Milwaukee Bucks Roundtable: Important free agency decisions lie ahead
By Adam McGee
Q5. What’s the most important thing for the Bucks to achieve with their decisions in free agency?
TK: The Bucks have to avoid overpaying Jabari and find a good piece at the center spot. And if they let Jabari walk then they must operate with flexibility in the 2019 free agency in mind.
BR: I think it’s crucial that the Bucks don’t lose Jabari for nothing. Finding a sign-and-trade deal for him or simply biting the bullet and matching an offer sheet might be the only options they have at this point. If Jabari walks, the Bucks sacrifice a ton of potential as well as a valuable asset, which does not bode well for building a championship-caliber team with their current core.
JT: After seeing the revolving door of roster changes throughout the season last year as well as how much the high profile addition of Eric Bledsoe has cooled off significantly after the playoffs, what would most be reassuring to me is seeing some coherency and consistency in any and all moves the Bucks make this summer.
With the Bucks looking to establish a new identity and reinvent their culture now with Coach Bud in the fold, there’s a real opportunity for the Bucks to fully rid themselves of the underachieving label that came to define them under the previous regime. Now that may and will likely include making tough decisions, but what may be lost in those moves can be gained through identifying pieces that have yet to find their groove in their development or scouring previously unexplored avenues (i.e. overseas) that could end up being a boon for the Bucks in due time.
AM: To keep it very simple, they need to regain and maintain future flexibility. The Bucks have a good roster with room to improve right now, but I’m not sure anybody could take a look around the league and honestly say it’s going to be a championship roster in its current form.
Next: Milwaukee Bucks: What impact does Jabari Parker’s future have on the present and future?
This is the summer that sets up the chance for the Bucks to have a future that again includes cap space. Signing under the radar players on short, value deals is a good idea. Taking significant risks that could hinder long-term options is not. That applies equally to outgoing free agents, and those the Bucks may choose to add.