3 reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks should pursue Goran Dragić
By Dalton Sell
After acquiring Serge Ibaka at the trade deadline, the Milwaukee Bucks are expected to continue seeking roster upgrades through the buyout market. While there are several players that would be fitting targets for the defending champions, one player they reportedly could express interest in is Goran Dragić, the NBA’s 2013-14 Most Improved Player.
The 35-year-old guard was traded to the San Antonio Spurs on the day of the deadline, and ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the two sides are likely to negotiate a contract buyout, which would allow Dragić to finish the season elsewhere. Wojnarowski followed that up by stating that the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, LA Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, and the Bucks are all expected to pursue the former All-Star guard.
Once he is bought out, Dragić will be among the most sought-after targets on the market, and the Bucks would be wise to make a run at him. With that said, let us look at three reasons why.
Goran Dragić would bring battle-tested experience to the Milwaukee Bucks
Given their championship desires, the Bucks are always in the hunt for experienced veterans that can help them reach that goal. Dragić has been in the association for 14 seasons and has played 872 regular season games, as well as 56 playoff games, including a trip to the NBA Finals during the 2019-20 season, meaning he fits the billing in that regard.
As noted by Wojnarowski, the veteran “has an outstanding postseason pedigree and a penchant for immediately taking on leadership roles with teams,” which would be welcoming additions to this Milwaukee locker room. While the Bucks have plenty of postseason pedigree of their own in the locker room following last year’s title run, bringing in a seasoned veteran like Dragić could be an added boost to help this team in their quest to repeat as NBA Champions.
Though there are Bucks fans that hold some animosity toward Dragić due to his antics in his last two playoff meetings with Milwaukee, his presence could be great with this team. If everyone is willing to let bygones be bygones to pursue the ultimate goal of a title, then Dragić makes sense as a target for this team. Milwaukee’s potential interest suggests that may very well be the case.