A Big Man Swap, Then a Short-Handed Thunder in Oklahoma City

By the Bucks Nightly Desk · Wednesday, October 7

Milwaukee signed Johni Broome to the training camp roster on Tuesday and waived John Butler Jr. the following day, a frontcourt swap ahead of Wednesday's preseason game at Oklahoma City. The Bucks are 0-0 after falling 97-116 to Minnesota in their exhibition opener, with the Thunder playing the second game of a back-to-back and eight regulars listed day-to-day.

Bucks Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Last season

Milwaukee finished 32-50 last season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17. Ryan Rollins averaged 17.3 points and 5.6 assists; Myles Turner added 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds. Oklahoma City went the other direction, finishing 64-18, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 31.1 points a night and Chet Holmgren adding 17.1.

This summer

The roster turned over almost entirely in a June 23 trade that sent Milwaukee's two longest-tenured stars to Miami for Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis. Milwaukee used its first two picks on Brayden Burries at No. 10, then Ament at No. 13. Taylor Jenkins now runs the bench, hired that April.

Monday

Milwaukee fell 97-116 to Minnesota in its exhibition opener at home. Ryan Rollins scored 15; Kel'el Ware put up 14 points to go with 12 boards. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 14 points, two assists and four rebounds.

Tuesday

Milwaukee signed Johni Broome to the training camp roster on Tuesday, a deal worth $2.2 million this season. Broome, 24, wears No. 22 and joins a frontcourt that already runs through Turner, Ware, Jericho Sims and Pete Nance, with training camp still deciding the rotation.

Wednesday

Milwaukee waived John Butler Jr. on Wednesday, with no new team listed for him yet. The Bucks play at Oklahoma City that night with a day's rest behind them to the Thunder's none; Oklahoma City is on the back end of a back-to-back and lists eight players, including Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren, as day-to-day. How Milwaukee's five-man frontcourt sorts itself out is the open question of camp.

Next Milwaukee's preseason continues October 11 at Charlotte and October 14 at home against Chicago, before the regular season opens October 21 at Washington.

What roster move did the Bucks make this week?

Milwaukee signed Johni Broome to the training camp roster on October 6 for $2.2 million this season, then waived John Butler Jr. on October 7.

How did the Bucks do in their preseason opener?

Milwaukee fell 97-116 to Minnesota on October 5; Kel'el Ware had 14 points, 12 rebounds, and Ryan Rollins scored 15.