Milwaukee Bucks: Ranking top East teams following key free agency deals

1. Milwaukee Bucks

Sixty wins saw the Milwaukee Bucks finish last season as the best regular season team in the Eastern Conference, and the NBA, and it’s certainly possible that they could hold that same kind of status entering next year’s playoffs.

Having said that, following up a 60-win season was always going to be tough, and in losing Malcolm Brogdon the Bucks have taken a definite step back this summer.

The million dollar question is just how big that step is. My guess would be it won’t be as pronounced in the regular season as it may well end up being come playoff time, and the Bucks could still be good for 55 wins or so.

That’s what having the league MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, gets you, and Milwaukee’s overall roster still possesses the kind of quality and depth that many of their rivals can only dream of.

Re-signing Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and George Hill all stand as positives, while adding Robin Lopez and Wesley Matthews further adds to the wealth of options that returning players such as Eric Bledsoe, Pat Connaughton, Ersan Ilyasova, Sterling Brown and D.J. Wilson provide coach Mike Budenholzer.

Meeting the challenge on a nightly basis in the regular season will be key, particularly as the Bucks may be more eager than most to simply get a chance to right the playoff wrongs that have likely haunted their summer.

As things stand, the Bucks should remain the favorites in the East, and that position could further strengthen with a couple of strong veteran minimum signings. Make no mistake about it, though, the 76ers pose a real threat, and Milwaukee’s standing at the top of the East is by no means a sure thing next season.