Milwaukee Bucks: The pros and cons of signing free agent Isaiah Thomas
By Dalton Sell
Milwaukee Bucks: The verdict on signing free agent Isaiah Thomas
With the Bucks left with few options to find a backup point guard, the reward in signing Isaiah Thomas certainly outweighs the risk.
If the guard is willing to come in on a minimum deal as he continues indicating, the financially depleted Bucks could reasonably make an offer. Thomas would give the Bucks another battled-tested veteran in the rotation in their quest for an NBA championship. With 25 postseason games under his belt, the 32-year-old has useful experience in that setting.
While fans should not expect the resurrection of MVP candidate Isaiah Thomas if he were to sign with a team, him being healthy opens up a window of possibilities. If the guard could come off the bench and give the Bucks double-digit scoring performances and take on some ball-handling duties, this would be a solid move.
One of Milwaukee’s biggest holes this season has been the play of their bench, particularly offensively. Chipping in just 34.5 points per game, they rank 18th in that category. Thomas, a career 18.1 point per game scorer, could unquestionably help bump up the production from the second unit in the scoring department.
Gambling on Thomas defensively is where things become far more challenging, but the Bucks could potentially do their part to shadow him amongst their other top-tier defenders. With Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Donte DiVincenzo, and P.J. Tucker in the lineup, this unit could help alleviate pressure off the guard in certain situations.
Next. Milwaukee Bucks: Grades and reactions from the P.J. Tucker trade. dark
Overall, the Bucks will likely not find a better free agent option currently on the market than Isaiah Thomas. Looking for his second chance and willing to take a pay cut to prove his doubters wrong, signing him would be a feasible move for Milwaukee.