Milwaukee Bucks (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Milwaukee Bucks have been in a challenging position since their early and disappointing playoff exit, and they must make some drastic changes.
I’m just going to state the obvious: The Milwaukee Bucks are in need of a roster change.
Since losing shockingly in the playoffs consecutively, the Bucks obviously need to make some changes. After multiple failures within the organization and with the coaching staff, the Bucks have long needed to make some changes and their need for change is urgent.
Following their disappointing postseason exit at the hands of the Miami Heat, two-time defending MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo heard complaints and had concerns of his own about his future with the team. Antetokounmpo made sure to reassure them that he would be a part of the Bucks’ future, but he did not shy away from letting it be known how the organization should value him and his potential future teammates. One of his demands was that the team had to go into the luxury tax.
Giannis knows and everyone knows it. The Bucks need to make a drastic roster change.
The first step in these changes comes through the 6’11” Antetokounmpo, who still needs to sign his supermax contract extension. So, the Milwaukee Bucks team isn’t just waiting for new and exciting prospects, but for their main star to commit long term.
One way to make this drastic roster change is to look at this offseason and the other talent around the league and scout heavily in every way possible, which is what they have started doing.
It is free agency season. Also, it is trade season. And they both loom over everything. The way that the game is played is altered by free agency and trades during the offseason. The free agent list this year consisted of a deep list of talent, although the top of the class was less impressive than past years.
However, the Bucks had an awful start.
It should be noted that these needed changes shouldn’t just be made through free agency; they can make trades, which is something they did when they acquired Jrue Holiday from the Pelicans and gave away Eric Bledsoe, George Hill, and three first-round draft picks in return.
Then, the Bucks attempted (and failed) to trade Donte DiVincenzo, along with D.J. Wilson and Ersan Ilyasova to the Sacramento Kings in return for Bogdan Bogdanovic and Justin James. The trade with Bogdanovic didn’t succeed, though, because the guard didn’t notify or wasn’t approved by Sacramento to choose Milwaukee as his trade destination. Those trades now are void and are under a tampering investigation.
And the extent of which changes should be made will indeed be affected by these types of situations. Milwaukee still has a bunch of their players they were looking to ship because of the lackluster performance last year, such as DiVincenzo, Pat Connaughton, and Wilson. Ilyasova, Kyle Korver, Robin Lopez, Wesley Matthews were free agents who have either found a home or are on their way to a new home. Matthews, for example, signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Lopez with the Washington Wizards.
The Milwaukee Bucks are beginning to think outside of the box, and they should continue to do so with this league full of stars and superstars if they want to continue to compete at a high level which places them to contend for a championship.
But they have to look at this free agent list and the league list long and hard to see which best fits their situation. Championship-bound, Giannis-led, Milwaukee-grown, and therefore, in need of an overall solid and unique roster.
The Bucks roster currently stands with three of their core starters: Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez knee-deep into free agency and after trades opened up to be made. Only one consensus can be made: The Bucks still need a drastic roster change.
With free agency, trades, and the Bucks own well-known roster demands looming over everything this offseason, I will take a look at some roster changes the Milwaukee Bucks could consider which will help them in their search for a more equipped team.
This is a first of a three-part series looking at players that fit the Milwaukee Bucks, and this first part is about free agents the Bucks should have looked at before signing with other teams.
