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.
2. Let go of the wrong players
This point ties directly into the point of keeping Giannis happy. He is one of the best players in the universe, but he alone is not enough to win it all. The Bucks need capable pieces around their franchise player, and in the past, those players have been Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez, among others. Two of those players are up for extensions, and seven of the Bucks’ supporting pieces are entering free agency.
The last time the Bucks had a disappointing postseason, they went and traded for Jrue Holiday, which turned out to be a game-changer. Now, ironically because of that very trade, they can’t pull off a similar move. They don’t have any valuable trade assets or the cap space to get a new star player to join forces with Giannis. In other words, the Bucks don’t have the option to majorly retool their roster without giving up some of their competitiveness. So, their only option is to work with what they already have and improve their bench where it is possible.
That means the organization will have to decide who they keep around and who they let go. Making the right moves here is crucial because it will not only shape the next season but also the future beyond that.
Let’s start with Brook Lopez, whose extension should be an easy choice for the Bucks. Lopez had an amazing season, especially defensively. He has been their anchor and proved to be durable despite his age. Extending him will be expensive, but it is a no-brainer. This has to happen.
Another thing that has to happen is figuring out the Khris Middleton dilemma. Middleton has a $40 million player option coming up and three choices: leave, opt in and work out a new extension, or opt-out and negotiate a new contract with the Bucks. One thing here is clear. At this point in his career, that is too much money, and he will not get that much from any other team. He would have many suitors, though, who would be willing to still pay handsomely, and that makes it difficult for the Bucks.
If Middleton wants to stay, which they should definitely encourage, they’ll have to pay him. As ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Subscription required) put it, “Milwaukee cannot afford to not bring [Middleton] back.” He is part of what they have built around Giannis, which would be incredibly difficult to replace, even if he is not the Khris Middleton from two years ago.
So, while players like Jae Crowder, Goran Dragic, and Wesley Matthews are expendable, Lopez and Middleton are not at the moment. Blowing up their core just won’t pay off right now, but if keeping everyone around ends in another disappointing season, it is a real option next year.
1. Make the wrong coaching choice
Something has to change in Milwaukee, and since the Bucks cannot really change their roster much, making a coaching change would be the easiest option. Right now, it might even be the only realistic chance to make a big, long-term change.
Mike Budenholzer won a title with the Bucks in 2021, and keeping him around is still an option. It seems unlikely, though. Winning a title has never saved a coach from losing their job, and Budenholzer might have just reached his expiration date in Milwaukee. If they hadn’t won the 2021 title, Budenholzer might have been fired back then already.
He extended his stay with a title, but this season he couldn’t replicate the same success anymore. He made mistakes in the playoffs, and while Budenholzer alone is not the reason for his team’s meltdown, he is the most replaceable part of the system. The fact that Giannis was not happy with Budenholzer’s coaching at the end of the series does not help his case, either.
If the organization decides not to give Budenholzer another chance, there are plenty of options to replace him. The name floating around most is Nick Nurse, who just left the Toronto Raptors after winning a title in 2019. Other candidates are Frank Vogel and Kenny Atkinson. Vogel won a championship with the Lakers in the bubble and is known for building defenses around rim-protecting big men. Atkinson is experienced with rebuilds and has not yet proven himself in the playoffs, but he could bring a new approach to Milwaukee. Other than that, there’s the option to bring in fresh NBA head coaching blood with Kings’ assistant coach Jordy Fernandez or Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon, for example.
The bottom line is the Bucks need a new, better offensive system in the half-court and a coach who is willing to make adjustments. Picking the right coach will dictate the team’s future, but it is a difficult decision. I’m not saying that there is necessarily a bad choice. All these coaches are talented and have their upsides. Not all of them will give Milwaukee what the team needs, however, and it is crucial that they figure out how to make the distinction.