Shortly after the trade deadline passed, the Milwaukee Bucks were rumored to be in the running for one of the biggest names on the buyout market.
According to The Athletic’s John Hollinger (Subscription required), the Bucks were a “hot spot” for Reggie Jackson. While Milwaukee was a justifiable landing spot for the veteran, any hope that he would end up with the Bucks was quite short-lived. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Jackson plans to sign with the Denver Nuggets after securing a buyout. That takes a big name off of the board for the Bucks, but there are still a few other options out there worth considering.
Backup options for the Bucks after Reggie Jackson signs with Nuggets
It is unclear just how interested in Jackson the Bucks were, but it would make sense for them to add another point guard via the buyout. After trading away George Hill in a deal for Jae Crowder, the team has two point guards in Jrue Holiday and Jevon Carter, and another would do some good. There are certainly some interesting names on the market if Milwaukee wants a point guard.
The most obvious Bucks’ candidate is Patrick Beverley, who is set to receive a swift buyout from the Orlando Magic. Beverley has made a living in this league due to his defensive intensity, having earned three All-Defensive nods during his career. Alongside Crowder, Beverley would add some more toughness, defense, and experience to this veteran roster.
It should also be noted that Beverley may have possibly been recruited to Milwaukee in the past by Giannis Antetokounmpo. On an episode of The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone, Beverley recalled a previous encounter he had with Antetokounmpo ahead of a game. Through an impersonation of Giannis, Beverley recalled that Giannis said, “I like you, Pat. You want to win championship? I like you. You come to Milkwaukee, Pat. I like you.”
Who knows if Antetokounmpo was simply playing around, but Beverley and the two-time MVP do have a great sense of respect for each other. If Giannis likes him, it would not hurt to bring him into the fold, especially if he can bring some of that reputable defense to the floor on a nightly basis.
Beverley is the most understandable target for the Bucks for all of the reasons above, but the list will get somewhat controversial from there. The next two high-profile point guards on the list are both experienced veterans with solid resumes, but there are questions as to how they would fit in with the Bucks. The first is Russell Westbrook, who is currently deciding whether or not he would like to be bought out by the Utah Jazz. If so, a handful of teams could look into adding him.
From a fit standpoint, Westbrook would not be seamless in Milwaukee by any means. He is not a great long-distance shooter, and his desire to attack the hoop could make things complicated with Giannis Antetokounmpo. His turnovers are also a problem, as the guard has a tendency to turn the ball over due to careless passes. To his credit, Westbrook looked pretty decent in a bench role with the Lakers this season, having scored and facilitated the basketball well at times. If the Bucks did have an interest in signing him, it would be to add an experienced guard, who has an MVP under his belt, to this bench brigade.
The other big-name point guard is John Wall, who will be bought out by the Rockets anytime now. Wall had a rough time finding his footing this season and desperately needed a change of scenery. He’s not a perfect fit for the Bucks, given that he is a poor long-range shooter and not the greatest defender, but he could still help this team in some ways. He is a tremendous passer, having put up 8.9 assists per contest in his career. The veteran could alleviate some of the ball-handling duties from Milwaukee’s other stars. Coach Mike Budenholzer loves to utilize two point guard lineups, and a backcourt of Jrue Holiday and John Wall would be interesting.
These are just three point guards the Bucks could consider if they view that as a position of need in the coming weeks. Point guard is not the only need for this current roster, as another center would not hurt, but another floor general could help fortify the rotation before the stretch run.
Stay tuned to see what the Bucks do with their final two roster spots.