The Milwaukee Bucks are certainly riding high after winning their first title in 50 seasons just several days ago.
While the celebration will continue to live on, the team will have to get back to business soon as a quick turnaround is in store with free agency set to kick off on August 2. With the team looking to repeat as champions next season, they will undoubtedly be busy in free agency as they look to piece together another title-contending roster.
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
However, rather than focusing on adding outside talent, the front office must first focus on what they will do internally, as several key contributors from this title run are set to potentially hit the market once free agency begins.
With little spending money, it could be a tall task trying to keep everyone around, as it is with every championship team. With that being said, here are free agents that are likeliest to be back next year.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo could return to the Milwaukee Bucks next season
After spending the last two years with the Bucks, Thanasis Antetokounmpo will enter the offseason as a restricted free agent.
Many will joke that the 29-year-old only had a spot on the roster on the Bucks because he is the older brother of the reigning Finals MVP. However, despite not putting up the flashiest numbers, Thanasis saw an extended opportunity this season and quickly carved out a role for himself that captivated the fanbase. That role revolved around providing an energetic spark, whether he was on the floor, the sidelines, or even the hotel room, where he was as the Bucks hoisted the trophy after Game 6 due to being in the league’s health and safety protocols.
Still, Thanasis saw an extended role in the rotation for the Bucks this season by playing 551 minutes in the regular season, blowing his previous career-high of 129 out of the water. During those 551 minutes, he gave it everything he had each and every night. He did not impact the game by scoring double figures or facilitating at a high level, but just by hustling every play. If there was a loose ball out on the court, he was on it. If the Bucks needed to turn up the physicality, Thanasis would sprint onto the floor and provide some aggressive defense.
When he was on the sidelines, he is just as energetic as ever. Thanasis could often be seen hyping up Giannis Antetokounmpo on the sidelines, giving him and the rest of this team a spark when they needed it. Every team needs a player that is willing to accept such a role, cheering from the sidelines when they are not playing while giving it 110 percent from the moment they check in.
As for free agency, Thanasis will almost certainly not command a hefty deal to stay put right in Milwaukee and run it back. Having Giannis locked in for the next five seasons undeniably will not hurt his brother’s chances of sticking around, and it seems feasible that he will be back with the Bucks next season on a team-friendly deal.
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.
Bobby Portis could return to the Milwaukee Bucks next season
It did not take long to see that Bobby Portis and the Bucks were a perfect match from the moment the big man signed with the team during the last offseason.
The big man has reiterated on multiple occasions how he turned down more significant offers elsewhere to come and compete for a championship with the Bucks. He played a key role for them this season, providing the second unit with a dose of tenaciousness that seemed widespread. That ever-energetic presence quickly turned Portis into a fan favorite, and his 16 point performance in Game 6 cemented his place in this team’s history forever.
Portis holds a player option worth $3.7 million for next season, a deal he has unquestionably outplayed after a sensational season. While the 26-year-old has consistently preached about how money is not everything, no one could fault him for opting out to seek a more lucrative deal as he ponders his future. The players, front office, and city of Milwaukee would like nothing more than to welcome Portis back for another season, as they would do so with open arms.
The biggest question will be if he does indeed opt-out in the first place, and if so, just what type of deal he will be seeking. Given his importance to the Bucks throughout the regular season and this triumphant playoff run, the team will likely not let him get one foot out the door before they begin looking to negotiate a deal. He has unquestionably earned it, and it seems like there should be mutual interest between the team and the player to get a deal done, despite money being tight.
Other teams will offer more money than Milwaukee just as they did last offseason, but the question is whether or not a big payday is what he is after. After helping the Bucks win their first title in 50 years, the big man’s desire to win will not yet be fading away anytime soon, and he could be in the perfect situation to contend for the foreseeable future.
Perhaps this is the optimist talking, but Portis has become just a seamless fit for both the city and the team that sticking around would certainly make sense.