After yet another eventful season, the Milwaukee Bucks are set to have eight players potentially test the waters of free agency this offseason.
With the future of a sizeable portion of their roster uncertain, general manager Jon Horst and co. will be quite busy once free agency ultimately begins. They will have to make several tough calls, as running it back with the same roster in tow seems incredibly unlikely. With the Big 3 all under contract, the front office thankfully will not have to make any seismic changes there, but making the correct moves to surround them with the proper talent will be a crucial task. With that being said, here is what the Milwaukee Bucks should do with all eight of their potential free agents.
What should the Milwaukee Bucks do with Thanasis Antetokounmpo this offseason?
This first one should not be too controversial, given that anyone could see the decision coming from a mile away. Thanasis Antetokounmpo will have a player option worth $1.8 million for the 2022-23 NBA season, and it would be shocking to see him decline it. Although the forward has not played significant minutes with the Bucks over the past two seasons, he has served as their biggest sideline spark. Antetokounmpo has always been a vocal presence for Milwaukee both on and off the floor, especially to his younger brother Giannis Antetokounmpo, who he has been the biggest hype man for during their time together with the franchise. While his role has never been significant, Thanasis has shown some glimpses of potential at times due to his tenacity, defense, and overall energy out on the floor, so keeping him around on a team-friendly deal is very low risk. All signs point to Antetokounmpo accepting his player option and sticking with the Bucks for yet another season, which was always expected.
What should the Milwaukee Bucks do with Lindell Wigginton this offseason?
Like Thanasis Antetokounmpo, another player that did not see too much time with the Bucks this past season was Lindell Wigginton. The point guard came aboard mid-season via a two-way deal, and although he never played a significant role, he did show some flashes here and there when he took the floor in mop-up duty with his shooting, scoring, and overall energy. After appearing in just 19 games with the Bucks, Wigginton is set to be a restricted free agent, and it does not seem too likely that he will be back with the team, given his minimal minutes. Yet, it would not be shocking to see Wigginton stay within the state, as he could likely return to the Wisconsin Herd, the Bucks’ G-League affiliate in Oshkosh. Wigginton has prior experience with the Herd, and playing there in 2022-23 could help continue his development. If he were to excel with the Herd, Wigginton could potentially even be back with the Bucks at some point next season, but that is just speculation. For now, it would be surprising to see the Bucks retain Wigginton in NBA free agency.