3 Milwaukee Bucks’ free agent targets with ties to Jrue Holiday
By Dalton Sell
Over 13 NBA seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Milwaukee Bucks, Jrue Holiday has played with no shortage of interesting players.
As the Bucks look to retool their roster this offseason, perhaps they could look into adding some of those former teammates, particularly in free agency. There will be several intriguing names on the free agent market with ties to Holiday this coming offseason, several of which could help the Bucks patch up some holes on their roster. With all that being said, let us look at three soon-to-be free agents that fit the description.
Tyreke Evans could be a free agent target for the Milwaukee Bucks
Not only were Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans teammates for three and a half years as members of the New Orleans Pelicans, but they were almost reunited again last season. The Milwaukee Bucks expressed interest in signing the former Rookie of the Year late in the year, and they even brought him aboard the Wisconsin Herd, their G-League affiliate, to get a closer look at him. Ultimately, a signing to the Bucks never materialized as Evans suffered an injury and was waived by the Herd. Several months have passed since then, and perhaps Milwaukee’s front office could take another look at the 32-year-old this offseason.
The most notable reason why the Bucks could take another look at Evans is his ability to score the basketball at will. Prior to his two-year ban for violating the league’s anti-drug policy, Evans made a living as a scorer throughout his career by averaging 15.7 points per contest across 10 seasons. One of the most prominent issues for the Bucks throughout the 2021-22 season was their lack of reliable second unit scoring, having averaged the 27th most points per game in that category, per NBA.com/stats. If Evans could possibly pick up where he left off, the veteran could potentially be a much-needed spark off Milwaukee’s bench. Simultaneously, the 6-foot-6 swingman would shore up the team’s wing depth, another key box on general manager Jon Horst’s offseason to-do list.
If Evans is still looking to get back into the league, the Bucks could be the team to offer him a shot. The two sides already have that familiarity from last season, and taking a flyer on the veteran may be a low-risk move. Furthermore, Evans will almost certainly not command a hefty amount on the free agent market, given that he is simply looking to make his NBA return after missing these past three years. On a minimum or even a non-guaranteed deal, Evans would be worth taking a look at.