7. Looking ahead to the off-season, do you think Milwaukee should “roll it back” as Giannis Antetokounmpo said in his exit interview, or would you make any changes to their core (Bledsoe, Brogdon, Middleton, Antetokounmpo, Lopez)?
Dan Larsen (@DanLarsen34): There’s no need to mess with the core of this team. The bigger concern is whether they can ACTUALLY retain it.
The Bucks are strapped for cap space. To retain Brogdon, Lopez, and Middleton, they’ll have to move Tony Snell’s albatross of a contract, and probably Ersan Ilyasova’s too. Some might point to Eric Bledsoe as an option to move, but there’s no way the team is trading him when his value is arguably at an all-time low.
Assuming they can retain them, though, the team should roll it back. Had Fred VanVleet been marginally worse, Milwaukee would have been in the Finals. Had they been just a bit better on open shots, they’d be in the Finals. Had they hit a few more free throws, they might have been in the Finals. As bad as things felt after losing four straight, everyone needs to remember just how close Milwaukee still was to making it there.
With some minor adjustments and improvement, there’s every reason to believe Milwaukee can win the Eastern Conference next season and contend for a title. Unless Kevin Durant or Kawhi Leonard is coming (they aren’t), I see no reason for Milwaukee to change course.
Theo Konstantellos (@theokon7): The Bucks should definitely try to retain Lopez and Brogdon. In regard to Middleton and Mirotic, the Bucks could renounce both to sign a max player, but only Leonard and Durant would be worth it in my opinion.
Jimmy Butler is better than Middleton overall but he is not that much of a floor spacer. The Bucks should trade Bledsoe if they get Butler. Kyrie Irving would be valuable too but again, the Bucks would have to find a trade for Bledsoe. Still, he may not be worth the headache. Klay Thompson is arguable, especially since there is the bonus of weakening the Warriors.
However, all of this is very theoretical as most of these free agents are most likely not interested in coming to Milwaukee in the first place. with both L.A. teams and both New York teams having a lot of money to spare. Milwaukee’s contender status could be an attraction but I doubt it would be enough, especially since the Nets and Clippers could be very competitive too if they add some All-Stars.
Retaining Middleton and potentially Mirotic at the right price would most likely be the best move.
Jordan Treske (@JordanTreske): For the Bucks to continue chasing a championship and, more importantly, keep Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, they don’t really have a choice but to roll it back, at least in retaining their starting unit. That obviously requires the Bucks’ ownership to go into the luxury tax and, depending on who they all prioritize bringing back on hefty paydays, pony up some major money doing so.
Going down any other route, whether having a wandering eye in free agency or seeking one of their free agent starters to take a pay cut, is far more perilous and threatens the longevity of the window the Bucks are currently in at this stage. What’s going on with the Houston Rockets right now, with the uncertainty that is seemingly bubbling over that organization, should give all Bucks fans a wise lesson into how quickly things can change when ownership suddenly changes course in their priorities.
And without keeping any of their starters or even reserves like George Hill or even Nikola Mirotic, it makes it that much harder for the Bucks to upgrade their roster and roll the dice on a game-changing acquisition down the line if they don’t meet their ultimate goal next season or beyond.
Adam McGee (@AdamMcGee11): You’ve got to give this group another chance. There isn’t a realistic route to strengthening the team overall by letting those key pieces walk, and let’s be honest there’s no trouble in bringing everyone back either. Outside of Lopez, the Bucks own Bird rights on their key players and so retaining them will simply require paying the tax.
As fans, that’s not something worth fretting over. Ownership has done a phenomenal job in turning the franchise around to this point, but if they want to keep enjoying the playoff revenue, outstanding merchandise sales, the buzz around the arena and district, they need to continue their investment. Otherwise, Giannis will be playing elsewhere in a couple of years and the arena will be empty once again.
I’m more than happy to see Mirotic sign elsewhere, but I’d hope the rest of Milwaukee’s free agents will be back next season.
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