Milwaukee Bucks NBA offseason preview 2024
Does Damian Lillard’s October 27 acquisition count? The Bucks’ entire season has been an uphill fight, and the switch from Adrian Griffin to Doc Rivers made matters worse.
How it came about
Expectations are not met. Given that Lillard missed the entire postseason, it is hard to blame the Bucks for his injury. However, the Bucks failed to meet the championship-caliber expectations set for them after the Lillard trade, and in this unrepentant world, outcomes are all that matter.
Given that he was about to turn 34, Lillard himself undoubtedly sparked some doubts about his long-term compatibility with the Bucks. It’s unclear if Lillard’s poor performance was a one-time blip or a portent of bigger problems. He struggled to reach the same level in Portland in his final season, when he scored 32.2 points per game.
Khris Middleton’s health is another factor muddying Milwaukee‘s future. The third star of the squad managed only 55 games and 27 minutes per game; things aren’t going to get any better when he starts his 33-year-old season next year.
The hiring of Rivers, who isn’t known for bringing players together, and the Bucks’ collective regressive health have abruptly transformed the team that won the championship just three years ago into a team of constant worry, in stark contrast to how people saw them coming into this season.
Naturally, a complete season with each of them fully healthy changes the picture for this team. However, at this point, that sounds unduly optimistic.
During the offseason, the greatest necessity
The youth remain unchanged from the past two summers. The three young Bucks, MarJon Beauchamp, Andre Jackson Jr., and A.J. Green, are seen more as complementing players than as cornerstones on this aging club, which makes things more difficult for a team hoping to extend its competitive window.
Corporate orientation
It was an incorrect initial impression to have Antetokounmpo and Lillard together. As it happens, Griffin, a first-year coach, lost his job due to a severe defensive decline from dealing Jrue Holiday for Lillard. Rivers’ midseason hire did not significantly improve the team’s chemistry, and Antetokounmpo’s untimely injury exacerbated the situation.
There are boundaries to the Bucks’ potential, no matter how optimistic you are about Milwaukee’s ability to retool around Antetokounmpo and Lillard. Next season will find Brook Lopez, Lillard, and Middleton at 36, 34, and 33 years old, respectively. The Bucks can spend their meager trade chips or minimum contracts on defensive additions. Making sure neither Antetokounmpo nor Lillard ask for a trade before both players have an opportunity to hone their two-man game over the summer is their first concern, though. Ben Rohrbach
Projected draft selections (before the lottery): 23, 33
Milwaukee, like the Suns, will have to make their first-round pick because they were without one the previous year. Although they have the option to trade the player once they have made their choice, it would not be wise given their need to grow younger.
The final draft emphasizes
The Bucks can just keep putting pieces around Antetokounmpo and Lillard. Two four-year college athletes that are ready to go are Tyler Kolek of Marquette and Kevin McCullar Jr. of Kansas. Both players can immediately contribute to a well-established team, and they were the leading scorers for their individual clubs. Another entertaining pair to see in the paint would be 7-4 Purdue player Zach Edey and Antetokounmpo. Krysten Peek salary-cap table
For just four players—Antetokounmpo, Lillard, Middleton, and Lopez—the Bucks will pay almost $151 million the upcoming season. Adding Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis for almost $22 million, the franchise appears to be well into the tax and above the first apron, which will limit its upgrade possibilities.
Given that the team is clearly in it to win, it makes sense that it will give Beasley the greatest offer possible—120% of his present $2.7 million pay. Teams could readily outperform that, though, so it’s unclear if the sharpshooter will return.
Object of the Next Season
The right kind of recovery. The Bucks should focus more on overall improvement because this season ended in a complete disaster and Antetokounmpo may lose patience with a less competitive club.
What can move the imaginary needle?
For their own health, the Bucks should take the summer off. During the regular season, Middleton missed 27 games, but the last straws were the late-season injuries to Antetokounmpo (calf) and Lillard (achilles). Given its dearth of salary space and draft picks going into the upcoming season, Milwaukee ought to be getting Jackson and Beauchamp ready for greater minutes, which is an important stage in their growth. The Bucks were pushed out of the gym by the Pacers, and if they want to stay a contender in the East, they will need the athleticism of the pair to step up the pace and improve their defense. Dan Titus