Milwaukee Bucks</a> are in need of a roster change.</p>
<p>Since losing shockingly in the playoffs consecutively, the Bucks obviously need to make some changes. After multiple failures within the organization and with the coaching staff, the Bucks have long needed to make some changes and their need for change is urgent.</p>
<p>Following their disappointing postseason exit at the hands of the Miami Heat, two-time defending MVP <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/05/milwaukee-bucks-recap-part-1-free-agency/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/antetgi01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a> heard complaints and had concerns of his own about his future with the team. Antetokounmpo made sure to reassure them that he would be a part of the Bucks’ future, but he did not shy away from letting it be known how the organization should value him and his potential future teammates. One of his demands was that the team had to go into the luxury tax.</p>
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<p>Giannis knows and everyone knows it. The Bucks need to make a drastic roster change.</p>
<p>The first step in these changes comes through the 6’11” Antetokounmpo, who still needs to sign his supermax contract extension. So, the Milwaukee Bucks team isn’t just waiting for new and exciting prospects, but for their main star to commit long term.</p>
<p>One way to make this drastic roster change is to look at this offseason and the other talent around the league and scout heavily in every way possible, which is what they have started doing.</p>
<p>It is free agency season. Also, it is trade season. And they both loom over everything. The way that the game is played is altered by free agency and trades during the offseason. The free agent list this year consisted of a deep list of talent, although the top of the class was less impressive than past years.</p>
<p>However, the Bucks had an awful start.</p>
<p>It should be noted that these needed changes shouldn’t just be made through free agency; they can make trades, which is something they did when they acquired Jrue Holiday from the Pelicans and gave away Eric Bledsoe, George Hill, and three first-round draft picks in return.</p>
<p>Then, the Bucks attempted (and failed) to trade Donte DiVincenzo, along with D.J. Wilson and Ersan Ilyasova to the Sacramento Kings in return for Bogdan Bogdanovic and Justin James. The trade with Bogdanovic didn’t succeed, though, because the guard didn’t notify or wasn’t approved by Sacramento to choose Milwaukee as his trade destination. Those trades now are void and are under a tampering investigation.</p>
<p>And the extent of which changes should be made will indeed be affected by these types of situations. Milwaukee still has a bunch of their players they were looking to ship because of the lackluster performance last year, such as DiVincenzo, Pat Connaughton, and Wilson. Ilyasova, Kyle Korver, Robin Lopez, Wesley Matthews were free agents who have either found a home or are on their way to a new home. Matthews, for example, signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Lopez with the Washington Wizards.</p>
<p>The Milwaukee Bucks are beginning to think outside of the box, and they should continue to do so with this league full of stars and superstars if they want to continue to compete at a high level which places them to contend for a championship.</p>
<p>But they have to look at this free agent list and the league list long and hard to see which best fits their situation. Championship-bound, Giannis-led, Milwaukee-grown, and therefore, in need of an overall solid and unique roster.</p>
<p>The Bucks roster currently stands with three of their core starters: Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez knee-deep into free agency and after trades opened up to be made. Only one consensus can be made: The Bucks <em>still</em> need a drastic roster change.</p>
<p>With free agency, trades, and the Bucks own well-known roster demands looming over everything this offseason, I will take a look at some roster changes the Milwaukee Bucks could consider which will help them in their search for a more equipped team.</p>
<p>This is a first of a three-part series looking at players that fit the Milwaukee Bucks, and this first part is about free agents the Bucks should have looked at before signing with other teams.</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/2020/12/05/milwaukee-bucks-recap-part-1-free-agency/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Langston Galloway </a>
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<img class="wp-image-415822 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/05/milwaukee-bucks-recap-part-1-free-agency/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1191786987.jpeg" alt="Milwaukee Bucks " width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1191786987.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1191786987-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Milwaukee Bucks (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Langston Galloway is a 6’1″ point guard who the Milwaukee Bucks should have considered in their search for point guard depth.</h2>
<p>First things first, the Bucks need a point guard. Yes, they just traded for Jrue Holiday, but they didn’t get rid of just Eric Bledsoe as expected; they let go of veteran George Hill as well, who was pivotal to the Bucks this season and last.</p>
<p>Donte DiVincenzo is still around because the trade for Bogdanovic wasn’t approved. So is the 6’5″ Pat Connaughton, who signed a three-year deal with Milwaukee. If the Bucks were to still consider trading either of them or both considering the lackluster performance of last year which fell on all of the Bucks roster, there need to be some others on the market.</p>
<p>So, the Bucks needed another point guard. Preferably another solid overall point guard to play with Holiday. They went out and signed D.J. Augustin in free agency to add depth in the backcourt.</p>
<p>But there are others.</p>
<p>Free agency is a blessing, and it is players like Langston Galloway that make you think so.</p>
<p>Galloway is a 6’1” guard who recently played for the Detroit Pistons, and his versatility should become familiar with the Bucks. If I were the Bucks or any team looking for a guard, I would have looked into Galloway and add him to my roster.</p>
