The Bucks’ offseason has already stirred up plenty of noise, and not all of it is about the players actually in Milwaukee.
Gary Trent Jr.’s reported four-year, $64 million deal has drawn attention around the league, and ESPN’s Shams Charania said this week on the Shump Street with Iman Shumpert podcast that another team was “poking around” a sign-and-trade for Trent at “around the same number.” That said, there’s some missing context around the Bucks’ agreement.
Milwaukee’s deal is expected to be fully guaranteed, and it’s fair to wonder whether another team would have been willing to lock in four years for a wing coming off one of the roughest seasons of his career. A sign-and-trade suitor also may have been trying to shed an unwanted contract as part of the deal.
Tyler Herro, meanwhile, is already trying to turn the page on a messy chapter. In an interview with Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, the new Bucks guard said he wants to “move on” from the trade that sent him out of Miami and the physical altercation he had with former Heat teammate Bam Adebayo in Las Vegas.
“Honestly, I’m just trying to move past all of it,” Herro told ESPN. “I’m focused on Milwaukee and building something special.
They obviously just traded the greatest player in their history, so we want to come in and help continue what they’ve been doing.” Shelburne reported that Herro also said he’s excited to represent his hometown team and indicated that, if he had to play for anyone other than the Heat, the Bucks would have been his pick.
Shelburne also added more detail on the Adebayo incident, citing sources who said Herro was not knocked to the ground by Adebayo’s blow and had to be “restrained by others in the gym from responding physically.” Heat sources told ESPN that Adebayo and Herro had a strong relationship in Miami before growing apart over the past year.
And one familiar face won’t be back. After six of the past seven seasons in Milwaukee, Thanasis Antetokounmpo is not returning to the Bucks for 2026/27.
Emmett Prosser of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Antetokounmpo said goodbye to the team and the city in a clip from his “Thanalysis” podcast. “I am grateful for everything from the bottom of my heart,” he said, speaking to Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
“Everything you gave to my family.”
In Other News...
Brewers Pitching Plans Just Took A Troubling Turn With McCullers Back
The Brewers pitching picture shifted again with Lance McCullers Jr. coming off the 15-day injured list and joining the active roster after a two-month absence because of shoulder inflammation. Milwaukee made room by optioning left-hander Jared Koenig to Triple-A Nashville, a reminder that even a bullpen move can ripple through a staff that has been trying to piece together innings while waiting on healthier arms.
McCullers is set to begin his Milwaukee tenure in the bullpen, a notable wrinkle for a pitcher the club brought in expecting him to help stabilize the staff. The timing matters even more with Brandon Woodruffs shoulder situation trending in the wrong direction, leaving the Brewers with one more reason to keep searching for workable answers while the rotation picture remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Farm System Shuffle Suddenly Puts Nashville And Biloxi In Focus
The Brewers minor league shuffle pushed Nashville and Biloxi into the spotlight again, with a handful of roster moves reshaping the upper levels of the system. Milwaukee optioned left-hander Jared Koenig to Nashville, while the Sounds also moved on from shortstop Eddys Leonard and added right-hander Cameron Wagoner and left fielder Jacob Hurtubise from Biloxi, a reminder that the organization is still sorting through roles and depth as the season moves along.
The timing came against the backdrop of another Nashville game that slipped away late against Norfolk, which rallied to win after breaking a tie in the seventh. For the Brewers, the bigger picture is less about one result than the constant churn underneath the major league roster, where Nashville and Biloxi keep serving as the next stop for arms and bats that may be needed sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
Garrett Mitchell Carried Brewers In A Win That Came With Concern
Garrett Mitchell spent much of the night making sure the Brewers had a chance to win it, and Milwaukee needed every bit of that effort in a tight extra-inning game against Miami. He tracked down two deep drives in the gaps with running, leaping catches that kept the Marlins from turning loud contact into extra bases, helping the Brewers stay within striking distance until the game finally tilted their way in the 10th.
The win came with some unease, though, because the Brewers had to navigate more than just the scoreboard. Logan Henderson was pulled after five innings with a forearm cramp, and the club was cautious given his injury history, while Sal Frelick also left with right shoulder soreness. Milwaukee got the result it wanted, but the bigger concern may be what the roster looks like when the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]