Bucks put Pete Nance on waivers along with Johni Broome and Jake Stephens

The Milwaukee Bucks placed three players on waivers, with Pete Nance joining big men Johni Broome and Jake Stephens on the list on Saturday, October 17, the team announced, and the club is not finished: it still has one more contract to shed.

Milwaukee lists 18 players after the moves. Hoops Rumors counted 16 of them on fully guaranteed standard deals, one over the limit, so the Bucks must trade or release another player before rosters are due on Monday, October 19.

Why the Nance decision stands out

Broome and Stephens were in camp on Exhibit 10 contracts and had long been viewed as likely cuts. Nance was different. Like theirs, his salary carried no guarantee, yet his deal ran for two seasons, and the team had hoped to hold on to him, according to reporting this week by Jake Fischer. Fischer also indicated that the front office worries another team could claim him off waivers.

If Nance clears, a return is possible, because the Bucks have an open two-way spot. That part is not confirmed; the team has said nothing about its plans for him.

The 6-foot-9 Nance, the younger brother of veteran forward Larry Nance Jr., originally came to the Bucks in February 2025 on a two-way deal. In 53 games over two seasons with the club, including seven starts, he has averaged 5.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in 15.2 minutes, shooting 51.7% overall and 42.0% from three-point range. He played four exhibition games this month, one as a starter, averaging 4.0 points and 3.3 rebounds.

Broome and Stephens likely headed to the Herd

Broome, who was drafted in the second round in 2025 and played his first pro season with the 76ers, signed on October 6 and appeared once in the preseason, scoring four points with three rebounds in nine minutes against the Chicago Bulls on October 14. Stephens, an undrafted center whose recent seasons were split between the G League and clubs abroad, joined on September 17 and averaged 1.5 points in two exhibition appearances.

According to Hoops Rumors, both are expected to land with the Wisconsin Herd, the franchise’s G League affiliate.

What comes next

The Bucks open the regular season at the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, October 21, at 7:00 p.m. ET. Follow it in the Bucks at Wizards Game Center, and watch for Milwaukee’s final cut on our transactions page.