10-07-2025, 11:41 AM
(10-07-2025, 11:04 AM)omahen Wrote: I don't think Milwaukee has any cap space next season. Unless of course they trade some of the existing players for expiring deals.
You're right. I overlooked the fact they are paying off the Lillard obligation - that in essence is their free agent spending in 2026, other than MLE money. And they do have a FRP to use.
They could create cap room if they could find someone next summer who wanted to take Kuzma and his contract, but I find that unlikely.
That means their path forward is the one where they look for help from overlooked FAs and undrafted youngsters and GL prospects and Euro players, to sign initially for little and develop into valuable pieces. They do have the hardest-to-find part already in hand (a legit team-carrying superstar), but their scouting and development is going to determine where they go. (To be fair, over the years, they have done fairly well in those areas.) I really have no feel for the potential of most of the names on their current roster that began in that category.
I find it curious that they did not use their MLE this year. If they aren't saving money for next summer, is that being cheap, or were they otherwise satisfied with their basic cast?