The pros and cons of a potential P.J. Tucker reunion for Milwaukee Bucks

The pros of the Milwaukee Bucks bringing back P.J. Tucker in free agency

P.J. Tucker was an enormous piece of the Bucks’ 2021 championship roster. After acquiring him via trade from the Houston Rockets around the trade deadline, Tucker made an immediate impact on not only the team’s performance on the court, but the entire approach and mentality of the locker room as well. Tucker came in and tried to create a culture where the Bucks would all be dogs.

Tucker led by example with a dog-like mentality of his own. Tucker’s consistent energy and valiant defensive efforts radiated through the entire roster. Tucker was a perfect addition for a team looking to compete for a championship, as his addition led to Milwaukee having the best defensive rating of any playoff team last season, per NBA.com/stats.

Milwaukee has always had great defenses in the Mike Budenholzer era, but Tucker helped to put them over the top. Tucker’s individual defense created problems for opponents, as during the 2021 playoffs, Tucker held his matchups to 43.3 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from three. Taking into account the fact that Milwaukee played teams with players such as Jimmy Butler, Kevin Durant, Trae Young, and Devin Booker, that level of defense is off the charts impressive. Tucker’s defense led to him being Milwaukee’s single most impactful player throughout the team’s playoff run, as he had the highest net rating of any player on the team.