Latest reports continue to suggest the Milwaukee Bucks could be tested with competitive offer sheets for restricted free agent Malcolm Brogdon while they’re working on extending veteran guard George Hill’s stint with the organization.
This year’s NBA free agency period is set to open in two days and the Milwaukee Bucks continue to be a hot topic team, considering the number of free agents they have that are set to hit the open market.
Among those that are drumming up plenty of interest in the lead up to the coming free agency frenzy is Bucks combo guard Malcolm Brogdon.
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Despite the fact that the 26-year-old’s a restricted free agent and the Bucks hold the right to match any offer sheet that comes their way, a report from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst outline why Brogdon is a popular name on the market, in part due to the Bucks’ other free agent concerns:
"“This year, the player who seems to be squarely in that zone is restricted free-agent guard Malcolm Brogdon. With the Milwaukee Bucks facing a luxury-tax bill if they re-sign Khris Middleton, as they are expected to do, teams could challenge Milwaukee with a so-called toxic offer sheet for Brogdon. League executives believe a team could construct an offer sheet with the highest salary next season and then descending payments combined with a player option and possible bonuses that the Bucks might have to pay, but a new team might not.”"
Where that offer sheet comes from is still a question mark, but both Shelburne and Windhorst named the following teams for who could test the Bucks with a strong offer sheet in an attempt to lure away Brogdon from their roster, all of which have been previously linked to the 2017 NBA Rookie of the Year:
"The Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics (if they don’t land Kemba Walker), Phoenix Suns and Mavericks could consider an offer sheet for Brogdon and test the Bucks.”"
While the Bucks are bracing the still-building market with Brogdon, they’ve also kept their irons in the fire when it comes to veteran point guard George Hill. As we all know, the guarantee date for Hill’s $18 million salary for next year is on July 1 and both Shelburne and Windhorst reiterated that the Bucks are expected to waive him in advance of that.
However, they also relayed that the two parties have interest in working on a deal to extend Hill’s stint in Milwaukee, which could also serve as a contingency plan in the case Brogdon doesn’t come back:
"“Meanwhile, the Bucks have not totally closed the door on George Hill, sources said. With just $1 million of his $19 million contract guaranteed, Hill will be waived by the Bucks. But the two sides have an interest in working something out to have Hill return. He could be an option if Brogdon gets an offer elsewhere that the Bucks don’t match.”"
With the Bucks’ point guard depth as bare as can be ahead of Hill’s likely waiving, potentially losing Brogdon would be another hit to the team’s overall backcourt depth, which makes the necessity for a Hill return all that much greater.
But that would be getting ahead of ourselves at the moment and with still more than 48 hours to go before free agency officially kicks on, it’s clear the Bucks have plenty to sort out until then when it comes to keep their backcourt intact going into next season.