3 players the Milwaukee Bucks should target with hardship exception
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks have fallen under some hard times lately.
Milwaukee’s injury report continues growing at a rapid rate as players continue entering the league’s health and safety protocols hourly. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donte DiVincenzo, Wesley Matthews, and Bobby Portis are key players to recently be placed in the protocols. In addition to those players, the team is without Brook Lopez, Semi Ojeleye, and Thanasis Antetokounmpo due to injuries. Khris Middleton, DeMarcus Cousins, and George Hill have also missed time recently.
With a big chunk of their roster currently sidelined, the Bucks could use reinforcements to stay afloat. ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted on Friday that they are among the teams that can currently utilize a hardship exception to try and help with their roster issues. Essentially, this means they can sign a free agent to a short-term deal because they are missing a certain amount of players. That could be enticing for the short-handed Bucks, and here are three players they should look at signing with a hardship exception if they are searching for extra help.
The Milwaukee Bucks could target Bismack Biyombo with their hardship exception
With both Antetokounmpo brothers, Lopez, Portis, and Ojeleye sidelined, the team is incredibly thin on size in the frontcourt. Rather than relying on the newly-signed Cousins and a rookie in Sandro Mamukelashvili, the Bucks should look to bring in some size. Scouring the free agent market, a player like Bismack Biyombo is someone that could help this team immediately by giving them a quality center that could play a meaningful role on impact.
Throughout his 10-year NBA career, Biyombo made a living by rebounding and playing tough defense down low. Averaging 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in his career, the big man could be very helpful for a Milwaukee team that is lacking in both departments right now with virtually every big body sidelined. At 29-years-old, the veteran surely still has something left to give to a team needing center depth, and Milwaukee would be a fitting destination.
Even if it is just for a quick cup of coffee, the Bucks would be wise to give serious consideration to signing Biyombo utilizing their exception. It is somewhat surprising that the veteran is available on the market after an entire offseason and nearly a third of the regular season. The Bucks could be the team to finally change that and give him another shot in the league.