3 disastrous mistakes the Bucks must avoid making this summer
By Elaine Blum
The Milwaukee Bucks ended their season in dramatic fashion, and not in a good way. They were the number one seed in the East and widely projected to go to the NBA Finals. Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat had something to say about that, however, and eliminated the Bucks in five games.
The series was characterized by another emergence of “Playoff Jimmy,” an injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo, and questionable moves from the Bucks. It is easy to make the argument that if Antetokounmpo hadn’t gotten hurt and missed the first three games, the series would have looked much different.
On the other hand, however, it does not do to dwell on what-ifs and the Bucks also lost with their star being available and putting up good numbers. Besides, the last loss included blowing a 16-point lead, so while some of the Bucks’ demise can be ascribed to the phenomenon that is Jimmy Butler, everything else was in their hands. They just let it slip through their fingers and are now facing an early offseason filled with plenty of tough questions to answer.
Giannis said that in his eyes the season was not a failure, and he might be right, but it was surely a heavy disappointment that could have serious consequences. So, let’s look at three disastrous mistakes the Bucks must avoid making this summer.
3 disastrous mistakes the Bucks must avoid making this summer
3. Lose Giannis Antetokounmpo’s commitment
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a generational talent, a player that you never want to lose. Lucky for the Bucks, he is also a very loyal player and not the type who bolts at the first sign of trouble. For now, Giannis is still under contract until 2025, but he also becomes extension eligible this summer. That extension would be incredibly pricey, but it would also lock him down over the 2027-28 season. Of course, keeping their star around forever would be the dream, but it comes with a price that goes beyond money.
Giannis probably won’t sign the extension right away, so it is up to the Bucks to make it as appealing as possible to him. They have to make changes, and those changes have to translate to wins right away. Giannis is in his prime, he wants to compete, so blowing it up and building a new squad around him is not an option. Their best chance would be to run it back while they still can with their aging roster and try to replicate the 2021 championship season.