The Milwaukee Bucks had the best regular season record in the NBA before being bounced in the first round of the playoffs. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury played a factor, but the disappointing ending has already brought changes to Milwaukee.
Mike Budenholzer was fired, despite leading the Bucks to the championship in 2021, and he was replaced by Adrian Griffin. The first-time head coach has already added Terry Stotts to his staff, and Bucks figure to look and play different under the new regime.
There will be roster shake-ups too, and it could begin with departures in free agency. The Bucks had nine soon-to-be free agents on their roster last season. How many of them will be back?
Ranking Milwaukee Bucks free agents by likelihood of departing this summer
9. Brook Lopez
Lopez is coming off an outstanding season where he finished second in Defensive Player of the Year Voting and made the All-Defensive first-team for the first time in his career. It has been an incredible transformation for the 35-year-old, who was an All-Star in Brooklyn but known as an offense-first center.
Lopez has formed an outstanding partnership with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, and the Bucks have to find a way to bring back their defensive anchor. There will be plenty of interest in the unrestricted free agent, but his five years in Milwaukee should give the Bucks an advantage in re-signing him.
How much is too much for Lopez? They are just $16.4 million below the second tax apron with just eight players under contract. Are the Bucks willing to spend beyond it and face the repercussions? It is a tough decision, but they must retain Brook Lopez.
8. Khris Middleton
Middleton has a $40.3 million player option for next season that he is widely expected to decline to head into free agency. Can the Bucks re-sign the 31-year-old wing to a reasonable contract over the next four years? That hinges on what fans view as his true value.
Is Middleton the three-time All-Star that averaged over 20 points per game four times in five years? If so, they should reward him with another massive contract that makes him one of the highest-paid wings in the league.
The 31-year-old was not that player this season. His per-36 minutes numbers were in line, but he shot just 31.5 percent from 3-point range and was limited to 33 games because of injury. Can the Bucks count on Middleton to be an All-Star and their second-best player moving forward?
Jake Fischer revealed that he is expected to sign a long-term deal to stay in Milwaukee this summer, which is the smart play by the Bucks. They have no means to acquire an All-Star talent if Khris Middleton walks in free agency. The Bucks have arguably the best player in the world, and they plan on winning the championship next season. To make that a reality, the first step is keeping Middleton and Brook Lopez on their roster.
7. Wesley Matthews
Will Matthews keep playing? He turns 37 years old in October and just finished his 14th NBA season, but the 6’4 wing is still searching for his first championship. Matthews has played for the Bucks in three of the last four years with the exception being their 2021 championship season. He joined the Lakers just after their title in 2020 and stayed in LA for one year.
Matthew is still a stout defender, but his shot-making has fallen off over the last three years. The 6’4 wing is best suited to play 15 to 20 minutes per game at this stage in his career, and he will need plenty of time to rest.
The Milwaukee Bucks would be glad to have Wesley Matthews back on a minimum contract, but will the 37-year-old choose them as the franchise he wants to chase a championship with? They still have Giannis Antetokounmpo and that alone will make the Bucks among the title favorites next season.
What other offers will Matthews receive in free agency? He brings leadership, a veteran presence, and stout perimeter defense at this stage of his career. Any contending team would love to have that at the end of their bench but expect Matthews to be back with the Bucks next season for one last chance to chase a ring.
6. Thanasis Antetokounmpo
There is a case to be made that Thanasis is the most likely Buck to return next season. Giannis’ older brother is a leader, motivator, and locker-room presence for Milwaukee. He averaged just 1.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 5.6 minutes per game over 37 contests last season. Antetokounmpo is an end-of-the-bench option that provides more value off the court than on it.
Keeping Giannis happy in Milwaukee is always the Bucks’ main objective. If he wants his brother at the end of the bench to be his workout partner and motivator, the franchise should happily oblige. The 15th man on the roster is not going to play significant minutes, so why not make it someone that is keeping the superstar happy?
Fans want the Bucks to upgrade this spot, but would they prefer that at the expense of losing the Greek Freak in a few years? Keeping Giannis happy is much more important than the increase in production Milwaukee can get from their final roster spot.
Expect Thanasis Antetokounmpo to be back with the Bucks next season, and the 6’6 wing will remain the team’s most vocal player on the bench and key locker room presence in Milwaukee.
5. Jevon Carter
Carter seems like the perfect fit under new head coach Adrian Griffin. The 6’1 guard defends hard and can contain ball handlers. Griffin is an NBA veteran, who spent nine years in the league as a player and another 15 as an assistant coach. He is known for his player development and defense-first mentality.
Carter is 27 years old, but he is going to bring the defense. The Bucks would love to keep him, but coming off the best season of his NBA career, the 6’1 guard may search for a payday in free agency.
