3 Players with partial guarantees for 2023-24 the Bucks should monitor
By Dalton Sell
With 2023 NBA Free Agency approaching, everyone wants to know how the Milwaukee Bucks plan to tweak their roster this off-season.
In all likelihood, any moves will be minor. The Bucks just don’t have the ammunition to pull off any major trades or free agent signings. Yet, that does not mean that can’t improve. Several key names are set to hit the free agent market, and there are potentially some more big ones who could join if they are waived before their deals become fully guaranteed. With all that said, let us look at three players with partially guaranteed contracts who should currently be on Milwaukee’s radar.
Milwaukee Bucks’ target No. 1 – Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns
Chris Paul is the talk of the NBA right now, with The Athletic’s Shams Charania reporting that the Phoenix Suns are pondering Paul’s future with the franchise due to a hefty $30.8 million salary for next season that will become guaranteed in late June. If they were to waive him, they would only have to pay $15.8 million of that. While Paul could be traded, the Bucks should have an eye on him if he were to be waived.
Having Paul would undeniably help the Bucks. Many fans think the Bucks should slide Jrue Holiday to shooting guard next season to alleviate some pressure off of him offensively, and Paul is one of many names who could help them do so. Having Paul run the offense would allow Holiday to be more of a defensive hound, which could work well.
The future Hall of Famer would give the Bucks a terrific passer who would thrive alongside players like Holiday and Giannis Antetokounmpo due to the looks he could create. His lethal ability to score in the mid-range and from behind the arc would give the Bucks another reliable scoring threat as well, which they need. It’s no secret that Milwaukee’s offense has been a major issue over these last few years, and getting Paul could help fix that.
If he hits the market, a slew of teams will be after Paul, but the Bucks should make a strong push to add him if that does indeed happen.