Milwaukee Bucks: Impending free agents likeliest to leave in offseason
By Dalton Sell
Jeff Teague could leave the Milwaukee Bucks in NBA Free Agency
The Bucks brought Jeff Teague in mid-season off the buyout market, and it had the potential to be a high-impact signing.
Although Teague filled Milwaukee’s previously unoccupied backup point guard vacancy, he was far from perfect in the role. Aside from scoring a much-needed 11 points off the bench in Game 6 of the Conference Finals to help the Bucks defeat the Atlanta Hawks, Teague’s contributions were mostly minimal throughout this playoff run. The team never expected the guard to come in and be the missing piece to their title aspirations, but Teague was oftentimes a liability to even take the court.
In the end, the Bucks sought out a ball-handler to throw someone into the mix when Jrue Holiday needed a breather, and Teague obliged. The team will need to add a second unit point guard this offseason, and although Teague will not be the first choice for many, it is not a sure thing that he will be heading out the door once free agency begins. After all, he stated that the reason he signed with the Bucks was because of his relationship with head coach Mike Budneholzer, who will almost certainly be sticking around for the near future after securing an NBA title. Perhaps he could put in a good word for Teague, who would not command a hefty salary.
That is all just pure speculation. However, looking at Milwaukee’s long list of key contributors slated to hit free agency like Bobby Portis, P.J. Tucker, and many more, it seems like Teague will not be among their top priorities. Although he was not outstanding for the Bucks, several teams could use a backup point guard with Teague’s veteran pedigree, and he would be a low-risk signing for a handful of organizations. Time will tell, but it should not come as a shock if Teague is not back in Milwaukee next season.