Johni Broome joins Bucks as John Butler cut, Thunder waive Robert McCray

The Milwaukee Bucks have added forward Johni Broome to their preseason roster, the team announced Monday, bringing him in less than two weeks after he was waived by the Los Angeles Clippers. To accommodate the signing, Milwaukee waived big man John Butler Jr. from its 21-man training camp group.

Broome lands in Milwaukee after Sixers and Clippers stints

Broome, who turned 24 in September, entered the league as the 35th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. As a rookie with the Philadelphia 76ers, he appeared in 11 games, logging 55 total minutes and posting 10 points and 16 rebounds while shooting 4-for-24 from the field.

The former Auburn standout spent most of his first professional season in the G League with the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s affiliate. He played 26 games there before undergoing a partial meniscectomy on his right knee in late February to address a lateral meniscus tear, which cut his NBAGL season short. He later returned in the NBA playoffs, seeing garbage-time action in two lopsided second-round losses to the New York Knicks.

Facing a cap crunch this summer, the 76ers traded Broome to the Clippers along with a second-round pick in a move designed to reduce team salary. Los Angeles subsequently waived him but remains responsible for his fully guaranteed $2.15MM salary for the 2026-27 season under the terms of his contract.

Butler and McCray head toward G League affiliate roles

In Milwaukee, Butler’s release clears the way for Broome to compete for a spot but also positions Butler for a likely return to the organization via the G League. The lanky big man played for the Bucks’ Summer League team in July and was on an Exhibit 10 contract that included a full $91K bonus. He is expected to join the Wisconsin Herd this fall as an affiliate player.

The Oklahoma City Thunder also made a minor move, announcing they have waived guard Robert McCray V. The undrafted rookie had initially been linked to an Exhibit 10 agreement with the Los Angeles Lakers in June, but that deal never materialized, and he ultimately signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Oklahoma City instead.

With Tuesday’s transaction, McCray is positioned to become an affiliate player for the OKC Blue in the G League. Under his Exhibit 10 terms, he would be eligible for a bonus worth $91K on top of his standard NBAGL pay if he spends at least 60 days with the Blue during the upcoming season.