it that everybody wants you to be traded like why are they so mad at my baby I don’t get it um we talked about free agency we mentioned uh again I feel like we have to do this with the disclaimer of look we’re with you I don’t think it’s going to happen but I don’t think you can rule it out as it pertains to the Gary Trent Jr piece because Camille as I look through what is actually out there in terms of who has money who has a taxpayer mid level the room exception the by anual something to use I’m struggling to see okay where’s the fit that significantly better for Gary Trent Jr um than it is within the Bucks unless it’s just okay it’s a team that even if there’s the seventh seed and I’m going to be paid twice as much I will take that which may very well be the case but let’s just start with the teams that have cap space and could sign him and could give him what he thought he was going to get in the offseason more than the amount that the Raptors have pulled off the table for him the Charlotte Hornets have cap space not much though they’ve already been kind of the bring us your terrible contracts and give us assets they’ve taken over that role so they only have about five million plus left where they could essentially uh dip into parts of the um not even mid-level it would have to be the room exception because they’ve already used that um but nonetheless it’s about twice as much as the Bucks have to offer the Detroit Pistons have sub substantial cap space at $21 million the Utah Jazz have even more at 35 Spurs are basically right up against the cap they have the room exception to use and there’s a handful of teams that have that room exception that they could throw out there the Pistons are one of them by annuals there’s a handful of teams that have that as well but remember that hard caps you um the Brooklyn Nets are one of those teams the Chicago Bulls are one of those teams I don’t think the Bulls are interested in being hard capped the Memphis Grizzlies are one of those teams but I would argue Memphis doesn’t really need help on the perimeter the New Orleans Pelicans are one of those teams and maybe you would have the same conversation look if you’re Gary Trent Jr you’re saying no no no I already outplayed C.J McCollum once I don’t need to go to the same team and and do it again so when we point these things out the magic have the room exception They just added k Coldwell Pope I’m not sure about that one um the Thunder have the room exception as well then teams with the non-t taxpayer mid level the Raptors who I don’t think are G to be bringing them back the Washington Wizards it would take a lot more than the mid level for me to go to the Wizards if I’m a Gary Trent Jr at that point so we go through all of this to say and I suppose the last one to point out is the Miami Heat who have the taxpayer midlevel that they could throw out there so that to me is the one you would point to and say okay you know what maybe but long story short it’s not all that glamorous of a market where it’s it’s not like you look at this and say yeah we only have X amount of dollars that we can compete with so I just don’t see it happening again I don’t know your thoughts I don’t know that I’d say long shot I don’t think he’s going to end up in Milwaukee but going through what teams have and that that everything we just went through what they could possibly use there’s not much out there that you you just can’t dismiss it at this point and that’s why it’s so useful to go through the list of just what cap space teams have available what they can offer players just to get a better understanding of the market around the Milwaukee Bucks because we focus on the Bucks of course it’s locked on bucks that’s what you came here for um so you’re thinking about the bus like we know they can only offer a minimum but what other teams could outbid us and you just laid out a perfect list of that which is why Gary Trent Jr is somebody we brought up again not saying it’s likely but just putting name out there to keep an eye on in case the market shakes out in a way where he is willing to take that minimum and like I’m just GNA do this for a year the market did not go the way I thought it would I’m gonna play this year try to get my value up and cash in again next summer um again I’m not sure the likelihood of it you mentioning Miami as soon as you said Miami I just went like it’s probably gonna be Miami isn’t it because that’s just it just seemed like a fit especially with how uh this summer has gone for Miami so far um them trying to get the rolls and that not working out you know them waiting a while but getting uh High Smith back and then working around that so like I could see them looking to get that even though they have Tyler herro over there right now yeah and that’s the thing is they have Tyler herro they have Terry Rosier who many maybe forgot that he was on the Miami Heat they have Terry Rosier coming back they have Duncan Robinson um Josh Richardson is still on the roster they just signed Alec Burks so they have that to be able to use but again if you’re Gary Trent part of this is the one-year Pro it deal is you know you have to get a good opportunity you have to go to a place where you’re gonna get a good role where you’re going to be featured and you feel like I can juice up my numbers here and get paid next off season and that’s the other piece to it is not just the money opponent but when you look at some of these teams that have more even though it’s not much more than the uh the mid the vet minimum to offer maybe not crowded but there’s at least other names that are out there whereas with the Bucks I don’t think it’s Up For Debate you signed Gary Trent Jor he is your starting two guard on day one yeah yeah and he has relationship with Dame as well as we’ve mentioned before they have familiarity we’ve seen them play together in the back court again personally for me it’s like that defense piece of it but as we mentioned in the first segment having those other options Off the Bench to help you kind of mix a match it would also solve the problem that we saw possibly occurring if Delon wri was the fifth starter for the bucks which is who’s your other backup guard that you’re G to have we mentioned you could stagger him in that way in case you don’t get another guard where you start right take him out early on in the first quarter he’s the first sub out he’s the first one back in to relieve Dame and then he plays that backup point guard position but yet and still it would feel good to have another guard behind him so like if Trent did happen here in Milwaukee he s to that starting role and then you have Wright coming off the bench again in that role that we talked about before so like again that’s the sales pitch uh for the bugs to use we’ll see if it works out but that’s just a name for bugs fans to keep an eye on we’re not saying it’s super likely but it’s something that you have to be aware of just in case yeah um boy the more we’ve gone over the details here starting to come off of the yeah I don’t think it’s gonna happen but we have to point it out where it’s still 5050 at best for me but even the fact that it’s there for a guy that no one envisioned you could have gotten him for a veteran minimum is something that we we just have to at least continue to monitor moving forward we also have to monitor where we’re going to watch games in the what two years from now so not this upcoming season but the season after as the NBA made some announcements there we think it may be fought in court but we got some more uh details on that and some other pieces of news as it pertains to the Olympics and some off the court pieces we’ll get to that in the final segment of the show coming up next on locked on bucks list next segment of locked on bucks is sponsored by better help and uh look you’ve heard that line time and time again comparison is the thief of Joy don’t spend your time comparing yourself against others spend your time bettering yourself period you can get caught up whether it be social media whatever it is comparing yourself to somebody that’s next to you does social media play that role larger than anything else maybe you wish you had what that other person has well the truth is we don’t know what their life is we only see what’s posted on Twitter and Instagram or your brief interactions with them you don’t know what that other person is dealing with or if they’re dealing with anything at all in reality therapy can help you focus on what you want instead of what others have so you can start living your best life if you’re thinking of starting therapy give better help a try it is entirely online it is designed to be convenient flexible and it’s suited to your schedule all you have to do to get started is is fill out a brief questionnaire and from there you’ll get matched with a licensed therapist you can even switch therapists at any time for no additional charge stop comparing and start focusing with betterhelp visit betterhelp.com loock on NBA today and get 10% off your first month that’s better help hp.com lockon NBA all right cille we uh we learned just the other day that the worst kept secret out there in the the basketball landscape but the NBA has struck a new deal with uh new business partners I don’t know why it took so long for all of this to trickle out um but NBC back in the NBA game they’re unfortunately still staying with ESPN so we’ll see what changes come to the studio presentation if any and we know changes are going to come to the play-by-play team for ESPN with JJ reic now coaching the Lakers um but we knew this was going to be the case and the league made it official in their press release that they now have that New Media partner in Amazon as well so you have ESPN NBC Amazon but the door doesn’t appear to be fully shut on TNT just yet thankfully because I feel like I mean I know there are some people who do not enjoy Inside the NBA with Chuck and the crew I personally am not one of those people I find it to be one of the most entertaining just shows period on the air with that mix of personalities the way that they cover the game um and just entertainment factor that comes from it like everything doesn’t have to be for me broken down X and O’s I love that content too but sometimes I just want to laugh a little bit and those guys do a great job at that so knowing that and knowing that Charles Barkley said that he plans to retire after this upcoming season whether that’s 100% true or not that’s what he said so if this is the last year Chuck that we’re possibly going to get I would love for TNT well that would still be going on because it would change the year after that but like go out with a bang at the very least like one more year of inside the te or Inside the NBA if tnt does not keep it the show is going to be different without Charles Barkley anyways uh but I see you know they always bring the other players to kind of sub in so that’s one of those shows where I would hope it continues so that’s why I’m hoping that TNT can still find a way uh into the NBA TV deal conversation but the NBA is cashing out which as we knew would happen so seeing how that salary cap continues to go up how there’s smoothing it this time around so it’s not that big jump uh that can cause wonky things to happen like Kevin Durant going to the Warriors or anything like that um that’s cool but just seeing that the NBA plans to be on Prime Time seven days a week after the NFL season starts that’s good for business for the league as well just making sure the product is out there for as many different viewers as possible even though they have those crazy blackout restrictions so I hope that all the local Regional Sport Network stuff that that gets worked out along the way as well yeah um that’s going to be the most interesting piece to it is seeing the return to uh NBC I would assume round ball rock is making its return as well but um so the schedule as it it’s set up is Monday you’re gonna have uh the national game is on peacock um Tuesday is NBA uh as well or Monday and Tuesday I believe would