Milwaukee Bucks: Jeff Teague reveals he wanted to sign in the offseason
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks recently signed 32-year-old veteran Jeff Teague to fill a much-needed vacancy in the backup point guard slot.
Teague spoke to the media for the first time Friday night to discuss several things, including why he ultimately signed with Milwaukee. The veteran revealed that despite the interest from a handful of teams after being waived last week, he wanted to sign with Milwaukee, just as he did this past offseason:
More from Bucks News
- Bucks 2023-24 player profile: Can MarJon Beauchamp take a leap?
- Piecing together the Milwaukee Bucks’ dream starting 5 in 5 years
- Predicting Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s 2023-24 stats for the Bucks
- Grade the trade: Bucks land reputable backup guard in swap with Pacers
- New workout video should have Milwaukee Bucks fans excited
"“I wanted to come to Milwaukee in free agency. [Coach Budenholzer] being my guy, playing for him for so many years, just having that kind of familiarity, I was like maybe that could work. So when I got the opportunity this time, I didn’t want to mess it up. I was going to make sure that I got here, and I had some other options, but this was the best option for me.”"
For whatever reason, they chose veteran D.J. Augustin in free agency over Teague as they inked him to a three-year, $21 million deal. However, his stint with the team lasted merely 36 games in Milwaukee before they shipped him off to Houston in the package for defensive specialist P.J. Tucker.
Jeff Teague hopes to be a solid addition to the Milwaukee Bucks’ roster.
With the team once again short on guards and Teague hitting the market with convenient timing, it made sense for the two parties to come together finally. The Bucks now have a veteran floor general to run the second unit to help fill out the roster.
As Teague detailed in his presser, the biggest factor that played into his decision to join the Bucks was head coach Mike Budenholzer. The two were alongside one another for three seasons in Atlanta, including Teague’s sole All-Star appearance and a 60-win campaign that saw Budenholzer win his first Coach of the Year honors.
While the circumstances are different this time around, that familiarity could be a key factor down the road. Teague left little to interpret in his debut in Friday’s win over the Blazers by totaling two points, two assists, one rebound, and two blocks in his 13 minutes of burn. He followed that up with two points and an impressive five assists in Saturday’s 129-128 win over the Sacramento Kings, showing the playmaking potential he is capable of bringing off the bench.
Having practiced very little with the team since signing, Teague will continue to find his place in the rotation the more he gets acquainted with his new teammates. The 32-year-old’s role with Milwaukee will not be massive, but he checks off several previously unmarked boxes for them.
The Bucks now have that backup point guard they were scouring the market for that can take on ball-handling responsibilities, make plays for himself and others, and bring a solid veteran presence to the floor.
Next. 3 reasons Giannis Antetokounmpo deserves MVP consideration. dark
Of course, this will serve as a moment of coming full circle as the guard initially signed an offer sheet worth $32 million with the Bucks in the summer of 2013, but the Atlanta Hawks matched it. All these years later, Jeff Teague will be a solid piece off the bench for the Bucks as they bring another household name into the fold.