NBA Free Agency: 5 remaining players the Milwaukee Bucks should target
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks wasted no time getting busy once 2022 NBA free agency officially opened this past Thursday.
Within the first hour, the front office took care of their own by handing new deals to Bobby Portis, Jevon Carter, and Wesley Matthews while also bringing in a new face in Joe Ingles. Aside from the signing of Ingles, it was a routine free agency for the Bucks, as they were expected to focus on bringing back a key trio of their own players rather than look to retool externally. Now, though the Bucks are low on financial flexibility, they still have a chance to add more free agent talent through minimum deals. Milwaukee’s roster is mostly full at the moment, but with both Rayjon Tucker and Luca Vildoza on non-guaranteed deals while Jordan Nwora is a restricted free agent, the team has the ability to make some room if the right opportunity, or player, presents itself. With all that said, here are five remaining free agents for the Bucks to pursue.
The Milwaukee Bucks could pursue free agent Dwight Howard
One current need for the Milwaukee Bucks is to add another big man. The center position was one of note last season as the team played most of the year without Brook Lopez, who underwent an abrupt back procedure early in the year. While Bobby Portis did a great job filling in, the Bucks had a noticeable lack of depth at the position, and they could look to avoid having that concern again in 2022-23 by targeting a veteran center such as Dwight Howard.
At this point in his career, Howard is no longer the dominant center that he once was, but he could be more than serviceable in a backup role. Over the past three years, where he has primarily come off the bench, the center has averaged 6.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and nearly one block per contest. Even at 36-years-old, Howard could give any team some quality minutes at the center position by providing some added interior protection and strong rebounding, both of which the Bucks should look to stock up on before next season. Even if Milwaukee’s front office brought Howard on as an insurance policy at center behind Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis, it would be a justifiable decision after the troubles they endured at the position last season.
Financially, Howard will not likely be in the market for significant compensation. The veteran will potentially be available for a minimum if he decides to continue his playing career, which puts him within Milwaukee’s price range. Perhaps the idea of competing for a championship alongside his former head coach Mike Budenholzer could be an enticing thought for Howard as he ponders the next steps in his basketball career.