The Milwaukee Bucks officially requested waivers on Pete Nance, Johni Broome, and Jake Stephens, making the first of two necessary moves to get their roster down to 15 standard contracts ahead of the October 19 deadline. This roster crunch means some tough decisions had to be made, and a fan favorite is now looking for a new home, at least for the moment.
The Nance Departure: A Fan Favorite Says Goodbye?
Pete Nance, for the second time, found himself as the odd man out, primarily because of his non-guaranteed contract. This guy had become a real fan favorite, a solid glue guy who always seemed to make the right play. Last season, he played a career-high 47 games for Milwaukee, including six starts, showing real progress. He put up 5.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game on .515/.420/.364 shooting splits. Remember that April game against the Houston Rockets? Nance went off, hitting 5 of 9 three-pointers on his way to 23 points and three rebounds.
While Nance isn’t exactly a young prospect full of untapped upside,he’ll turn 27 in February,he made serious strides with the Bucks. He was an ideal third-string big, especially with his ability to stretch the floor as a power forward. But with so many guaranteed contracts already on the team and trades hard to come by, Nance’s time on the standard roster had to end. You gotta hope they can bring him back on a two-way deal, because he truly delivered for them.
Broome and Stephens: Training Camp Tryouts End
In addition to Nance, the Bucks also waived Johni Broome and Jake Stephens. Broome signed a training camp deal with Milwaukee on October 6, and honestly, he wasn’t really expected to push for a regular season spot. He only saw action in one preseason game, logging four points and three rebounds against the Chicago Bulls.
Stephens, a 26-year-old seven-footer, signed with the Bucks in September. He made two preseason appearances, averaging 1.5 points and 1.0 rebounds in 5.3 minutes per game. These moves highlight the fierce competition in the NBA, especially for those fringe roster spots right before the season kicks off.
Now, the Bucks still have 16 players on standard contracts. That means they’ve got one more player to waive, or they need to pull off a two-for-one trade, all before opening day hits. It’s a tense time as teams finalize their lineups, and Milwaukee has one more move coming to lock down their roster.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Brew Hoop.
Leave a Reply