be peacock Wednesday is or no let’s start this over Monday is peacock Tuesday is NBC Wednesday stays ESPN ESPN is giving up the Friday um Friday night game so they’re taking a reduced amount of inventory but paying more and part of that is keeping the prestige games and the finals and Conference finals Thursday ESPN is now uh or excuse me Amazon is taking Thursday so that’s going to replace the TNT and ESPN’s only doing a portion of the Friday game so they’re going to split that with Amazon on Friday Saturday ESPN and Amazon the split that it had been in the past and then Sunday NBC and ESPN as we tended to see at times depending on other sports schedules a TNT ESP and split on uh Sunday so it sounds like it’s going to be basketball night in America that makes its debut uh what next fall starting in 201 25 that’s what I have to keep reminding myself of like it’s not next season it’s the one thereafter so this is the last it could be the last go around like the ABC I so I love the Sunday afternoon ABC Games once football is over too so seeing that that’s not on the table anymore it’s G to take some adjusting too but as with everything else you get used to it although on the football side of things I am still not used to the CBS uh Fox split where there are NFC games coming on CBS that’s still weird to me so I do wonder how long it’s going to take for me to get used to some of the new NBA Partners as they join into the freay because of years and years of habit uh that comes with watching games on TNT Tuesdays and Thursdays they go to watching the ESPN game so uh just seeing how that shakes out but I think it’s cool that they finally have all this settled although there is possible some litigation still going on with TNT trying to fight things so we’ll see how it all shakes out there is time but knowing that that’s at least settled for the not this upcoming season but for the next season and Beyond I think it’s what 11 years this this new deal is for the NBA so knowing for the next decade or so uh we got everything settled it’s going to be a lot of basketball on prime time TV once football is over because football be punk in the NBA sometimes we we know we know um just but it’s cool it’s cool to finally see what that schedule is gonna look like yeah and again since I wasn’t too smooth in uh reading through the schedule uh Monday peacock that is your your national game Tuesday NBC is the national game Wednesday it’s ESPN Thursday is going to be Amazon and again that’s going to start after football as well uh Friday is going to be split between ESPN and Amazon Saturday is split between ESPN and Amazon and Sunday is split between NBC and ESPN NBC of course is going to pick it up once football season ends as well so that’s why you see part of those uh those Partnerships there but um now we just wait to see the talent that’s going to be involved on the NBC side we also you know we all hope round ball Rock makes its return which I assume it does but who’s G to be the talent that’s involved I think it’s not too difficult to imagine a familiar name and face the Bucks fans are familiar with likely to be involved with NBC’s coverage so we’ll see once we get um that press release coming out as well also uh Camille I mean we assumed this would be the case but we did learn who the flag bearer is going to be for Greece in the Olympics Mr jannis out of the K it’s it’s it’s beautiful uh Frank worded it so beautifully on Twitter by just saying like you know years ago the world was introduced to jannis and the nases in the crowd with them holding up that Greek flag on draft night before the world knew who he was all these years later you got two MVPs you know down you got a championship you’ve been named to the NBA top 75 you’ve been on Plenty of all defensive teams like you’re just seen as a great and now you get the chance to be the flag bearer for your country in the first Olympic Games that they participated in the basketball team since 2008 and you’re leading the entire gree side with that flag like just a really cool moment for Giannis and as we saw when Greece qualified to make it to the Olympics to continue playing basketball how much it meant to him and the emotion that he had so I know that he understands as well like the the gravit of being the flag Bear for the Olympic Games and I can’t wait to see him like do that like that’s just a really cool moment for Giannis yeah it is it is going to be special to see and just look seeing Yannis in the Olympics a place as a basketball player he has not been before unfortunately as we pointed out I know about the draw that you guys have there with Greece but we’ll at least get to see war yanas in the international play one final reminder as well get your questions in on the mailbag we’ll tweet out that mailbag address so we’ve had a few start to come in already um we’ll we’ll put that tweet with the email address out there once more or you can tweet them at myself Camille or Frank and we will address your questions on a mailbag episode next week we also have something else pretty special planned for next week that’s um gonna be fun but frustrating I think when we get into that topic and we bring back the post games as well with Summer League returning this weekend that will’ll run some postgame shows following those matchups so we’ll do that again uh this weekend with Summer League tipping off on Saturday we plan on doing some post games over the weekend to catch you up on the first two games for Camille I’m Justin we’ll talk to you once again then unlocked on bucks

Justin and Camille examine the Bucks offseason so far, specifically the additions of Delon Wright and Taurean Prince and what that means for the defense. The report was Doc Rivers wants a more versatile defense, does that mean a switchable big or is that something those players and the young guys can provide? Plus we recap the NBA’s new media deal and give some more context on just how much money is left out there on the free agent market

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