Milwaukee’s 60th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Malique Lewis, is reportedly set to ink a deal with the Cairns Taipans in Australia’s NBL for the upcoming season. This isn’t just another overseas move; for a player taken at the very end of the draft, it’s a critical turn for his NBA trajectory after being scooped up by an NBA franchise. It means the Bucks are keeping an eye on his development, but his journey just got a whole lot more complex.
From Next Star to Import: A Critical Classification Change
Lewis knows the NBL well, having spent his last two seasons tearing it up with the Southeast Melbourne Phoenix. Last year, he was putting up solid numbers for a young player, averaging 6.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, plus nearly two stocks. He really showed significant growth. The word was he was starting to look at least “vaguely like a player who one day might play in the NBA,” carving out a potential role as a classic “three-and-D” player. That specific “three-and-D” skillset is super valuable in today’s league, even if it caps his overall ceiling. The fact that he was doing that role well was a huge positive. Now, discussions between the Trinidadian forward and the Taipans are reportedly in advanced stages, with sources telling ESPN that a deal for #NBL27 is looking very close. Lewis will slide into Cairns’ final roster spot and be classified as an import, carrying real implications for the team.
Summer League Setback and the Road Ahead for the Bucks’ Draft Pick
Here’s where things get interesting, and a little concerning for anyone watching his NBA prospects. After making those clear strides with the Phoenix, Lewis reportedly took a “huge step back” during Summer League. It was noticeable enough to be called out in player grades. Now, here’s the crucial twist for his NBL return: Lewis won’t be playing as an “NBL Next Star” anymore. That’s a classification he held for his last two seasons, an NBL initiative designed to let NBA prospects hone skills instead of college or other overseas opportunities. Next Stars don’t count as imports, nor does their salary hit team payroll; a sweet deal that helped guys like Ousmane Dieng and even former Buck AJ Johnson. But once you get drafted, that Next Star title is gone. Now, he’s an “import” player, which means Cairns commits a valuable roster spot to him, raising the stakes. Hopefully, heading back to a league he’s comfortable in will help Lewis get his confidence back and come back next year looking much better, proving that NBA potential is still there.
This upcoming NBL season with Cairns is a massive, make-or-break opportunity for Lewis. He needs to reclaim the strong form he showed last season, silence any doubts from that Summer League performance, and prove he’s still on track for the NBA. The Bucks picked him for a reason, and now it’s up to him to show why. Best of luck, Malique, we’ll definitely be watching to see if this pivot pays off.
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.
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