Chris Mannix on the Bold Moves the Bucks Made to Keep Giannis in Milwaukee I The Rich Eisen Show

Chris Mannix on the Bold Moves the Bucks Made to Keep Giannis in Milwaukee I The Rich Eisen Show

We were just talking the other day about how uh these Achilles injuries to um Tatum and Tyrese Hallebertton and and Dame Lillard have provided some of the biggest fireworks of the last two weeks based on the way that the teams are looking at their salary cap and their aprons and things of that nature and their abilities to win next year and what they’re going to do. Do you think if Hallebertton had not popped his Achilles um that forget about game seven that that that that’s that that’s a complete speculation, but do you think the uh Pacers would have resigned Miles Turner?
I do. Um the Pacers are among a handful of teams that historically have been pretty loathed to go deep into luxury tax territory. Don’t like paying that those tax penalties. But if Hallebertton had come out of that game seven unscathed and if they’d been able to bring back, you know, guys like Aaron Nesmith, Benedict Matin, some of the guys that were either going to be free agents or extension eligible, I don’t think they would have blinked at the kind of contract Miles Turner eventually got uh with with Look, they were willing to pay Miles Turner, I think it was, from what I heard, it was like 20 to$22 million per year. He wound up getting 25 26 I think whatever the final number is. M I I think if Hallebertton had been healthy, they would have paid that money, brought him back and see if they could make another run with that group, man. And then you see what the Celtics have done, right? I mean, um what do you think? They they held on to Brown. Was that ever a possibility that they
the way the Celtics when I talk to teams about the Celtics mindset on Jaylen Brown and Derek White,
it’s like you better come with something big. Like if you don’t come with something that’s gonna blow blow us away where we’re gonna say, you know, we it’s impossible not to do a deal like this, right? They’re not interested. They still look like everything for them right now is on 26 27. Tatum’s not going to come back next year for the same reasons I articulated with Damen Lillard and right now the Celtics with the way their roster looks like, why would they even consider it? Uh but 26 27 having a having Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown in their late 20s having Derek White as the third option in his early 30s and then having the ability because of some of the flexibility that you started to create by getting right now under the second apron. I wouldn’t be surprised, Rich, to see Boston get all the way under the luxury tax threshold before the start of the season. We could see Anthony Simons be relocated. We could see George Nyang be relocated. Sam Hower be relocated to try to get them all the way under that tax threshold to give them more flexibility in the summer of 2026 when they can start wheeling and dealing. Like they have their own draft pick in 2026. So if they stink out the joint and wind up in the lottery, that’s not the worst thing in the world in terms of adding talent or using that pick to get something else. Everything Boston is doing, everything they’ve done, everything they’ll continue to do is based on the 2627 season. Next year is the ultimate gap year for the Celtics. Okay.
Um, is there anything more that like than going Ace Bailey anyway?
I loved it. Loved it. Right.
I mean, and I I said this before, like when the Jazz got in the fifth pick, they had to get up. I thought they’d have to move up to get Ace Bailey. I thought they had to. We knew Cooper and Dylan Harper were going one two, I thought the Jazz had to get to number three to get to Ace Bailey cuz he’s the only one in that group of players that I thought had franchise player potential. Like, he’s got kind of a Tatum vibe to him. Um, and I thought they had to move up and get him once he started to slip. You know, I I think it was a no-brainer for Danny, for Austin, for Justin Xanic, all the decision makers in that Jazz front office. Who cares if he doesn’t want to play there? Jason Tatum didn’t really want to play in Boston years ago. He was kind of angling to get to Phoenix. He thought there was better opportunity with the Suns. Danny took him there. Took him there. Worked out. Uh, hopefully for the Jazz, it works out with Ace Bailey. Catch the Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from 12 to 3:00 p.m.

Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix joins Rich in-studio for a thorough breakdown of the big shakeup in Milwaukee that saw the Bucks waive Damian Lillard while signing Myles Turner away from the Pacers and how the impacts Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the team.

Tune in to the Emmy-nominated Rich Eisen Show live for FREE on The Roku Sports Tune in to the Emmy-nominated Rich Eisen Show live for FREE on The Roku Sports Channel
at TheRokuChannel.com and also streaming on Audacy, and SiriusXM channel 375
weekdays from 12–3 PM ET!

Showcasing insightful sports expertise with an offbeat mix of humor and pop culture, The Rich Eisen Show attracts the most recognizable names in sports and entertainment.

Subscribe here to keep up with the internet’s best sports and pop culture commentary, interviews, and much more!

—— SUBSCRIBE HERE:
https://bit.ly/2VjWSBC

FOLLOW US HERE:
https://www.instagram.com/richeisenshow/

@thericheisenshow

https://www.audacy.com/richeisen/listen

#richeisenshow #nba #giannisantetokounmpo