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.
The Miami Heat could look to pry P.J. Tucker away from the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 NBA Free Agency
Among the rumored 70 percent of the league that was pursuing Tucker before last season’s trade deadline, the Miami Heat were one of the most persistent teams alongside the Bucks.
In fact, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix reported that rival executives believed Miami was the favorite shortly before the eventual deal went down. The Bucks would swoop in and trade for the forward, leaving the Heat to pursue backup options in Trevor Ariza and Nemanja Bjelica. With those two set to hit free agency, Miami will be back in the market for a forward to help load up on defense, and their interest in Tucker suggests they will take another look at him.
Miami’s previous interest in Tucker needs little justification. The team wanted another robust defender alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to guard players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and there were few players on the market at the time. That thought still remains intact as they head into the offseason with some spending money at their will, and it seems clear they will show at least some level of interest in reigniting their pursuit.
It goes without saying that Milwaukee would certainly not like to see Tucker go to one of their biggest rivals within the conference in Miami. While the Bucks hold the upper hand in re-signing him, do not be surprised if the Heat surface in any potential rumors involving him this offseason.
The Los Angeles Lakers could attempt to lure P.J. Tucker away from the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 NBA Free Agency
Before he landed with the Bucks, one contender that was reportedly in the final mix of teams looking to get Tucker was the Los Angeles Lakers.
Initially reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania (subscription required), the Lakers were right there with the Bucks and Heat expressing interest in the forward. Although their season would eventually get derailed by unfortunate injuries to their roster, LA’s interest in Tucker was sensible at the time. The Lakers were seemingly the favorites to come out of the Western Conference with LeBron James and Anthony Davis healthy, and Tucker would have given them a stellar defender in the frontcourt to defend the opposing team’s top players.
Although they struck out the first time, the Lakers will undoubtedly look to make another run at the 36-year-old this offseason. Not only will James and Davis be coming back healthy, but they brought in some reinforcements by trading for 2016-17 league MVP Russell Westbrook. There is some familiarity there between Tucker and Westbrook as the two played together on the Rockets during a hectic 2019-20 campaign. The Lakers would almost certainly like to reunite the two in their quest to make another run at a championship next season.
With James, Davis, and now Westbrook leading the way, Tucker would be designated solely to play defense and hit the occasional corner 3-pointer. With those three running the show offensively, Tucker could look to take on more of the load defensively as he did with the Bucks during their title run. That defensive prowess would be a massive addition for the Lakers as they will have to fight through a loaded Western Conference with talent at every turn.
Although they play in another conference, seeing Tucker go to the Lakers would be a massive blow considering they are another top-tier contender. With their interest documented, keep an eye on Los Angeles to potentially be interested in Tucker.
The Brooklyn Nets could look to entice P.J. Tucker away from the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 NBA Free Agency
The biggest threat to sign Tucker away from the Bucks could be their biggest rival within the Eastern Conference in the Brooklyn Nets.
Brooklyn was indeed listed among the teams interested in Tucker that Charania previously pointed out as they looked to shore up their defense alongside a star-studded trio. Boasting Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden all on the same roster, a defensive stopper like Tucker would have been the cherry on top for the Nets. Instead, Tucker was traded to the Bucks and would make headlines as these two teams soon clashed in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Tucker was tasked with playing relentless defense on Durant in what was a physical battle throughout seven games.
After seeing him in the second round, the Nets will likely be looking to get Tucker on their side of things once he hits free agency this offseason. Tucker does have links to Harden as the two were teammates in Houston for several years and their friendship is seeming deep. In fact, as Harden was preparing to be traded from Houston early into last season, The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Kelly Iko (subscription required) reported that Tucker was under the impression that he would be traded wherever Harden went also, with Brooklyn being among the top candidates.
Despite missing out previously, Tucker is someone that the Nets would undoubtedly like to have heading into next season. While they will not have the financial flexibility like the Bucks will have when it comes to offering the forward a new deal, that will not stop them from inquiring about his services once more.
All signs point to Tucker re-signing with the Bucks, but watch out for these three franchises when free agency begins August 2 and stay tuned here for upcoming updates.