The Milwaukee Bucks have officially signed Goran Dragic to a deal for the rest of the season after it was speculated for the past few days that they would.
Dragic was recently waived by the Chicago Bulls, which allowed him to pursue other opportunities. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Dragic spoke with a few contenders before landing in Milwaukee, as the Bucks were the destination he saw the most fitting. Dragic will now join the Bucks for their stretch run as they look to make a run at another title. With all of that said, here is a grade for the Bucks’ signing of Dragic based on several key factors.
Grading the Milwaukee Bucks’ signing of Goran Dragic – The financial aspect
As is the procedure with all buyout signings, Dragic’s deal was not expected to cost the Bucks an arm and a leg. According to Spotrac, that is indeed the case, as Dragic’s deal to finish the season in Milwaukee is worth $617,911. For a team with limited financial flexibility, these buyout pieces tend to be great low-cost additions for the Bucks, and that remains the case here. Dragic might have been arguably the best player on the current buyout market, so picking him up on a cheap deal like this one is a great move by the Bucks.
Now, while Dragic’s deal itself is team-friendly, it is bound to increase the team’s already hefty luxury tax bill. That shows exactly how the Bucks feel about the veteran, as they have had their eye on him for over a year now. Depending on what they decide to do with Meyers Leonard, who is on the second of two 10-day contracts, it could increase even more. That shows how much the front office is willing to spend to put this team in the best position possible to compete.
On the surface, this is a solid deal, especially considering what Dragic could bring to the table.
Grading the Milwaukee Bucks’ signing of Goran Dragic – His fit and role
From a fit standpoint, Dragic will slide nicely into the Bucks’ backcourt rotation as the third-string point guard. The Bucks were in need of another point guard as insurance behind Jrue Holiday and Jevon Carter after they traded away George Hill at the deadline. Not only did they add a guard, but they got arguably the best name on this season’s buyout market to back those two up.
On the floor, Dragic provides scoring, shooting, and facilitating, all of which will help him fit right in with the Bucks. Dragic could play in no shortage of lineup combinations the Bucks throw out onto the floor, and his long-range shooting is a big reason for that. Per NBA.com/stats, Dragic has shot 39-of-90 (43.3 percent) on his catch-and-shoot threes this season, which is something the Bucks will value mightily. That shooting will help him fit tremendously with whoever else is on the floor.
As for his role, Dragic will be Milwaukee’s third-string floor general, meaning his minutes will not be prominent nightly. When he is on the floor, Dragic will be tasked with being another ball handler to alleviate pressure off of Milwaukee’s other floor generals. If he can orchestrate the offense to a degree and get his teammate involved while creating his own shot, it would help mightily. A team can never have too much depth, so even if Dragic’s role is not huge, it will help to have him.
Grading the Milwaukee Bucks’ compelling signing of Goran Dragic – Grade
As far as late-season signings go, the Milwaukee Bucks hit it out of the park with this one.
Sure, Dragic might not be the player he once was, but when it comes to third-string point guards, it doesn’t get much better than Dragic. He’ll slot nicely into the rotation behind Holiday and Carter to form a lethal three-headed monster at the point guard rotation. While Carter is more known for his defensive tenacity, Dragic is more of a traditional point guard, so the signing does offer some variety for Head Coach Mike Budenholzer to utilize if needed.
Again, this is also a buyout signing, so it’s incredibly low risk for no shortage of reasons. The Bucks did not give up a ton of assets to acquire Dragic like this was a trade. Above all else, the team now has a third-string point guard on a cheap deal who can give the other ball-handlers a breather as needed. As one of the final two players on this roster, Dragic is undoubtedly not expected to be a game-changer, but he could certainly help this team as the season goes on. Adding Dragic is the latest move in what has been a solid string of deals done by General Manager Jon Horst.
BTBP Grade: A
It should be interesting to see what Goran Dragic’s tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks has in store.