The Milwaukee Bucks have been busy retooling their roster in free agency after securing their first title in over 50 years.
Among the transactions, one player that will not be returning to the team is Bryn Forbes, who agreed to return to the San Antonio Spurs after one year with the Bucks. While the financial specifics of the deal remain unknown, the writing was always on the wall that Forbes would likely be the first free agent out the door, given that he was likely seeking a hefty raise and saw his role in the rotation minimize as the postseason went on.
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With Forbes expectedly leaving, the Bucks lose arguably their best 3-point shooter and a player that boasted the fourth-most efficient percentage from deep during the regular season in 2020-21.
Forbes was such a stellar fit for the Bucks because his shooting made him a perfect pairing with Giannis Antetokounmpo. With the Greek Freak bulldozing his way to the basket, having a reliable shooter in Forbes out on the perimeter proved to be a great one-two punch offensively.
According to NBA.com/stats, Forbes spent 698 minutes paired alongside Giannis in the regular season, the most among any of his teammates. It was a rather simple formula constructed by head coach Mike Budenholzer to keep the two close together, but one that ultimately proved to be a key dynamic in their success.
With Forbes back in San Antonio, where he spent the previous four years of his career, the Bucks will be looking for someone to take that role and provide a massive dose of outside shooting next to Antetokounmpo. It would appear that they already have some qualified options on their roster in that regard, and here are three players that could potentially earn a spot in the rotation with Forbes leaving.
Grayson Allen could replace Bryn Forbes for the Milwaukee Bucks next season
First and foremost, many do not think of sharpshooting when they think of Grayson Allen, and understandably so.
The guard is mostly known for his antics on the court, but after surprisingly being traded to the Bucks Friday afternoon, he could help shore up their shooting. After all, the 25-year-old has shot 38.1 percent from behind the arc throughout the first three seasons of his career. That includes coming off his most productive season yet in 2020-21 by shooting 39.1 percent on 5.5 attempts per game with the Memphis Grizzlies.
While Allen is not classified as the knockdown shooter that Forbes is, he will still bring a nice shooting touch to the team’s rotation. That will make him an easy pairing with Giannis in the lineup by providing the Greek Freak with some floor spacing. In addition to his shooting, Allen should be an all-around impactful rotational piece with his defense, hustle, and everything else he brings to the table.
The Bucks paid a solid price to acquire Allen as they gave up Sam Merrill (a guard who could have easily made this list) and two future second round picks. Yet, it seems like it will be worth it as Allen should be a meaningful contributor from day one with his new team.