Taurean Prince done for the year, Bucks apply for disabled player exception

SB Nation

The Milwaukee Bucks have now officially lost one of their key reserves for the rest of the season. Per Eric Nehm of The Athletic, the Bucks have applied for a disabled player exception for Taurean Prince,

ruling him out for the rest of the season. Prince played in just eight games this season before suffering a herniated disk in his neck that required surgery. Prince spoke to the media last Thursday for the first time since the injury, and had this to say about the decision to have surgery in the first place on November 13:

“It was definitely a tough process, definitely tough getting the news,” he said. “The only way to hoop again would be to get the surgery. So, that was my mindset from the jump. And really just taking everything in and knowing how serious of a situation it was, so just being thankful that I’m still here to speak and be able to have an opportunity to hoop again.

“I’m gonna play again, for sure.”

The disabled player exception, if approved by the league, allows a team to either sign a player to a one-year deal or trade for players on a one-year deal who are making the same money (or less) than 50% the disabled player’s salary. In this case, the Bucks could sign or trade for someone on a veteran minimum contract of $1.7 million, since Prince is making $3.3 million. Milwaukee is well below the first apron at $17.1 million in space, so no worries about being right up against the first or second apron if they choose to add a player.

We’ve seen other teams apply for this exception in recent years, including this year. The Chicago Bulls applied for it after rookie Noa Essengue was ruled out, and they also did it back in July of 2023 when Lonzo Ball was still recovering from multiple knee surgeries. We’ve also seen it denied in the past, with the New York Knicks being denied by the league for Mitchell Robinson in the 2023-24 season because there was optimism at the time that he could play, according to Woj.

In the games that Prince was able to suit up for, he averaged 6.1 points and 1.6 rebounds, shooting 44.7% from the field and 42.9% from the three-point line. Prince returned to the Bucks this past offseason, signing a 1+1 veteran minimum deal with a player option in the second year, which seems to loom large after this news. We’ll see if the Bucks decide to add a player if granted by the league, but if they do so, it will most likely be via free agency. There could be a reunion with Malik Beasley, who is still in free agency after being named in player gambling investigations, but maybe the shimmy from Giannis last season has burned that bridge.

Some other notable free agents, including multiple Old Friends, include: