The Milwaukee Bucks released 12-year NBA veteran Brian Skinner in their final round of training camp cuts, and it’s probably for the best. Skinner hasn’t been all that productive for a majority of those 12 years, and when your primary contribution to the league is measured in facial hair, it might be time to hang ’em up.
Skinner’s departure leaves Milwaukee without another cookie cutter center on the roster to back up Andrew Bogut, and that’s a good thing. Drew Gooden will undoubtedly grab most of the minutes behind Bogut (hell, they’re paying the man $32 million over the next five seasons, so he better be playing quite a bit), and depending on your opinion of Drew, that’s either not too bad, slightly problematic, or horribly catastrophic. Larry Sanders figures to be playing some in the middle as well, which should be fun. However, by not dangling a tough, veteran player from in front of Scott Skiles, Jon Brockman, more affectionately known as “the Brockness Monster,” could have a chance at some decent playing time.
Which would just be swell.
Skinner wouldn’t have given the Bucks anything terribly specific. He’s not particularly tall, not a vaunted defender, and nothing close to an offensive threat. He’s just a big guy with some miles on him and a habit of sticking around. Brockman’s a bit more useful, considering that as a rookie last season, he, oh, I don’t know, put together one of the greatest offensive rebounding seasons of any player in the history of the league. Brockman grabbed over 18% of all available offensive misses during his time on the floor for the Kings last season. Dwight Howard grabbed just 12% of his team’s misses, Pau Gasol only 11.4%, and Tim Duncan only 10.8%. All exemplary marks, but Brockman’s is simply…exemplarier.
Brockman’s total rebounding rate is nothing to scoff at, either. Had he qualified for leaderboard status, Brockman would have been the sixth best overall rebounder in the league. The man’s mitts just have a gravity of their own, and those unsuspecting misses have no choice but to fall into his grasp.
Hopefully this season Brockman can endear himself to Skiles and find even more time on the court. The offensive glass isn’t going to clean itself, y’know.
Luka Doncic is unfair. A walking cheat code.
He had one of his best games ever, a 60-point, 21-rebound, 10-assist triple-double against the Knicks, and it took every bit of that — and some true Luka magic — to lead a Dallas comeback at home against New York.
A Julius Randle lay-up put the Knicks up nine with :44.6 left in the game, but Doncic sparked a 14-5 run to end regulation that included an intentionally missed free throw and putback by Doncic with :01 on the clock to force OT.
EVERY ANGLE of Luka’s RIDICULOUS game-tying putback bucket 🎬😱 pic.twitter.com/zVJAAKVw19
— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2022

Sometimes one photo, one image can sum up an entire game.
Luka and Thibs pic.twitter.com/0f3HF1gqAa
— David Mai (@dmai21) December 28, 2022

Doncic did most of his work in the paint, shooting 16-of-18 for 32 points there, plus drawing enough fouls to get to the line 22 times (making 16).
Those 60 points are the most scored in a game ever by a Mavericks player, and Doncic joins James Harden as the only players ever with 60-point triple-doubles.
New York showed real grit, they didn’t have Jalen Brunson for the game (sore right hip) and then lost RJ Barrett to a right index finger laceration. Quentin Grimes continued his hot play with 33, while Julius Randle had 29 points and 18 rebounds. Late in the game it was evident how much the Knicks missed the stabilizing, floor generalship Brunson brings to them — they looked scattered at points. Brunson has not allowed that this season.
It might not have mattered when Luka Doncic is playing like this.
At 19-16 the Mavericks are now just 3.5 games behind the first-place Nuggets. Luka is playing at an MVP level and it’s fair to ask if he can keep this up, but he has been as good as anyone in the league this season.
Kyrie Irving played six seasons in Cleveland, averaging 21.6 points and 5.5 rebounds a game in that time, being named to four All-Star teams, one All-NBA team and winning Rookie of the Year. Oh, and he knocked down the biggest shot in franchise history to win the Cavaliers their only title.
It would seem a no-brainer for the Cavs to retire his number — without him no banner hangs in Cleveland. However, things are never that simple with Irving. He forced his way off the Cavaliers while that team still could have contended for a title with LeBron James, something that fans remember — he still gets booed when he returns to Cleveland, as he did yesterday. There was frustration in the front office with him as well, and he was only there six years (the first three years were a struggle), plus there has been a litany of issues since.
Irving was back in Cleveland Monday night and the question was asked by Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer: Should Iring’s number be retired by the Cavaliers?
“Without a doubt. Absolutely. Right away, after his career ends,” Love told cleveland.com… “It’s not even a question to me. He needs to be up there. He made the biggest shot in franchise history and one of the most important shots in Finals history when you consider how it all went down — what it meant for the city, what it meant for his legacy, LeBron’s legacy and everything else, including that Golden State team that became a dynasty and was historically great.”
Will the hard feelings toward Irving and his exit fade over time? Maybe. Probably. But you get the feeling that LeBron’s jersey will go up to the rafters first (he does turn 38 this week and, theoretically, is closer to retirement), then maybe Love. Irving will be a ways off.
But it’s got to happen, doesn’t it? The second-best player on the lone championship team? Irving deserves his number retired at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. But we don’t need to get into the details for a few years.
Monday night Irving and the Nets extended their winning streak to nine with a win over the Cavaliers, behind 32-points each from Kevin Durant and Irving.
In his 14th NBA season at age 33, Serge Ibaka is playing a limited role off the bench for the Milwaukee Bucks (plus putting out one of the better player interview shows).
Or is it his age-33 season? Former Thunder player and Ibaka teammate turned ESPN talking head/hot take guy Kendrick Perkins decided to light that fire on First Take Monday saying Ibaka had lied about his age.
“Kevin Durant is only 23 years of age, Russell Westbrook is only 22, James Harden is 22, Serge Ibaka is 21, although he was probably 30 at the time because we already know how certain individuals lie about their age.”
🗣️ @KendrickPerkinspic.twitter.com/4STrvSsSgW
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) December 26, 2022

