As they look to put the finishing touches on their roster, the Milwaukee Bucks are rumored to be looking into signing a household name.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bucks are the current frontrunners to sign veteran guard Goran Dragic after he was recently waived by the Chicago Bulls. Milwaukee’s interest dates back to last season, as they made a persistent effort to sign Dragic before he landed in Brooklyn. Dragic is currently in Milwaukee to speak with the Bucks staff, and a deal could be reached at any moment. With that said, here are the pros and cons of the team signing him.
The pros of the Milwaukee Bucks signing Goran Dragic
Once George Hill was moved at the trade deadline, many wondered if the team would look to add a third-string point guard. Not only does their interest in Dragic confirm that they are looking, but it shows that they are also looking at arguably the best name on the market. Even if Dragic is just signed for depth purposes, this would be a solid move to create a deep point guard rotation behind Jrue Holiday and Jevon Carter.
On the court, the 36-year-old did not put up the flashiest numbers this year, having averaged just 6.4 points, 2.7 assists, and 1.4 rebounds per game. However, he could still be a serviceable player situationally, giving the Bucks an experienced guard who can score, shoot, and facilitate very well. He could be used to give Holiday and Carter a quality breather every now and then.
Also, Dragic has always upped his game in the playoffs. During his regular season career, he has averaged 13.3 points, 4.7 assists, and three rebounds, but during his 60 career playoff contests, he has posted 14.6 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. Having a player who can still kick it into another gear once the playoffs start will never hurt, given Milwaukee’s championship aspirations.
If the Bucks were to sign Dragic this late in the season, it would not cost much by NBA standards, which would be another win for a team that lacks financial flexibility. Depending on what the team does with Meyers Leonard, Dragic would be the 14th or 15th player on Milwaukee’s roster; it does not get much better than that.
The cons of the Milwaukee Bucks signing Goran Dragic
While signing Dragic makes a ton of sense for the Bucks, there are still some reasons fans are not fully bought into the idea of adding the veteran.
First and foremost, fans are worried that the addition of Dragic could bump Jevon Carter, who is in the midst of a career year, out of the rotation. Something similar happened last season when the guard was left out of the playoff rotation in favor of George Hill, despite Carter proving to be much better statistically. Fans do not want a repeat of that with Dragic. It seems more likely that Coach Mike Budenholzer would utilize Dragic over Carter only in certain situations, given that Dragic is a few inches taller. Still, those memories from last season linger in the minds of fans everywhere.
Another issue some might take is that Dragic is 36 years old and is about to be 37. The Bucks had the oldest roster in the NBA heading into the season, and adding Dragic does not help their quest to add more youth. That is a valid argument, but the chance that the Bucks find some youth this late in the season is small. Some have clamored for the team to give A.J. Green, who is on one of Milwaukee’s two-way contracts, a standard deal to give them some youth, which is a reasonable opinion. However, the Bucks would likely prefer to add a battle-tested veteran in Dragic instead.
Locker room tension is another worry some have developed. The Bucks have preached just how great their locker room has been this season, and some fear that adding Dragic could throw a big wrench into that. Dragic has had his share of run-ins with current Bucks, notably Khris Middleton in the 2021 playoffs. However, if there truly was any bad blood between these guys, the Bucks likely would not consider bringing him in. Bygones will be bygones, and these two will embrace one another if it helps this team compete for another NBA title.
The verdict on the Milwaukee Bucks signing Goran Dragic
The Milwaukee Bucks should not let Goran Dragic leave their facility without inking his signature.
As a “break glass in case of an emergency” point guard, Dragic would be a perfect fit for this team. Again, he should not steal minutes from Carter, but he could be used situationally, and if the guard still has any fuel left in the tank, he could be a sparkplug off the bench. A contending team can not have too many good players, and Dragic would be a great addition to this veteran-oriented roster.
At the end of the day, this would be about as low risk as it gets. Not only would adding Dragic cost the Bucks very little by NBA standards, but he’d also fill a major need at that third point guard slot. At the bare minimum, he’ll bring toughness, postseason experience, and another ball-handler if he is called upon at any moment. There would certainly not be much to dislike about that, especially if Dragic can live up to his typical standards of upping his game when the NBA Playoffs begin.
Stay tuned to see if the Bucks do ultimately land Dragic after missing out on him last season.