Jevon Carter is unlikely to return to the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency
The Milwaukee Bucks added Jevon Carter through the buyout market in a move that was initially glossed over, but after a solid run, he will likely be heading elsewhere, unfortunately.
With George Hill sidelined due to various injuries, the Bucks utilized Carter heavily as their backup point guard, and he took advantage of the opportunity. Carter quickly became a fan favorite with his tenacious defense, having picked up opposing players the full length of the floor to disrupt the ball-handlers. On top of that, he was shooting the basketball better than ever before, having put up the best numbers of his career on offense during his brief time in Milwaukee. Carter was the perfect backup point guard for the Bucks, but, unfortunately, coach Mike Budenholzer did not see it that way.
Despite Carter’s strong play, Budenholzer immediately placed Hill back into the rotation once he was healthy again, which proved to be a head-scratching move. To put it lightly, Hill was terrible for the Bucks all season, and giving Carter his minutes was a no-brainer. Yet, Budenholzer rode with Hill until the very end, having played him significant minutes in the postseason while also inexcusably keeping Carter on the sidelines to watch. That had to be a frustrating experience for Carter, and no one could blame him for leaving after he was wronged.
Carter already posted a message on his Instagram that feels like a goodbye, thanking the city of Milwaukee. Teams will be in the hunt for a scrappy, defensive-minded point guard in free agency, so Carter should have no problem finding a new home on the open market. If the Bucks had not handed Hill another guaranteed year on his contract for next season, bringing Carter back would be an easy decision, but that is not the case, unfortunately.
Stay tuned to see how things unravel for these Milwaukee Bucks in free agency.