Five Things The Milwaukee Bucks Need To Do This Offseason

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Mar 4, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Jared Dudley (9) drives in against the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

5. Re-sign Jared Dudley

If Giannis and Jabari brought excitement to the Bucks, Jared Dudley brought a winning culture. Dudley literally forced his teammates to communicate with him, according to this excellent piece on J-Duds by Lori Nickel over at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“The first month or two, I was talking for everyone,” said Dudley. “I was calling out defensive coverages.”

Dudley is a huge reason Milwaukee currently has the second best defense in the NBA, behind only the league-leading Golden State Warriors. Kidd’s system of constantly moving and flooding to the ball relies heavily on each Buck knowing exactly where his teammates are, and Dudley fostering open communication on the court makes that possible.

The talking didn’t stop off the court, either. Guys were too detached on bus rides and road trips. So Dudley got them to start hanging out together. He wanted some chemistry and camaraderie.

In addition to his on the court contributions, J-Duds has also helped the Bucks mesh as a team when they’re not playing basketball. In addition to all of that, he’s also been contributing through his play. Even after a recent shooting slump most likely due to lingering injuries, Dudley is shooting 47 percent from the field and almost 40 percent from three-point territory.

Dudley has had a huge hand in forming the 2014-15 Milwaukee Bucks into the playoff team they are, and should be brought back to help Milwaukee continue to grow. He’s a versatile player who provides automatic chemistry and makes everybody else better, and it shouldn’t cost the Bucks a lot to keep him.

Next: Khris Middleton and The Value of Real Plus-Minus

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