Milwaukee Bucks: To buy or sell Kyle Korver in free agency
By Dalton Sell
Milwaukee Bucks: Buy or sell on Kyle Korver in free agency – What to buy
As previously mentioned, when the Milwaukee Bucks signed Kyle Korver last free agency, they brought in one of the most prolific 3-point shooters of all time.
In 58 regular-season games with the team, the 39-year-old averaged 41.8 percent from deep on 4.1 attempts per contest. That type of 3-point prowess off the bench was a welcoming boost for the Bucks this season, especially when Korver and Giannis Antetokounmpo simultaneously shared the court.
With Giannis frequently drawing a crowd in the lane, having the insurance to kick the ball out on the perimeter to the man with the fourth most 3-point makes in NBA history was much-needed. Korver also served as a mentor of sorts for Antetokounmpo as he looked to improve his shooting from distance. Per ESPN’s Eric Woodyard in October 2019:
"“It’s really important [that] I always try to talk to him a little bit,” Antetokounmpo said of Korver after the Bucks’ first day of training camp at the University of Wisconsin on Tuesday. “And he’s a great guy. He’s not trying to get in your head or overstep and talk too much to you. Whenever he gives me tips, I always try to listen … one of the best shooters to ever play the game. “He’s definitely going to help this team, but he’s definitely going to help a lot of players develop their shooting ability.”"
Giannis seemingly took Korver’s tips to heart with a much improved 3-point shot in 2019-20. Although Antetokounmpo’s 30.4 percent from deep on the season is not the most astounding, it is a significant increase compared to his 25.6 percent in 2018-19. The Greek Freak is also shooting the ball at a higher volume, jumping from 2.8 attempts last year to 4.7 attempts per game this year.
While Korver might not be the sole reason for the increase, perhaps that extra work could continue to help the back-to-back MVP moving forward.
Along with his veteran presence, Korver undoubtedly proved that he could still play this season, even if it came in limited minutes. He may not have been the Kyle Korver of old, but still proved to be a serviceable rotational piece for the Milwaukee Bucks.