The Milwaukee Bucks made a slew of moves this offseason to reshape the roster, but did they address their 3-point shooting and playmaking?
In the aftermath of their early exit, Milwaukee Bucks Vice President Alex Lasry told The Athletic’s David Aldridge ($$) that the team would be in the market for more shooting and playmaking this offseason.
Both were issues that loomed large throughout the regular season and came back to bite the Bucks in the end, which helped derail their title-contending chances. The Bucks spent a considerable amount of cash and assets to reshape this roster, but did they genuinely address their shooting and playmaking shortcomings?
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Well, the first place to look is the team’s most substantial addition this offseason, that being Jrue Holiday. The Bucks gave up a king’s ransom for the guard, particularly because of the shooting and playmaking he brings to the table, in addition to his defensive toughness.
Having shared playmaking duties with Lonzo Ball as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans last season, Holiday finished the regular season with 408 total assists across 61 games. That number landed him 16th overall in the league, and he will see even more time as a primary floor general as he takes over ball-handling duties in Milwaukee’s backcourt.
As for shooting, the 30-year-old is coming off a season where he averaged a career-high 5.7 attempts from behind the arc per game, which translated to a 35.3 percent success rate. For a Milwaukee team that was in the hunt for spacing at the guard position, Holiday is a surefire upgrade.
Playing behind Holiday will be veteran guard D.J. Augustin in a familiar sixth-man role. The 32-year-old also brings a desirable dose of shooting and playmaking, having averaged 4.1 assists and connected on 38.8 percent from 3-point territory in the past four seasons with the Orlando Magic. The Bucks bolstered their point guard rotation with a pair of stellar playmakers and shooters, but what about the rest of their new guaranteed additions?
Along with Jrue Holiday and D.J. Augustin, the Milwaukee Bucks did a stellar job of bringing in more floor spacing.
Bryn Forbes is among the most notable of the team’s new free agent additions because he is a 3-point specialist. Over the first four seasons of his career, Forbes has blossomed into a sharpshooter with a 40 percent average on 4.1 attempts per game. Alongside him will be fellow newcomer Bobby Portis, a 36.0 career shooter from distance on 2.6 attempts per contest.
The Bucks also unsurprisingly addressed their shooting needs in the draft as they used both of their selections on stellar 3-point shooters. Jordan Nwora shot 39.9 percent from deep on 4.9 attempts throughout his three-year stay at the University of Louisville, and Sam Merrill boasted 42 percent on 5.8 attempts during his four years at Utah State.
So, yes, in short, the Milwaukee Bucks did address their shooting and playmaking needs this offseason by overhauling their roster with several strong pieces that fit the bill. While reinforcements are on the way, it remains to be seen whether the Bucks that are returning next season can improve upon those areas, particularly their shooting.
Looking at players still on the roster, Donte DiVincenzo, Pat Connaughton, Brook Lopez, Giannis Antetokounmpo, D.J. Wilson, and Thanasis Antetokounmpo, although he saw little time, all shot below 34 percent from deep on the season. Those six players are the only remaining from last year’s Milwaukee team, excluding Khris Middleton, who shot 41.5 percent from 3-point range.
Needless to say, these new additions will undoubtedly help the Milwaukee Bucks clean up their shooting and playmaking issues, but those that will be returning also need to improve.