Rather than finding a point guard to outright replace Jrue Holiday this off-season, something the Milwaukee Bucks should look for is one to place next to him.
While most of his career has been spent playing the point guard position, Holiday has also been a two-guard, and several of his best seasons came in that role. Being the shooting guard would free up the guard quite a bit on both ends and allow him to focus more on certain areas. In the last few postseasons, it appeared that Holiday’s struggles were a result of him having to do too much on both ends of the floor. His production on offense was certainly limited when he was often tasked with guarding the opposing team’s top scorer.
Getting a pure point guard in the starting lineup could be the key to unlocking the best version of Holiday moving forward. With that said, let us look at five potential candidates.
Milwaukee Bucks’ point guard target – Monte Morris (Trade)
Monte Morris is underrated. He’s not a flashy name, but he’s a nice floor general who could thrive with a team like the Milwaukee Bucks in a starting role.
The guard is a solid scorer, having averaged 10.5 points while shooting 48.1 percent from the floor and 39.2 percent from three in his NBA career. Morris would give the Bucks another shot-creator who can score from all over the floor, which is something they desperately need. In addition to his scoring, Morris is an excellent facilitator, having averaged a career-high 5.3 assists per game this past season with the Washington Wizards.
Morris also makes sense for the Bucks due to his current financial situation. He’s on the books for $9.8 million next season, which is reasonable for a team like Milwaukee with little wiggle room in any trade. With The Athletic’s Josh Robbins (Subscription required) reporting that rival executives believe the Wizards will undergo a full rebuild within the next year, Morris could also be out there in trade talks, potentially. If so, the Bucks should pounce.
Milwaukee Bucks’ point guard target – Dennis Schroder (Free Agency)
The Milwaukee Bucks have had their eye on Dennis Schroder for a while now. Ironically, they tried to trade for him before they added Jrue Holiday in 2020. Now, after a solid campaign as a member of the LA Lakers, Schroder could be a point guard target for the Bucks to place next to Holiday.
Schroder’s role over the past few seasons has varied from team to team, as he has served as both a full-time starter and reserve. Either way, he’s been a solid guard who can orchestrate an offense with his passing while also scoring for himself. His long-range shooting can be hit or miss, but his ability to create shots would be a significant addition to this team, regardless, having averaged a respectable 14 points and 4.7 assists per game in his career.
After playing on a minimum deal in Los Angeles this past season, it’s unclear what the guard may be seeking on his next contract. If he’s willing to take another minimum contract, this should be an open-and-shut case for the Bucks, especially if they lose Jevon Carter in free agency. No matter what, it would not be surprising if the Bucks made another run at Schroder, as their interest has been lingering for several years now.
Milwaukee Bucks’ point guard target – Derrick Rose (Free Agency)
Derrick Rose and the Milwaukee Bucks have been linked to one another for years. It seems like the two sides will eventually end up joining forces. The Bucks reportedly tried to make that a reality in the past few months, as veteran NBA insider Marc Stein reported that they expressed interest in Rose ahead of the 2023 trade deadline. They didn’t get him them, but perhaps they could during free agency this offseason.
On paper, Rose’s fit with the Bucks would be a bit wonky. He’s never been much of a long-distance shooter, and his age would not help the team get any younger. However, he’s a pure point guard at the end of the day who can still score and facilitate at a high level. The 34-year-old would give the Bucks a major lift in both departments and allow Holiday to focus more on the defensive end. He’s proven to be one of the better reserves league-wide over the past few years, and the Bucks could certainly use more of that in their second unit.
Rose is coming off a season where he was essentially booted from New York’s rotation in favor of their youth. After sitting on the bench for a good chunk of the year, it would not be surprising at all if the Knicks declined his upcoming $15.6 million club option, allowing Rose to enter the free agent market. If that happened, Rose would likely not be seeking a hefty deal, which is where the Bucks could swoop in. If they could get the former MVP on a team-friendly deal, it would be a big boost ahead of next season.
Milwaukee Bucks’ point guard target – Chris Paul (Free Agency)
This is a situation the Bucks will have to play the waiting game on. The Athletic’s Shams Charania recently reported that the Phoenix Suns are exploring options with veteran guard Chris Paul this off-season, and waiving him entirely is on the table. If that is indeed how Paul’s tenure in Phoenix ends, Milwaukee should be the very first team in line looking to bring him aboard.
Yes, Paul is in the advanced stages of his career and has shown signs of decline, particularly in the past year. Still, Paul at his worst is still better than some point guards at their best. He’s still one of the best facilitators the game has ever seen and could help clean up some of Milwaukee’s issues when it comes to turning over the ball. Paul is also still a quality scorer, particularly from three and in the mid-range, which would give Milwaukee another strong scoring option. Paul’s injury history and age may be things to worry about, but the good outweighs the bad in this case.
If Paul were to be waived, there would be no shortage of suitors lining up to try and get him for a team-friendly deal. The Bucks would not be able to offer him a whole lot of cash, but they could provide a starting role on one of the league’s premier contenders with a chance to win a title for the first time in his career. That’s unquestionably something Paul would be seeking, so the Bucks should keep a close eye on this situation over the next few weeks.
Milwaukee Bucks’ point guard target – Dejounte Murray (Trade)
This is by far the biggest long shot on this list. However, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus reported that there are “whispers” around the league that Dejounte Murray could be had in the right deal, so it’s at least worth mentioning. If the Atlanta Hawks are willing to entertain the guard in talks, a phone call from the Milwaukee Bucks should be in order.
Primarily due to his lack of a reliable outside shot, Murray would not be a perfect fit with the Bucks at this point. However, he’s a tremendous scorer, having averaged north of 20 points in both of the past two seasons, an excellent facilitator, and a strong defender. A backcourt tandem of Murray and Holiday would be a nightmare matchup for opposing ball-handlers. Furthermore, the guard would add some much-needed youth and athleticism to this roster at 26 years old.
The question here is whether or not the Bucks have enough assets to possibly get a deal done for Murray. He’s owed $17.7 million next season, which is very reasonable for a player of his caliber. There were rumblings that the Bucks tried to get Fred VanVleet and Bojan Bogdanovic ahead of the trade deadline this past season, so they are clearly not afraid to spend what assets they have left to get a well-known player. Spending those assets on Murray to strengthen this backcourt is a captivating idea for the Milwaukee Bucks, but it’s unclear what the Atlanta Hawks may want.
It’s worth kicking the tires on at the bare minimum.
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