While he never averaged the flashiest numbers, P.J. Tucker proved to be an essential piece for the Milwaukee Bucks during their title run.
They traded for him mid-season for his defensive excellence, which is exactly what he provided as the Bucks went toe-to-toe with some of the most brilliant offensive minds in basketball. Tucker was fantastic defensively, giving Milwaukee another versatile defender to shore up their efforts on that side of the ball with the forward never backing down from even the most insurmountable of assignments.
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As the newly-crowned NBA champion gears up to hit unrestricted free agency, it is no secret that he will have many suitors across the league. Contenders would love to have a player of his stature defensively on their side nightly, and his name will be featured in the rumor mill because of it.
The Bucks remain the most feasible suitor because they hold his Bird rights, and as Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer noted, the team is looking to re-sign him on a deal worth around $20 million over two years.
The Milwaukee Bucks will certainly not be alone in their pursuit of P.J. Tucker in 2021 NBA Free Agency
While Tucker sticking around in Milwaukee seems like the most logical move at the moment, nothing is set in stone just yet. His stature will have multiple contending teams across the league making a strong pitch to sign him once free agency starts. After all, before he was traded to the Bucks last March, The Athletic’s Sam Amick (subscription required) reported that 70 percent of the league had been calling the Houston Rockets trying to trade for the forward.
That league-wide interest will only be heightened after this playoff run, and here are three teams that might be the biggest threats to the Bucks in their attempt to re-sign him.