Following their embarrassing first round loss to the Miami Heat, the Milwaukee Bucks will have an assortment of decisions to make with the roster this off-season.
Among them involve deciding which impending free agents will return and which will be forced to find new homes in the off-season. The Bucks have 10 players eligible to be free agents in the next few months, and it is no secret that not all of them be back. Whether it is due to cost, role, fit, or a different reason, there are bound to be several players playing elsewhere next season, and let us look at three Bucks who are the least likely to return to Milwaukee.
3 Milwaukee Bucks’ free agents least likely to return next season: Meyers Leonard
Needing to shore up their center depth after trading away Serge Ibaka, the Bucks signed veteran center Meyers Leonard. The big man suited up in nine regular season games and served as a fine third center behind Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis. His role was never going to be significant, and as he hits the open market once again, he likely will not be a priority for the Bucks amidst several key players also set to enter free agency.
While brief, Leonard showed that he has something left in the tank during his time with the Bucks after about two years away from the NBA. He might not be a starter or a key rotational piece, but he can add center depth for any team lacking in the frontcourt. At 7-feet tall, he provides excellent spacing as a 39 percent 3-point shooting for his career.
If the team is looking for center depth at some point next season and Leonard is available, then it would not be surprising to see the Bucks bring him back. However, it simply does not seem likely that Leonard is in Milwaukee’s long-term plans at this moment.
3 Milwaukee Bucks’ free agents least likely to return next season: Goran Dragic
Just like Meyers Leonard, Goran Dragic was a depth signing for the Bucks, who needed a backup point guard behind Jrue Holiday and Jevon Carter. Unsurprisingly, Dragic had a non-existent role with the Bucks after coming over in the buyout market and will now enter the free agency pool.
Though he’s nearly 37 years old, Dragic could have some suitors this off-season. He had a solid season, having averaged 6.3 points and 2.6 assists in 15 minutes per game with the Bucks and Chicago Bulls. The point guard could be a savvy ball-handler for any team looking to shore up its backcourt depth in free agency for a low cost. He might not be the player he once was, but Dragic can still make an impact as a second-unit ball-handler.
Dragic is unlikely to return to the Bucks due to the team’s other needs, such as trying to retain the second-string point guard, Jevon Carter. He has a player option that he will almost certainly decline in free agency, and the Bucks will likely look to bring him back. Dragic could also be seeking a more prominent role elsewhere as he nears his age-37 season, and Milwaukee cannot offer it right now. Who knows, Dragic could also call it a career and retire, but it remains to be seen what his future holds at this point.
3 Milwaukee Bucks’ free agents least likely to return next season: Jae Crowder
The Jae Crowder experiment went far from what the Bucks expected. Milwaukee hoped that the forward could provide excellent defense, toughness, and shooting, but he instead found himself primarily on the bench in two of the team’s most crucial games of the season. Many believed that Crowder was supposed to be this team’s P.J. Tucker, but instead, the only similarity they share is that they both might leave the team in free agency.
One would think that Crowder wasn’t pleased with essentially being sidelined in Milwaukee’s final two playoff contests. Whether it was due to contract issues or losing his starting spot, Crowder’s decision to sit out the first part of this season now looks like a mistake due to his minimal role in Milwaukee down the stretch. He was hampered by a calf injury, but it seemed hard for the wing to get minutes over Wesley Matthews in Mike Budenholzer’s rotation even when he was healthy.
To be clear, Crowder struggled plenty. It would be interesting to see what he could do with a legit off-season under his belt and not starting the season mid-way through, but it is unclear if he will do so in Milwaukee. While the Bucks have his bird rights, that doesn’t mean much these days, as the Bucks also had Tucker’s bird rights before letting him go. Tucker helped the Bucks win a title, and they still let him go. It’d be a bit surprising if they retained Crowder after how things turned out down the stretch.
Crowder’s time with the Bucks was supposed to be something right out of a movie as the former Marquette star returned to Milwaukee. He was supposed to be the ultimate missing piece and needle mover for this team. Unfortunately, it never quite panned out like that.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis throughout the off-season.