Milwaukee Bucks: Regrading the highly discussed Torrey Craig signing

Reevaluating Torrey Craig’s role with the Milwaukee Bucks

This is where things got controversial for Craig and the Bucks. When the signing first went down, everyone envisioned Craig having a clear-cut role in the rotation.

His exceptional defense would help him fit right in under head coach Mike Budenholzer, giving the two-time Coach of the Year another versatile threat to plug into lineups alongside players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Donte DiVincenzo, and, of course, Holiday. Offensively, not much was ever expected from him as he was a poor shooter and never averaged the gaudiest scoring numbers previously. However, Craig never quite got the chance to show his worth with the Bucks as he took a backseat in the rotation for his entire time with the franchise.

This was largely due to injuries that hindered Craig early on in his tenure in Milwaukee. Initially, it was a groin injury that limited him in training camp, but the bigger blow would come during their third game of the season when Craig would break his nose against the New York Knicks. Having missed several weeks with the injury, the forward would never manage to carve out a role for himself, with Budenholzer often opting to play Thanasis Antetokounmpo in his place.

Craig’s aforementioned attributes made this decision from Budenholzer a highly controversial one that seemingly divided the fanbase. Some believed that Craig should have indeed had a role in the rotation, particularly on nights where it was clear that the Bucks needed another wing defender on the floor. Once they traded him away, some discussed how much this would come back to bite the team down the line, with The Ringer’s Johnathan Tjarks calling Craig their “secret weapon.”

The title win has silenced all of the Craig controversy surrounding his role and whether or not he should have received a larger opportunity. That is all in the past now.