The Milwaukee Bucks have an incredibly deep roster that is primarily full of experienced veterans.
General Manager Jon Horst and the rest of the front office have done an excellent job of retooling this roster over the past few months while keeping the core components intact. Players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday will continue to get the most praise mightily and will be the determining factor in this team’s success, but there are several role players who will also be important. In fact, there are a few players who could potentially be secret weapons for this team down the line in the sense that they could come up huge in certain situations.
With that said, let us look at three Bucks who fit the description.
3 Secret weapons that could come up big for the Milwaukee Bucks: Joe Ingles
When the Bucks signed Joe Ingles in free agency this past off-season, it was an interesting move in every sense. The veteran has made a living in this league due to his scoring and facilitating, and those two attributes would certainly help this team when Ingles eventually returned from an ACL rehabilitation. Ingles got off to an understandably slow start as he tried to get into a groove, but as the season has gone on, he’s been better and better, especially lately.
Ingles is having a tremendous month of March thus far by averaging 11.3 points and 3.7 assists while shooting 61.5 percent from the floor and 60 percent from three. By doing so, he has shown that he can make a major difference off the bench when he is firing on all cylinders. The excellent 3-point shooting is always welcome, but Ingles’ ability to handle and facilitate the basketball has also been an interesting dynamic, as it frees up Milwaukee’s main stars from constantly having to orchestrate the offense. The forward will never be a standout defensively, but when he is making plays offensively, it helps keeps the offense flowing, which has been a problem in the past.
Ingles is the least secretive weapon on this list because he does play a solid role for the Bucks, but it feels like he is just starting to round into his true form. With the regular season winding down, it seems like Ingles is starting to play his best basketball of the year, and if he can keep it up, he may surprise some people in the coming months. He’s become an integral part of this team, and that is likely not going to change. Ingles will play in high-leverage situations, and if he can replicate what he has been doing this month, the veteran could make a major difference.
3 Secret weapons that could come up big for the Milwaukee Bucks: Goran Dragic
Teams typically do not get “secret weapons” off of the buyout market, but the Milwaukee Bucks could potentially have an exception this year in Goran Dragic. On paper, Dragic is essentially just a depth piece to give the team a third-string point guard behind Jrue Holiday and Jevon Carter. Yet, if given some legitimate minutes, Dragic could possibly make an impact off of the bench.
At 36 years old, Dragic’s best days are behind him, but he’s still got some fuel left in the tank for a team looking to make a deep playoff run. The guard has always been known to up his game in the postseason, having averaged 14.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 60 career games. He’s another player who can handle, facilitate, and score the basketball at a high level.
Dragic’s role with the Bucks will not be significant, but it would not be too surprising to see him in the lineup situationally. Dragic is the type of player who could have a Grayson Allen-type moment versus the Chicago Bulls in the 2021 playoffs. Allen stepped up mightily in two games against the Bulls by scoring 22 and 27 points in back-to-back games. Dragic might not consistently produce big numbers, but he could certainly pop off in a significant game or two.
Dragic is a sneaky good buyout signing for the Bucks, and it will be interesting to see his role as the regular season winds down.
3 Secret weapons that could come up big for the Milwaukee Bucks: Wesley Matthews
Wesley Matthews has not played a prominent role for the Bucks this season, having averaged just 15.6 minutes per game, which is a new career low. On top of that, the swingman has battled many injuries, specifically calf and hamstring issues. Despite all of that, there may be a role for him down the line, particularly in the postseason.
Matthews also did not play a prominent role for the Bucks during the regular season last year, but his importance skyrocketed when he became a starter right before the playoffs. Though the Bucks should make a lineup change with Jae Crowder as the fifth starter instead of Matthews this year, the veteran could still get quality minutes. Matthews’ defensive versatility is tremendous, as he is capable of defending multiple positions at a high level. Even at 36 years old, Matthews can still be an impact player on the defensive side of the ball while hitting some threes.
Right now, it seems like Matthews might be the forgotten man in Milwaukee’s rotation, but there is no doubt that Coach Budenholzer will find some time for him situationally. When the Bucks have a big scoring wing on the opposite side of the floor, the hope is that Crowder and Matthews could take turns playing physical defense on them. If Matthews can help the Bucks out in that regard, he could undoubtedly be a secret weapon for this team. He’s shown over the past year that he is still capable of playing outstanding defense when called upon, and the Bucks will put it to the test.
Stay tuned to see how these three play as the NBA regular season winds down.