Milwaukee Bucks: 5 viable free agent targets with ties to Jrue Holiday
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks could potentially target Jrue Holiday’s former teammate Austin Rivers in NBA Free Agency
A rumored target for the Bucks for what seemed like the entirety of last season, Austin Rivers will hit the free agent mark this offseason.
After they traded away D.J. Augustin in the deal for P.J. Tucker, the Bucks desperately needed to add a backup point guard, and they were linked to Rivers. The Athletic’s Shams Charania noted that once Rivers received a buyout from the OKC Thunder at the deadline, the Bucks were the frontrunners to sign the guard, with mutual interest from both sides. However, for whatever reason, things did not pan out that way and the Bucks ultimately signed Jeff Teague.
With Teague also set to hit free agency, the Bucks will be in the market for a backup guard once again, and Rivers is someone they already had confirmed interest in. Letting bygones be bygones after whatever transpired between them last season, this long-awaited pairing of Rivers and the Bucks could finally come to fruition. The guard would likely not command a lucrative deal after a year where he struggled to find his footing, and joining the league’s reigning champions must be an enticing thought.
Signing with Milwaukee would also allow Rivers to reunite with an old running mate of his in Holiday, as the pair had a brief stint together with the Pelicans. The 28-year-old would be a great backup to Holiday to bulk up the guard rotation for next season, providing solid production along with battle-tested experience. Perhaps this time around the Bucks and Rivers could potentially strike up a deal, albeit under much different circumstances this time around.