The BIGGEST Takeaways from Bucks Media Day
Missed out on the worst stream ever? Here are the things to note from each interview.
With less than one month until Milwaukee Bucks basketball returns, the Bucks held their media day early on Monday morning.
The whole group we heard from had positive remarks about heading to UC Irvine for training camp, and the bonding opportunity that presents the team for the better part of a week as they come together. Also, everybody is feeling great, excited for the season, in the best shape ever, etc.
With all of that out of the way, here’s the BIGGEST takeaway (or two) from each of the speakers we heard from. I used direct quotes as much as possible but it’s safest to consider these remarks as paraphrased to help condense answers and clean them up for print.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
On his partnership with Damian Lillard: We’ve just got to give one another space. Try to understand where players like to operate, where he likes to operate, what moment of the game that he likes to go.
I think sometimes we had just a little bit of trouble because he’s a pure point guard. I like to get the ball off the glass and just go. I’ve had players in the past who understood that right away and would run with me and play off the ball. We’ve got to be able to play position-less basketball, open up running lanes. Now we have a guy who can get to his spot and operate, call for pick and rolls. Before we never had a guy like him.
On the Bucks spot in the East: I think we’ve always been overlooked. But I’m not going to lie to you, I haven’t paid attention to the moves other teams have made… Me personally I’ve tried to focus on myself, focus on my team, focus on my body and staying healthy. I don’t really pay attention and let my mind travel to different places I can’t control. I try to stay right here.
Damian Lillard
On familiarity with Giannis despite not working out this summer: 10 games in with him I was able to see how he thinks, what he’s used to, I was able to see that really fast. He’s a superstar. I come from a situation where I’m the superstar. I think it takes time to communicate freely, to say what needs to be said. Not to critique him, but to share what I’m seeing, to build that trust.
Subconsciously we are who we are because of how stubborn we are. It took time for it to get to that point where I’m gonna say what I need to say to you. It doesn’t mean I’m coming at you, but I can say it and know you’re going to take it as what the best thing is.
We’ve had plenty of conversations about things like that, but as it got later in the season we started to have more and more. Game 4 in Indiana, we’re both out, me and Giannis were the only two people in the locker room when everybody went to warm up. I told him, we got to get connected. We got to get something done. And he agreed. And once he agreed the conversation went a whole different way after that, it became a more open conversation. And I think that’s more important than getting on the court and working out together.
On expectations for the season: I’m not coming into this season like oh I expect this or expect that. I do know that my teammate and my coaches, they’re going to get the real version of me this year. That’s without putting expectations on myself.
Khris Middleton
On his status during camp: I think I’m gonna be missing a little bit of important time, but I think everything else I’m able to be out there so I will be out there. Going through reads, talking, figuring out where our space is at. It’s going to suck missing at least the first part of training camp. I’m going to be on the court as much as possible this week.
On the Bucks place in the East: I think we’re definitely in that group [of contenders]. You have Dame and Giannis, for sure, you include myself, Brook, and the rest of the crew and we’re one of the top competitors in the East no matter who they’ve gotten and what they’ve done in the past.
Brook Lopez
On his role defensively: I’ve always seen myself as the backline, the person who sees and communicates. We’ll be implementing some new stuff defensively. I just want to make sure I understand my role and everyone’s role to the best of my ability, to be a coach on the floor. It’s my job to be a leader in that area.
On his upcoming free agency: It is what it is. It’s the business of the league. I’m so happy here, I think this is the best situation for me and for the team. I go about it the same way, put my work in each and every day. I think it’s going to handle itself the way it should.
Gary Trent Jr
On his decision to sign with the Bucks: I had different options that I could’ve went to, different opportunities, different money… the opportunity that presents itself, to have a chance at winning, to play meaningful basketball in the springtime, I couldn’t turn that down.
To be able to come in the gym, play with Dame, Giannis, Khris, Bobby, Brook, to be able to come and gel with what’s already going on here, it should be a beautiful thing. I’m ecstatic, I’m happy to be a part of meaningful basketball.
On his role in Milwaukee: Really just go out there and do what I’ve already been doing. Go out there, contribute toward winning, be an energy giver vs taker and play high level basketball. Contribute to a championship here, put another banner up, that’s the goal. Knock down shots, score the basketball, play defense, bring a certain mentality, mindset, focus, energy. Everything that I’ve been doing.
Doc Rivers
On the biggest challenge for the team: Outside of health, it’s continuity. The Bucks are going away for camp to build more of that. Players were going straight home after practices or games. I decided 10 days after taking the job that the team needed to go away for camp to build as a group.
On young players: Holy crap there’s a lot of competition in this gym. That is the great part from our standpoint. I think we all see it, and it’s going to make camp competitive.
Jon Horst
On Khris Middleton’s status (following up on Doc Rivers mentioning Khris wouldn’t be doing live action but would participate in the other facets of training camp): To re-emphasize, Khris is doing really well. He had a normal offseason procedure and he’s on the court right now. Khris is healthy too.
On what the Bucks targeted in free agency: Catch and shoot ability, positional size, guys who can defend, and guys at or approaching their primes were the focus for the three free agents. Those guys chose less money to play for the Bucks.
Taurean Prince
On preparing to play with the Bucks: I’m focused on knowing where to be, when to be there, and how to get there. Mentioned one of the first things he did as a Buck is ask for all of Giannis, Dame, and Khris’ assisted threes to familiarize himself with the spots they operate from and pass to so he’s ready to pay off those passes.
Delon Wright
On the Celtics match-up: I do a good job of guarding all four of those guards: Tatum, Brown, Holiday and White. I feel like for the most part they’re trying to pick on matchups, so with me being able to switch one through four against them, sometimes against Al Horford when he’s on the perimeter, it adds to what I can bring to the team. It allows me to stay on the court longer and just affect the game in different areas.
On his fit with Dame: That was one of the things that they pitched to me, playing next to [Dame]. My whole career I’ve played next to great guards, take the burden off of them a little bit. Take the ball up so they can score, guard their position if they need me to guard a bigger guard. That’s one of the things when I was a younger player coach [Dwane] Casey harped to me was being able to play next to another guard so I could play longer.