Milwaukee Bucks: 3 things they will miss most from P.J. Tucker

After just 43 games with the franchise, P.J. Tucker will leave the Milwaukee Bucks with his legacy cemented as an NBA Champion.

First reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Tucker signed a two-year deal worth $15 million with the Miami Heat on the opening night of free agency. Considering it seemed open and shut that Tucker would be returning since the team held his Bird Rights and could have offered him a similar day, likely even more, many were rightfully shocked by this sudden news.

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It was certainly an unexpected move after the forward previously raved about the city, the front office, and the franchise, but it ultimately seems like some tax concerns that would have been prominent on his next deal made them opt against bringing him back.

The fanbase is rightfully irked that one of the key pieces that helped the franchise end their 50-year title drought just walked out of the door, specifically to one of their biggest rivals in the Eastern Conference.

This one will undoubtedly sting for quite some time, particularly if it comes back to bite the team next season. Only time will tell there, but whatever happens, this fanbase will be forever grateful for Tucker’s brief time with the team and it would not be too shocking if he got a standing ovation the next time he walked into Fiserv Forum. With all that being said, here are three things that the team and the fans will miss the most from Tucker next season.

The Milwaukee Bucks will miss P.J. Tucker’s veteran experience

Among the many reasons why the Bucks were persistent in trading for Tucker last March was due to his valuable postseason experience.

The forward had previously played in 50 playoff games before coming to the Bucks in stints with the Toronto Raptors and the Houston Rockets. Tucker and those gritty Houston teams were most known for going head-to-head with the herculean Golden State Warriors, with Tucker contributing meaningful minutes all throughout. Although Tucker and the Rockets never managed to get over the hump, the Bucks understood that he was someone that could help them out.

Indeed, Tucker came in from day one after being traded with an immeasurable amount of veteran experience in tow. Whether it was on the court or in the locker room, the 36-year-old contributed to this team in ways that they desperately needed to overcome their postseason woes. He may not have been the flashiest player on the court, but his experience garnered in this league and overseas consistently showed throughout this playoff run.

Replicating that will be difficult for any player the Bucks look to replace Tucker with. For instance, it looks like the front office wanted to go younger by signing Semi Ojeleye, who shares many of the same characteristics as Tucker. Now, Tucker and Ojeleye are not exactly comparable, and that is not a knock on the latter to any extent. Tucker has just been in this league far longer and has accumulated that battle-tested experience that the Bucks desperately needed.

The Milwaukee Bucks will miss P.J. Tucker’s “dog” mindset

The Bucks needed someone to be a vocal presence in their locker room, and Tucker adopted that role fairly quickly after coming over.

Of course, the entire “we dogs” mantra that followed the Bucks throughout the postseason was initially coined by Tucker. The team needed something to rally behind, and Tucker’s mentality seemingly grew rooted within the roster. These dogs never gave in, not after falling into an 0-2 hole versus the Brooklyn Nets, not after dropping the first game against the Atlanta Hawks in Milwaukee, and certainly not after losing the first two games of the NBA Finals. They always found a way to fight back and that is because they were dogs.

At the team’s celebration following the title run, a very well-celebrated Tucker took the stage and explained the mindset and how he helped the team embrace such a mentality. It was undeniably riveting and got the crowd fired up as the lead hound delivered an all-time speech that will go down in the team’s history among the most iconic moments to date.

The Bucks will miss that determined voice in their locker room to rally the troops when things get difficult. That is not to say that Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton cannot be those guiding voices, because they can. Yet, it was just a role that Tucker was born to play. He had been playing this role on contending teams all throughout his playing career in pursuit of a title, which finally came to fruition on a team he seemed destined to stay on.

This franchise will miss his vibrant presence and commanding voice that truly showed this team “how to be dogs” upon his arrival.

The Milwaukee Bucks will miss P.J. Tucker’s defensive prowess

Arguably the biggest reason why the Bucks traded for Tucker in the first place was to improve their defense.  Ultimately, the front office was right to push their chips to the center of the table mid-season as Tucker’s defense would be useful all throughout the postseason.

While the team utilized him in every round, it was most prevalent in their second round series with the Brooklyn Nets. Tucker was assigned to guard Kevin Durant, who is one of the greatest scorers to ever touch a basketball. While he did not stop the forward by any means, Tucker made every bucket from KD a tough one by playing some of the best defense of his career. Without his dire defense throughout that series, the Bucks do not win in seven games and they certainly do not go on and win the title.

The team will miss that defensive presence next season. While both Antetokounmpo and Holiday are All-Defensive caliber defenders, Tucker was their versatile piece. He could guard the opposing team’s best offensive player and allow Milwaukee’s other defenders to work elsewhere, which clearly proved to be a winning formula. Without Tucker, they will be missing that hole in their roster this coming season. While Ojeleye has the potential to be a key piece defensively, he is not Tucker, as previously mentioned.

Losing Tucker is a tough blow for the Bucks, particularly as it seems like it came on their own accord. Nevertheless, they will have to defend their title next season without him in the fold.