Milwaukee Bucks: Grades for Dragan Bender’s two-year, veteran minimum deal
By Adam McGee
Overall grade
The odds are likely in favor of Bender enjoying a relatively quiet spell for anywhere between a few months and two seasons in Milwaukee, and then moving on without ever being more than a peripheral figure on the team. That’s the reality of the situation, and on a minimum deal that’s fine.
The Bucks may have been better served by picking up a third point guard as they are currently short on numbers in that department. The recent two-way signing of Frank Mason III helped to allay some of those fears, but with only 45 days of NBA eligibility permitted with that deal, it still remains far from ideal if he’s required to step up and play meaningful minutes at some point in the season.
On the whole, though, the Bucks’ roster is jam-packed with talent. Health permitting, Milwaukee should have a deep rotation next season with frequent jostling for bench minutes creating a healthy environment of competition. That’s the kind of situation that does afford general manager Jon Horst the luxury to take a gamble such as this one.
It’s rare that you can get what’s essentially a free look at a top-4 pick just three years after they were drafted. In the dream scenario, Bender, free from the dysfunction of Phoenix, unlocks the potential that saw him selected at that spot and blossoms into a core piece of Milwaukee’s plans.
On the whole, that upside makes the deal a no-brainer, even though the player doesn’t necessarily fit into an obvious existing need, or even project as someone necessarily ready to play for a team at this level right now.
Next. Milwaukee Bucks: Get to know veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver. dark
The Bucks will hope the deal works out and they’re not left to rue adding additional point guard cover, but the joy of this contract is if that need becomes more pressing, they can simply call an end to the Bender experiment in the not too distant future.
BTBP Final Grade: B+