Desperately needing to shore up their shooting last offseason, the Milwaukee Bucks came to an agreement with Bryn Forbes in free agency.
Considering Forbes had established himself as a reputable outside shooter throughout his first four seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, and the Bucks were hoping he could continue that trend. Inking the guard to a two-year deal worth $4.7 million, with the second year being a player option, it looked like general manager Jon Horst may have stumbled upon a hidden gem in free agency.
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Jordan Treske initially gave the deal a B- when it was announced, citing that while Forbes’ sharpshooting had the potential to make waves with the Bucks, there were concerns about how he would hold up on the defensive end.
Ultimately, that all proved to be true, but Forbes would quickly develop into a key piece for the Bucks as they battled their way to an NBA title. With that being said, it looks like this grade needs an update.
Here is a look back at the Forbes signing and how that initial grade might differ an offseason later.
The financial perspective of Bryn Forbes’ deal for the Milwaukee Bucks
Set to make less than $5 million over both years on his deal, Forbes’ deal was never seen as much of a gamble.
It was a low-risk signing for the Bucks, and they would ultimately end up paying for just the first year after the guard declined his $2.4 million player option that would have seen him stick around in Milwaukee for 2021-22. Given the career year that he put together with the Bucks, it came as no surprise when he declined the option to test the free agent waters. He certainly earned the right after a fantastic year with the Bucks where he unquestionably outplayed his initial deal.
Making less than $2.5 million in his lone year in Milwaukee, Forbes certainly proved to be a bargain signing for them as he quickly made a name for himself with the team. The Bucks utilized the rest of their midlevel exception to sign the guard after spending most of it on the now mind boggling signing of D.J. Augustin. Looking at several other players that were on the market at the time of the signing, the Bucks hit a home-run by signing Forbes with the rest of their midlevel money.
All in all, given how things traspired, the financial aspect of this deal could not have gone relatively any better for the Bucks. After he opted out, they would have a very little chance to retian him due to their financial restrictions, which proved true as he returned to the Spurs on a one-year deal worth $4.5 million.