Augustin never backs down from a challenge and elevates his play under pressure. Adding a veteran leader to the rotation in place of the departing George Hill maintains the status quo. Hill and Augustin are on the same tier of player by this point in their respective careers and the latter of the pair is about $3 million cheaper for this season.
Part of me has always been fascinated by the possibility of seeing Augustin in a winning scenario. Though he competed with the Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City and Denver Nuggets in recent years, Augustin’s only season on a contender was 2015-16 with the Thunder. This Milwaukee team has dominated the East during the regular season for two seasons and just upgraded to a three-headed monster between Giannis, Middleton and Jrue Holiday.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Bucks won’t lean on Augustin as the Magic did in key scenarios. That should set both him and the team up for success as limited bursts of Augustin in high-stakes scenarios will usually produce solid results.
Milwaukee Bucks</a> — Something tells me the team with the best regular-season record in the 2019-20 season will find a way to cope. Bucks general manager Jon Horst isn’t afraid to push the needle and take risks, going after players who fit his team’s construction and ultimately complement his star’s game.</p>
<p>Since fringe All-Star Jrue Holiday was acquired through a trade, he doesn’t count in this conversation. We’re honing in on the four players who’ve committed to new deals with the Milwaukee Bucks during this free-agency period. Each brings a special trait to the table that pushes toward the common goal of bringing glory to Cream City.</p>
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<p>More so than that, these are the four players that Horst believes can help swing the pendulum for <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/08/milwaukee-bucks-expect-4-free-agent/2/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/antetgi01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a> as he mulls over the potential super-max extension waiting for him in the United States. Generational money is at stake, but for a superstar like Giannis, there will be other opportunities to make that back. The Greek Freak is focused on winning and establishing himself as an all-time great.</p>
<p>Without much money to work with, Horst effectively recruited four quality players who can fill positions of need. It’s worth noting that key players from last year’s rotation, including Wes Matthews, George Hill and Ersan Ilyasova, are no longer with the team. For as much as they’re adding to this lineup, the Bucks are really hoping to replicate and improve upon the value they lost to an unpredictable free-agent market.</p>
<p>The team’s two-way signings, Mamadi Diakite and Jaylen Adams, won’t be discussed here. Horst also re-signed Pat Connaughton to a three-year contract, which was his worst decision of the offseason However, we’re here to focus on the new guys.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/08/milwaukee-bucks-expect-4-free-agent/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Veteran point guard D.J. Augustin </a>
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<span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> NBA Predictions: 2020-21 NBA win total projections </a> </div>
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