The Milwaukee Bucks continue to improve on the margins as they have added two-way wing Amir Coffey.
Coffey agreed to a one-year deal with the Bucks on Aug. 14, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports, citing sources.
Two days before Coffey chose the Bucks, Bleacher Report’s salary cap expert Eric Pincus linked the former Clipper to the Knicks.
“Any team with roster space left needing defensive and shooting on the wing should look at Coffey (perhaps the Golden State Warriors or New York Knicks),” Pincus wrote on Aug. 12, ranking Coffey the third-best free agent and the top wing remaining at the time.
Getty Amir Coffey celebrates his basket and a foul from Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks.
The 6-foot-7 Coffey spent his first six NBA seasons with the Clippers after going undrafted in 2019. Last season, the 28-year-old wing averaged a career-best 9.7 points on 47.1% field-goal shooting and 40.9% from the 3-point range. His two-way play could have boosted the Knicks’ bench depth.
Coffey joins a loaded wings rotation for the Bucks that has Gary Trent Jr., Kyle Kuzma, Taurean Price, Garry Harris and AJ Green.
Bobby Portis for Jonathan Kuminga Swap Scuttled
Before they signed Coffey, the Bucks kicked the tires on a potential sign-and-trade for a much younger wing on the cusp of stardom.
The Bucks tried to acquire Golden State Warriors’ disgruntled young star Jonathan Kuminga, ClutchPoint’s Brett Siegel reports. But talks collapsed when they refused to include veteran big man Bobby Portis in the deal.
“It is also worth mentioning that the Milwaukee Bucks were another team that kicked around the idea of pursuing Kuminga. If they were to do so, the Warriors made it known they would want Bobby Portis in a sign-and-trade scenario, which is something Milwaukee wasn’t willing to do,” Siegel wrote. “The Dubs have held interest in Portis dating back to before the 2024 NBA trade deadline.”
Getty Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis will run it back next season.
The 22-year-old Kuminga believes he’s ready to spread his wings. In the final four games of last season, Kuminga averaged 24.3 points on 55.4% shooting and 38.9% from the 3-point line in the Warriors’ second-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Kuminga would have made the Bucks younger and more athletic in the wings. But pairing him with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the frontline would have posed spacing issues as Kuminga has yet to develop a consistent 3-point shot.
Coffey, Portis Fit Bucks’ Win-Now Mode
Coffey is a better fit with his low-usage and two-way skillset. Plus, he’s already played before for Doc Rivers with the Clippers.
Nevertheless, the Bucks highly value Portis that they would not trade him for a player with a high upside.
Portis re-signed with the Bucks earlier this offseason for three years worth $44 million, with a player option for the 2027-28 season. He is not eligible to be traded until after training camp.
Previously, the Warriors have rejected offers from the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.
The Suns have offered the Warriors Royce O’Neale, Nick Richards and all their available second-round picks on top of the four-year, $90 million offer to Kuminga. On the other hand, the Kings initially offered Devin Carter, Dario Saric and two second-round picks before improving it to Malik Monk and a protected first-round pick on top of their three-year, $63 million offer to Kuminga.
It is unclear who the Bucks offered for Kuminga outside of Portis.
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