After spending the past two seasons with the South East Melbourne Phoenix, forward Malique Lewis is expected to remain in Australia, according to Olgun Uluc of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the 21-year-old is nearing a deal with the Cairns Taipans. Discussions are in the advanced stages and the expectation is that the two sides will reach an agreement, Uluc adds.

A 6’8″ forward from Trinidad and Tobago, Lewis was the last player selected in this year’s NBA draft. The Bucks agreed to acquire the No. 60 overall pick from Orlando in exchange for cash, ultimately completing the move as part of a three-team trade that also included Washington.

Assuming Lewis officially signs with Cairns, he’ll open the 2026/27 season as a draft-and-stash player while Milwaukee hangs onto his NBA rights.

Lewis appeared in 25 games during Australia’s 2025/26 National Basketball League season, averaging 7.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 21.3 minutes per contest. He posted a shooting line of .455/.387/.800.

Lewis, who was ranked 66th on ESPN’s big board prior to the 2026 draft, had a strong performance in the adidas EuroCamp in June, which he was able to parlay into multiple workouts with NBA teams. Following the camp, he was medically cleared by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel after a heart condition prevented him from participating in the G League combine earlier in the spring. That condition had been known and documented for several years.