Calling 2021 a pretty great year for Milwaukee Bucks fans would be a bit of an understatement. The team won its first championship in 50 years, Giannis Antetokounmpo had a historic playoff run that was capped off with a Finals MVP, and then they saw two of their three best players win gold medals at the Olympics.
That’s not even mentioning some of the fun moments that the team has given fans this season as well as new additions such as Grayson Allen, DeMarcus Cousins, as well as re-acquiring George Hill and Wesley Matthews.
However, as we wrap up 2021, it’s time to look forward, not backward. There are new opportunities ahead for the defending champs and that’s reason to be excited as a fan. With that in mind, here are a few things to look forward to in the new year.
Milwaukee Bucks fans can look forward to the trade deadline in 2022
This is a weird one to kick things off considering there are a couple of much more notable things to look forward to, but almost everyone loves trades and trade rumors. The start of free agency and the week or so leading up to the trade deadline are some of the most active days for NBA fans on the internet whether it’s on blogs (hello), Twitter, Reddit, etc.
Bucks fans are no exception as much of the talk around the team has centered around acquiring a backup big man, potentially a backup point guard, as well as what to do with Donte DiVincenzo and his expiring contract.
Everyone has their opinions on what the Bucks should do, but if there’s one thing I can make almost certain of: they will do something. Since they became contenders in the 2018-19 season (so the last three seasons), general manager Jon Horst has made some type of move around the trade deadline to bolster the roster.
In year one, it was acquiring Nikola Mirotic (which didn’t necessarily pan out, especially in the playoffs). In year two, the Bucks landed Marvin Williams off the buyout market, who was seen as one of the bigger additions from the buyout market that season. And, of course, in year three, it was trading for P.J. Tucker to solidify their defense and add a tough, veteran presence.
Although they don’t have a ton of assets to work with, the Bucks will still be active in the market to improve their roster and give them the best chance to repeat in the new year.