The Milwaukee Bucks are moving in on a point guard option ahead of the 2025-26 season. Shams Charania reports former first-round pick Cole Anthony plans to sign following his buyout Saturday from the Memphis Grizzlies.
Anthony, 25, is expected to sign a one-year deal with the Bucks ahead of his sixth NBA campaign. Anthony was part of a multi-player swap with the Orlando Magic earlier this summer that featured Memphis sending over Desmond Bane.
The Bucks have a backcourt need after waiving Damian Lillard in a stunning move necessary to sign Indiana’s Myles Turner. The projected starting lineup for Milwaukee next season is Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Turner with Anthony likely coming off the bench.
Over five seasons in Orlando, Anthony averaged 12.5 points, 3.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. His minutes have dwindled the last three years as a spot-starter of sorts following his career-best campaign in 2021-22 when he averaged 16.3 points and 5.7 assists.
Anthony acknowledged last season he was playing his best and his minutes diminished as a result.
“I mean, I’ve been playing like dog shit,” Anthony said. “It’s not really that much to it. [I] wasn’t playing that well, me and (Magic coach Jamahl Mosley) had a conversation. He keeps it a buck with me, I’m gonna keep it a buck with him. And I mean, this is what happens. It’s a business, man.”
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Anthony was the lone player left on the Magic’s roster whom president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman signed off on drafting, and his trade to Memphis was a sign the franchise had moved on.
The Bucks are retooling their roster in hopes of appeasing Antetokounmpo, whose current deal with the franchise runs through the 2027-28 season. Antetokounmpo, 30, was asked recently if plans to remain in Milwaukee, the only team he has played for at this point in his career.
“Probably,” he said. “We’ll see … probably. I love Milwaukee.”
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