<p>The point guard averaged 10.3 points per game for Detroit, which is his second-highest average since he first came into the league and averaged 11.3 points for the New York Knicks in 2015.</p>
<p>Galloway seems like a guy committed to his market, and he would have been a great pickup by the Bucks to play in Milwaukee.</p>
<p>Instead, Galloway signed with the Phoenix Suns.</p>
<p>What a Bucks team with Galloway would look like is easy to see. The 6’1″ guard could come off the bench and provide backcourt depth. Accordingly, he could be used as a three-level scorer who plays with experience and multiple skills. Galloway is a gifted shooter and ball-handler; he’s very much on the underrated side of the spectrum.</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/2020/12/05/milwaukee-bucks-recap-part-1-free-agency/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Denzel Valentine </a>
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<img class="wp-image-417066 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/05/milwaukee-bucks-recap-part-1-free-agency/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1279,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F626871288.jpeg" alt="Milwaukee Bucks " width="1600" height="1279" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/626871288.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/626871288-768x614.jpeg 768w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/626871288-600x480.jpeg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Milwaukee Bucks (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Denzel Valentine, a Chicago Bulls guard, has something the Bucks need.</h2>
<p>Denzel Valentine is a mainstay of the Chicago Bulls, but at last, he became a free agent this year until the Bulls signed him to a one-year deal. You will notice him as the 6’4” shooting guard coming off the bench for Chicago. He can shoot 3s (albeit on low efficiency) and make plays. His brother, Drew Valentine, is an assistant coach for the Loyola Chicago Men’s Basketball team.</p>
<p>Valentine would have been a gift to the Bucks. The Bucks might fall in love with the fact that he can shoot the way he does and is 6’4”, so he’ll do it cleanly and swiftly without being in anybody’s way. Good things come in small packages.</p>
<p>He is a well-grounded guard who is overlooked, and this free agency proved it. Milwaukee is just a couple hours away from Chicago, so seeing Valentine on the free agent list and knowing that the Bulls were probably, most likely, going to sign him, would have made me act fast. It is a fact: the Bucks could use Valentine in big ways and in big numbers. As a guard, Valentine can assist with the playmaking duties, and as a true shooting guard, it helps that he can shoot and score.</p>
<p>The shooting guard’s main duty for the Bucks would be to sit on the Bucks bench until his name is called and when he is in, much like he does for the Bulls, play some minutes and shoot and make some drifts to the basket with the ball in his hand to score and enhance your offense.</p>
<p>Valentine averaged 6.8 points per game for the Bulls this past season, and he often plays behind players like Otto Porter and Shaquille Harrison. But he is an underrated talent which would have benefitted the Bucks tremendously and be a good steal in free agency for them.</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/2020/12/05/milwaukee-bucks-recap-part-1-free-agency/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Michael Kidd-Gilchrist </a>
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<img class="wp-image-415827 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/05/milwaukee-bucks-recap-part-1-free-agency/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1228174698.jpeg" alt="Milwaukee Bucks " width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1228174698.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1228174698-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Milwaukee Bucks (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has been around the league, and his free agency this year could have caught the eye of the Bucks.</h2>
<p>I call this the case of the Michael’s. Maybe I like his first name. Maybe I like his last name. Whatever the case may be, I like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and he comes to mind when I think of the Bucks’ present situation. And Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was a free agent.</p>
<p>Kidd-Gilchrist most recently played for the Dallas Mavericks with minimal playing time, even in the absence of Kristaps Porzingis during his injury in the bubble. You might also remember Kidd-Gilchrist most by his playing time with the Hornets, which is what I choose to remember him by. Kidd Gilchrist played alongside Kemba Walker, and he is a good basketball player with a high IQ.</p>
<p>Kidd-Gilchrist’s main thing is defense. He’s great at defense considering his size at 6’7”. He uses his physicality to his advantage to bully others around in the paint. Kidd-Gilchrist is a player who pushes the limits of his opponents and teammates, and he is a great teammate.</p>
<p>MKG is a Bucks player. If I were looking at this free agent list, I would go against the grain and sign Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. I would also use Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in different ways than the Mavs did. I would use him for his strengths as a defender and rebounder in the paint and make him work, or outwork the others.</p>
<p>The Bucks philosophy of locker room guys and solid potential fits Kidd-Gilchrist, even during this era of Giannis who is trying to win the Bucks a championship. MKG is fit for the Bucks, and will add to a championship-caliber team. MKG will help Giannis, and Giannis will help him in his improvements.</p>
<p>MKG signed a deal with the Knicks, but looking at the potential of him in Milwaukee, a team that needs a caliber player like him on the bench, should have excited the Bucks.</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/2020/12/05/milwaukee-bucks-recap-part-1-free-agency/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Austin Rivers </a>
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