P.J. Tucker could return to the Milwaukee Bucks next season
While his case might not be as open and shut as Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s, P.J. Tucker could also realistically stick with the Bucks after this title run.
Since he arrived through trade in March, Tucker has made no bones about how badly he wanted to play for this team specifically. He noted that they were atop his list of trade destinations when he requested a trade from the Houston Rockets, and it was because he wanted to come here and ultimately win the title. Not only did he win it, but he played a role so vital that this team would not have been able to do it without him in the fold.
The 36-year-old will enter unrestricted free agency and will have no shortage of contenders looking to pursue his services, but sticking around with the Bucks cannot seem like all that bad of an idea. While it does not guarantee anything, hearing Tucker discuss just how certain he was that Milwaukee was the place for him during his media availability after Game 6 certainly provides some hope that he would like to run it back for another year or so.
Financially, the Bucks do have an advantage over other teams when it comes to signing the forward. As highlighted by HoopsHype’s Yossi Gozlan, the team holds Tucker’s full Bird rights this offseason, “so they won’t have any issues re-signing him.” Tucker could reasonably return on a short-term deal, and it could be beneficial for both parties involved. Only time will tell, but it seems justifiable to believe No. 17 could return to the Bucks next season.