As you might imagine, that pissed off Ibaka, who fired back on Twitter.
Hey @KendrickPerkins, I count my blessings every day and I don’t usually react to comments about me. But It’s disappointing to hear someone I shared a locker room with spreading misinformation to be relevant and get views on TV and social media. https://t.co/MRdXJwGpJZ
— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka) December 26, 2022

You can talk about my game If I don’t play well, I will never have a problem with that. But to talk extra for no reason is really not acceptable. It is disrespectful to me and I feel like it is disrespectful to many Africans who have to live with that unfounded accusation.
— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka) December 26, 2022

If I was 30 in OKC I guess I am 45 now? The truth is I never lied about my age and I work extremely hard everyday without cheating and I have never been suspended. Everyone in the league knows that. You cheated and didn’t respect the game.
— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka) December 26, 2022

I understand everyone needs to do their job and take care of their families, but you are proof not everybody knows how to do it with class and dignity. I have more to say about you but I am not that kind of person, but this time you went too far.
— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka) December 26, 2022

At first Perkins walked it back and apologized.
Hey @sergeibaka my bad homie if I offended you. It’s was a joke! My bad if it made you feel some type of way!!! My apologies my brother https://t.co/n1SCzEnQL1
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) December 26, 2022

Then…
Did you say spreading lies at @sergeibaka ? Please don’t get me started homie!!!! Please don’t. I’m not about to talk about those OKC days and what you were doing in that locker room. I will not… but you definitely need to stop because you know I KNOW!!!! Carry on tho…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) December 26, 2022

Perkins vs. Ibaka is the new NBA beef… but this is marked-down ground beef priced for sale. It’s no filet mignon. That said, I fear we may get more of it.
Even if this topic is pointless and more than a little dated.
Kyle Kuzma has already said he will become a free agent this summer. The reason is simple: Kuzma has a player option for $13 million next season, however, on the open market he will make well above $20 million a season and likely closer to $25 million per year on a four-or-five year contract.
The Wizards are the only team that can offer that fifth year — and larger raises as well — but there is a sense Kuzma wants out of Washington, which is why Kuzma’s name comes up in trade talk. Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard has to consider trading Kuzma rather than lose him for nothing, and the trade speculation around him continues to grow. The latest comes from Marc Stein in his latest newsletter.
Some of the strongest sentiments circulating at the recent G League Winter Showcase in Las Vegas pertained to Washington’s Kyle Kuzma. Among them: Kuzma (averaging 21.8 points and 7.6 rebounds) is widely regarded as a lock to become a free agent at season’s end after completing Year 2 of his three-year, $39 million contract. And: There’s a rising belief leaguewide that Kuzma is gettable between now and the Feb. 9 trade deadline as a result because the Wizards might ultimately be forced to concede that they have to trade him before the buzzer to ensure they don’t lose him for nothing. Based on the rumbles I’ve heard, I struggle to envision Kuzma wanting to stay in the nation’s capital beyond this season.
There are already reports of the Lakers, Hawks and Suns having interest, but you can be sure a lot more teams than that are calling Washington right now. Kuzma is a 20-point-a-game two-way wing and those are highly valued players around the league.
Kuzma has some leverage in where he gets traded because he will be a free agent — if his representatives let a team know he will not re-sign with them this summer, teams won’t be willing to give up as much in a trade.
Kuzma is suddenly joining Jae Crowder and John Collins on the “most likely to be traded” at the deadline list. And in a market with far more buyers than sellers the Wizards, along with the few teams trading guys, could see a better-than-expected return.

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