Welcome to the “Layup Lines, For the Win” basketball newsletter.Subscribe here Delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines crew?Questions, comments, and concerns?Through this brief reader survey, Mike Sykes
Happy Friday everyone! Welcome to Layup Lines. Thank you for joining us today. I hope you've all had a great week and that the day off on Thursday didn't throw you off your rhythm like it did for me.
Related: The 4th of July was the most Saturday-like Thursday ever
Enough about that, let's talk a bit about the NBA, specifically the Eastern Conference.
Is it just me, or have we all forgotten about the Milwaukee Bucks?
The Eastern Conference landscape has changed dramatically. The 76ers signed Paul George, giving them a much better chance of winning. The Knicks, who were second in the conference in 2024, just traded for Mikal Bridges. Even the Orlando Magic just made a move to acquire Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, which will undoubtedly hurt the Nuggets.
Because of all these moves, we're talking about all these teams now. And we were already talking about the Celtics because they're champions. That's what happens when you win a championship. People think Boston might be a team waiting for a dynasty.
There was talk for most of the summer of one of those four teams winning the East, but nobody's saying anything about Milwaukee these days.
I get it. The Bucks lost steam last season. They fizzled out after making a move to acquire Damian Lillard last season and then lost to the Pacers in the first round last year. That was after Milwaukee fired Adrian Griffin and brought in Doc Rivers, who did an even worse job running the team.
You can blame injuries for the end of the season — Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo were sidelined for the final stretch of the series against the Pacers — but whatever the reason, the Bucks never felt like a championship threat this season, and people just can't seem to forget that.
But I think it should be.
It would be a mistake to forget about the Bucks here: When healthy, this Milwaukee team is arguably one of the best in the NBA, and it features the best trio in basketball in Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Khris Middleton.
This three-man unit played 758 minutes together last season and was +17.5. Of course, it would be best if they played more together. Health was always going to be a big obstacle for this team, given the age of their core. Still, this is impressive, especially considering how chaotic this season has been.
Milwaukee is using the same core backs, and while some may consider that core stale, after a year of experience and a solid training camp, the matchup may look a lot smoother than most would expect.
So does that mean this team will beat the Celtics next year? No. But I also don't think we should talk about Milwaukee as if they're light years behind Philadelphia or New York. The Bucks have their issues, those teams have their issues.
Let's hope there's a little respect for the Milwaukee name when the season rolls around.
LeBron's reign isn't over yet
LeBron James just signed a new contract with the Lakers, but don't assume it will be his last.
I wrote that I thought he might have some tools at his disposal in his new contract and have one or two left on his contract, which is because I think he'll be signing another new contract next season.
Learn more:
“Two key clauses in his contract suggest he may play more: a no-trade clause and a player option for his second year.
The no-trade clause is pretty self-explanatory. James isn't leaving the Lakers unless he wants to leave. A team has to get his approval before trading him, and if he doesn't want to go elsewhere, he's not going anywhere. For better or worse, they're in a bind.
But what's even more important here is James' second-year player option. This is clearly a show of power for James. He essentially signed a one-year deal with the Lakers with an option to return for a second year next season.”
For those who believe Bron might stay to lure Bryce James to the Lakers, this is where it all begins.
Shootaround
— DeMar DeRozan's cameo in the “Not Like Us” video is legendary. Mitch Northam has more to say.
— I want this Kobe jacket that Aaliyah Edwards wore. It's awesome. Meg Hall has more.
— This photo of MJ in Tyler Reddick's car is awesome. Mitch took the photo again.
— Brian Kalbroski shares more about the Lakers' current limbo due to LeBron's new contract.
That's it everyone! Thank you so much for reading. I appreciate it. Have a great weekend. Peace.
-Sykes✌️
