Looking back to last offseason, the Milwaukee Bucks certainly went through quite the ride between now and then.
The front office was scrambling to bring in the requisite pieces as Giannis Antetokounmpo was pondering his future with the franchise. This led to what was initially viewed as some questionable signings at the time, some that many believed were quite underwhelming given the team’s title hopes and desire to go all-in to compete at the highest level.
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
While the team brought aboard several household names that could be rotational players, there were not many additions that many believed to be needle moving. However, general manager Jon Horst is an Executive of the Year winner for a reason, as the team’s free agent signings turned out to be a massive reason why they won their first title in five decades.
With that being said, here are three players that signed with the Bucks last offseason and would soon defy expectations.
Bryn Forbes defied expectations with the Milwaukee Bucks this season
When the Bucks inked Bryn Forbes to a two-year deal worth $4.8 million last offseason, many believed they had merely signed a solid shooter.
Forbes has made a living in this league thanks to his prolific outside shooting, which would make him a valuable piece for this team. He would be used most frequently in the rotation with lineups consisting of Giannis Antetokounmpo, which proved to be the perfect match. However, not only did he space the floor to perfection by shooting a career-best 45.2 percent from deep, good enough for the fourth-best mark in the league during the regular season, but he impacted a playoff series for the Bucks entirely.
In Milwaukee’s first round series with the Miami Heat, Forbes proved to be the team’s unsung hero due to his red-hot shooting. The guard averaged 15 points across four games while shooting a fantastic 52.5 percent from the floor and a sensational 48.5 percent from deep to give the Bucks a lifeline offensively. Who would have predicted that Forbes would outscore Jimmy Butler, Miami’s regular season leading scorer, 60 to 58 in this four-game series?
Although his role faded as the postseason went on, no one can take away just how great Forbes was in that opening round. Whether or not he leaves the Bucks in free agency, that performance will be remembered forever as a tone-setter for the postseason that would result in the team’s first title in 50 seasons.
Bobby Portis defied expectations with the Milwaukee Bucks this season
With the Bucks waiving Ersan Ilyasova and losing Marvin Williams to retirement last offseason, signing Bobby Portis to bolster their frontcourt seemed like a solid move.
Inking a two-year deal worth $7.5 million, with the second year being a player option, it was a low-risk move for the Bucks. Of course, no one at that time could have predicted just how crucial Portis would become for this team throughout the season by playing a key role in the second unit. Backed by some electric scoring, energetic rebounding, and overall vibrant presence, the big man quickly developed into a fan-favorite among the franchise.
Portis would average 11.4 points per game this season, shooting the ball with career-best efficiency by knocking down 52.3 percent of his field goals and 47.1 percent of his triples. The latter number marked the third most efficient percentage across the league as Portis showed his improved jumper consistently throughout the year. While his efforts during the regular season were applaudable, Portis cemented his fan-favorite status forever in the playoffs as he helped the Bucks mightily en route to the title.
It was not always ideal for Portis, specifically noting that he missed a massive portion of the team’s second round series against the Brooklyn Nets due to the matchup. Yet, as they stood on the court following a gutsy Game 7 win, Giannis Antetokounmpo told Portis to stay ready because the team would be needing him, and they certainly did. Portis would not only regain his spot in the rotation during the Eastern Conference Finals, but he would start two games in place of Giannis, who was sidelined with a hyperextended knee, and played some phenomenal basketball on the big stage.
The big man set out to win when he signed with the Bucks, and he reached that feat as he hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy at season’s end. What seemed like a solid signing at first soon turned into one of the better free agent signings for this team in recent memory, as they could undeniably have not won the title without him.
Pat Connaughton defied expectations with the Milwaukee Bucks this season
Many were frustrated when the Bucks extended Pat Connaughton last offseason to a three-year deal worth a hefty $16 million. It seemed like a hefty price to pay for the guard considering he was coming off a playoff series where he was virtually unplayable.
Seemingly playing with a chip on his shoulder, he played solid basketball all throughout the regular season, most notably due to his improved 3-point shot. After shooting just 33.1 percent on 2.9 attempts per game during his first two seasons with the Bucks, Connaughton showed vast improvement this year by knocking down 37.1 percent of his triples on 3.9 attempts per night. His shooting provided a much-needed boost for this team, which helped him get more minutes in the rotation and play a career-high 22.8 minutes per game.
While his regular season production was great, where Connaughton truly turned heads was in the NBA Finals, where he stepped up mightily. The guard was Milwaukee’s go-to man off the bench, being plugged into various lineups as the Bucks tried to combat the personnel from the Phoenix Suns. No matter who he was playing alongside, Connaughton made the most of the opportunity and finished the series averaging 9.2 points while shooting 47.5 percent (19-of-40) from the field and an incredible 44.1 percent (15-of-34) from deep. He would make the second-most triples in the series behind Khris Middleton and Jae Crowder, making an impact on the offensive end.
Most of Connaughton’s praise this season will come from his improvement on the offensive end, and rightfully so, as shooting had been among his weakest points previously. However, in addition to his newly equipped 3-point shot, Connaughton was consistently playing robust defense, making the hustle plays, and doing all of the little things to help this team click. His efforts in the NBA Finals will be commended as he took on a much bigger role than he was previously accustomed to seeing, and he looked up to the task.
Had someone said following last season’s playoff defeat against the Miami Heat that Connaughton would be one of the key contributors in the NBA Finals, they would have been labeled crazy.