The Milwaukee Bucks made the biggest splash of the offseason last year. They traded away Jrue Holiday, a cornerstone of their 2021 championship team, to win the Damian Lillard lottery. The thought was to pair a future Hall of Famer in Lillard with franchise player and future Hall of Famer Giannis Antetokounmpo, and they should hit pay dirt. The Bucks also played defense by resigning Brook Lopez before the Houston Rockets could poach him in free agency.
The chemistry on the court could have been more appealing in those first few months, but Milwaukee found victories. Midway through the season, while in second place, they made a coaching change to Doc Rivers. Even with these changes, the Bucks found themselves on the wrong end of a first-round upset for the second straight year. No significant moves were made this past offseason. Should the Milwaukee Bucks worry this coming season?
Please check out the rest of the articles in my NBA Worry-Wart Series:
Should the Denver Nuggets Worry This Coming Season?
Should the Los Angeles Clippers Worry This Coming Season?
Pass the Buck
The blame for last season’s early playoff exit is well-shared. Issues in Lillard’s personal life and the Portland Trailblazer trade happening deep into the summer affected the team’s ability to link up early and develop chemistry. The basketball court is usually a refuge for most players, but Milwaukee’s championship expectations are very high. For a team that historically doesn’t spend a lot on the roster, the Milwaukee Bucks are fourth in the NBA in spending. Yes, some players were paid for their 2021 championship contributions, but first-round exits are not what ownership signed up for.
Blame could be sent the way of general manager Jon Horst. The architect of the 2021 championship may have been a bit antsy to make splash moves after this memorable Antetokounmpo rant.
This came after the 8th-seeded Miami Heat eliminated the 1-seeded Bucks in the first round. Head coach Mike Budenholzer was soon fired for rookie coach Adrian Griffin. Then Milwaukee jumped in front of the line of Heat/Trailblazers trade talks, giving up Holiday for Lillard. Holiday was soon rerouted to rival Boston Celtics, whom the Bucks trailed in the standings all season. Does Boston win a championship without Holiday becoming available to them?
The midseason firing of coach Griffin for a Doc Rivers experience didn’t result in the boost the Bucks were expecting, either. Both the Celtics and the Knicks leapfrogged them in the standings, and the upstart Indiana Pacers eliminated them.
Peace of Mind
A Giannis Antetokounmpo calf injury ended his regular season with nine games to go. Indeed, a Bucks team with two healthy superstars would have bested the Pacers in a first-round matchup last season. The favorable seeding arrangement would likely have seen the Bucks match up with the Boston Celtics in the conference finals, with the Bucks having the best player in the series. So, staying the course defined the 2024 offseason.
There were no major Bucks trades or rumors all summer. Patrick Beverley was released in favor of Delon Wright. They signed two-way forward Taurean Prince to a reasonable deal. Milwaukee added two new draft picks, AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith. Giannis Antetokounmpo discreetly married his long-time partner after a healthy summer playing for Greece in the Olympics. Stability and peace of mind this offseason is a welcome change from last year.
The Buck Stops Here
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a two-time NBA MVP and one-time NBA Finals MVP. He has to be ready come playoff time. The last two playoff exits are partially attributed to his absence. If that means sacrificing minutes or games for rest in the latter parts of the season, so be it. Doc Rivers is veteran enough to figure it out. Some teams are hamstrung from making dramatic offseason changes due to the salaries of their top players (along with the more punitive Collective Bargaining Agreement). So those top players have to perform when it counts.
The buck also stops with Doc Rivers, whose reputation should be scrutinized appropriately. His 2008 Celtics championship is pushing two decades ago. His subsequent stints in Philadelphia and Los Angeles did not result in a conference finals appearance. At what point is he out of chances? Anything short of a championship in Milwaukee is a failure. Ownership has made moves to emphasize that point. Antetokounmpo will only remain in Milwaukee if they put forth a contender. Rivers should have enough this season. Brook Lopez’s contract is tradeable should the Bucks require some in-season adjustments, and Rivers must manage the rest.
Should the Milwaukee Bucks Worry This Coming Season?
No. The Milwaukee Bucks should be fine. Their roster has a great blend of young players, veterans, and champions. The coach has won championships as a player and a coach. The Greek Freak is arguably the best player in the East. Despite the accolades, there may still be another level to his game for him to reach. Damian Lillard has something to prove as well. Expect a bigger season from him.
The East competition didn’t dramatically change other than the Paul George addition in Philadelphia. The New York Knicks will be interesting, but that’s on paper. On an even (read, healthy) playing field, I like the chances of the Antetokounmpo, Lillard, and Khris Middleton triumvirate against the top of the conference.
Photo Credit for featured cover image: Getty Images.
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