Carter has a $2.2 million player option for next season, which he is expected to decline. If he does, can the Bucks afford to keep him? It depends on what offer he gets in free agency. Milwaukee would love to have him back, but their priority will be re-signing Middleton and Lopez. The Bucks have non-Bird rights on Carter, so they can pay to re-sign him, but will they want to take on the salary cap and tax implications?
Teams across the league are always searching for perimeter defenders, so expect Jevon Carter to draw some interest if he opts out. Will he choose to come back to Milwaukee? That is a total unknown at this point, but something fans should watch closely this summer.
4. Joe Ingles
The Bucks signed Ingles using the mid-level exception last summer, but they had to wait for the 6’8 forward to recover from a torn ACL. He did not play until mid-December, but the 35-year-old brought some needed ball-handling, floor spacing, and playmaking to the Bucks. He can only play 20 to 25 minutes per game at this stage in his career, but Ingles remains a productive option.
Is he the perfect fit? No, the Bucks would love to add some youth and athletic ability to their roster moving forward, but Milwaukee will struggle to increase their talent and stay under the second tax apron. That could mean keeping the band together, and Ingles becomes a key piece of that.
Joe Ingles is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and he will have his choice of teams. The 35-year-old figures to get offers at the taxpayer mid-level exception, but where does he want to play? Ingles is likely looking to chase a ring at this stage, and where better than next to Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee?
Expect the Milwaukee Bucks to make a competitive offer to keep Joe Ingles, but he will be able to decide where he wants to play next season.
3. Meyers Leonard
The Bucks needed a big man late in February, so they signed Leonard. The 31-year-old hadn’t played in the NBA since 2021 but spent eight years as a role player after being drafted in the lottery in 2012. Milwaukee was hoping the seven-footer still had something left in the tank that could help them.
Leonard played well as the team’s third-string center. He was ready whenever his number got called as he averaged 4.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per game over nine contests. The seven-footer produced a double-double in 30.5 minutes in the final game of the regular season, which was just the second time he played more than 17 minutes.
Meyers Leonard was a fine stop-gap option, but the Bucks should be looking to upgrade this offseason. There are always big men available for the minimum, and Milwaukee should be looking for a rim protector that better fits new head coach Adrian Griffin’s system.
Did Leonard show enough to get another NBA shot next season? He will likely have to wait for a midseason call from a team that needs big-man depth. Meyers Leonard could play overseas or just wait for a chance. He will certainly be weighing his options this summer as he looks for a new home. Do not expect him to be back with the Bucks, but where he goes is a mystery right now.
2. Goran Dragic
The Bucks added Dragic in March, and the 37-year-old served as a reserve guard. He only played in nine games, including mop-up minutes in two postseason contests, but he showed there is still a bit left in the tank. The Dragon had 14 points in each of the last two regular season contests, which were the only times he received more than 20 minutes of action.
Last summer, the former All-Star prioritized role over contending as he signed with the Bulls because they promised to use him as their backup point guard. Dragic was bought out mid-season and ended up in Milwaukee. He could look for something similar if he continues playing next year. The 6’3 guard has 15 years of NBA experience, and he could hang up the sneakers if nobody is willing to offer a consistent role.
The Bucks are not going to make him their backup point guard, so it seems likely that Goran Dragic will be wearing a different uniform to begin the 2023-24 season. Where he ends up is a mystery, but the 37-year-old would love to play with Luka Doncic in Dallas. The countrymen are good friends, and it could lead Dragic to end his career with the Mavericks.
Expect the Milwaukee Bucks to offer Goran Dragic a minimum contract to be their third-string point guard, but he will likely sign elsewhere.
1. Jae Crowder
It was a whirlwind season for Crowder that began with a holdout and ended with him glued to the bench in the playoffs. In between, there were a lot of IG posts, a trade to the Bucks, and the 6’6 forward still not starting, despite it being the entire reason he held out in the first place. Crowder was left shaking his head about his time in Milwaukee.
Does he want to return? He made $10.1 million last season, and Crowder won’t be eager to take a pay cut to come back after barely playing with the Bucks. He will be hoping to get the full mid-level exception with a key role as as a 3-and-D wing.
The Bucks have a need, but things did not work this season. It could be different under new head coach Adrian Griffin, but Crowder may not be eager to find out.
Jae Crowder is an unrestricted free agent, and he will likely choose a contender on the open market. Which one? It is a storyline to follow this summer as he looks to rebuild his value and prove he can be a key piece on a championship squad.
The Milwaukee Bucks have a ton to figure out this summer, and it will be a key offseason in building a title contender around Giannis Antetokounmpo. What moves can they make? Stay tuned to find out.
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