The Milwaukee Bucks are in the middle of an interesting off-season after a humiliating first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Miami Heat. They just drafted two defense-first wings and took on a few undrafted prospects but are still without a backup point guard heading into next season.
Free agency is still rife with intriguing names who could fit with the team on paper, but the Bucks are over the salary cap, and they don’t control their own first-round pick until 2028. Basically, they don’t have much wiggle room to sign high-profile free agents and will instead have to rely on low-cost contributors on prove-it deals.
This means that Milwaukee will have to round out its roster by luring any remaining free agents with the promise of minutes and a consistent role on a team that just won a championship not too long ago. Fortunately for them, they have had a proven track record of reviving the careers of role players and aging veterans around the league as of late.
There are still free agents remaining whose careers the Milwaukee Bucks can look to revive.
A cursory look up and down the past few Bucks rosters is proof enough of the team’s ability to find good roles for any kind of player.
There’s former George Hill, who was traded to the Bucks in 2018 after struggling to find his footing with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Once he was acquired by Milwaukee, Hill quickly became a key contributor for the then-up-and-coming squad, averaging 6.8 points and two assists per game in the 2018-19 season. He was also a key part of the Bucks’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals that year.
The Bucks also did the same with big men Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis, with the former putting in arguably the best season in his career at the age of 35, while the latter just ended the season a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year honors. We also can’t forget guys like Pat Connaughton and Jevon Carter, who were able to find their niches as defensive, floor-spacing, do-it-all glue guys.
The point is that the Milwaukee Bucks’ ability to revive the careers of role players is a testament to the team’s culture and its commitment to winning. As long as the Bucks continue to build their team in this way, there will be no shortage of diamonds in the rough waiting for them in the free-agent market.
That being said, here are a few free agents remaining who the Bucks can realistically snag on cheap prove-it minimum contracts and whose careers the team’s coaching staff can look to revive.
Free agents whose careers the Milwaukee Bucks can revive: No. 1 – Kendrick Nunn
It’s tough to pinpoint where Kendrick Nunn’s market value actually stands post-injury. He did just sit out the entirety of the 2021-22 season and played a minimal role this past season, but he’s still a steady guard and a three-level scorer who can light it up if given the shot attempts to do so. Therein lies the intersection of needs: the Bucks need a competent point guard to anchor their tertiary unit, and Nunn needs a place to call home.
We don’t know who this latest iteration of Nunn is, but we know who he can be. He has had two solid seasons in the NBA, averaging 14.6 points and 2.6 assists per game in 2020-21 — one of which came with 44 games of taking up starting point guard duties. As we know, he went to the NBA Finals that year and even took part in the dismantling of the Bucks en route.
For a point guard, Nunn’s skillset is just well-suited for the modern NBA. He is a combo guard who can score from both inside and outside. He is also a good passer and rebounder for his size while also being a relatively competent defender for his size. He is quick and athletic, and he can guard multiple positions.
Nunn has been inconsistent at times in his career. He has had some great games, but he has also had some games where he has been invisible. This is because he can be a streaky shooter. He can make a lot of shots in a row, but he can also go cold for long stretches — which makes the backup point guard position perfect for him as he looks to contend for a championship with the Bucks.
Naturally, there are some risks associated with signing Nunn. He is coming off a major injury, and the Bucks just can’t afford to take that kind of risk with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s athletic peak waning and free agency decisions looming. But if Nunn can stay healthy, it’s not hard to imagine any team can squeeze some good value out of him on a team-friendly deal — one he’d be more than willing to take to find his next stop in the association.
Free agents whose careers the Milwaukee Bucks can revive: No. 2 – Will Barton
Will Barton has fallen far from his peak glory days with the now-champion Denver Nuggets. After once putting pen to paper on a two-year, $32 million dollar deal with the Nuggets, Barton’s most recent contract was a buyout contract worth $684,712 with the Toronto Raptors, according to Spotrac.
The Milwaukee Bucks have always managed to maximize their glue-guy wings (just look at Pat Connaughton’s trajectory), and they could potentially revive Will Barton’s career. Barton has been relatively inconsistent and injury-prone throughout his career, but he is a talented scorer and playmaker who has had some success in the NBA. A change of scenery with a contending team could be just what Barton needs to get his career back on track.
Milwaukee is already stacked with wing talent, but none of them are as established in that position as Barton. Guys like Marjon Beauchamp, Chris Livingston, and Andre Jackson Jr. are still project pieces until they can prove otherwise, and the Bucks will need pieces that can help them win now.
In terms of his skill set, the Bucks would be a good fit for Barton for a few reasons. More than anything else, they need to add more scoring punch off the bench. Barton is a capable scorer who can create his own shot and a decent play-connector who can keep the ball moving around the court in a near Joe Ingles-esque fashion. He would also give the Milwaukee Bucks more flexibility on offense, as he can play both guard and forward positions.
Will Barton had a solid season in 2022-23, averaging 6.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and two assists per game. He shot 43.4 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from 3-point range. Barton was a consistent scorer for the Toronto Raptors, and he was also a good playmaker and rebounder.
Barton’s 3-point efficiency and perimeter defense could both use some marginal improvement, but he’s still a solid player with years of evidence to show for it. He shot 35.2 percent from 3-point range in 2022-23, which is below his career average of 36.7 percent.
Despite these setbacks, Barton has still been a productive player in the NBA. If Barton can improve his 3-point shooting, he would become even more dangerous as a scorer. And playing off the all-world gravity of Giannis Antetokounmpo might just be the best place to unlock that last bit of potential remaining.
Free agents whose careers the Milwaukee Bucks can revive: No. 3 – Justise Winslow
Justise Winslow isn’t in the best place in his professional basketball career at the moment, to be quite candid about it. He’s set to be an unrestricted free agent after his 2022-23 season was cut short due to yet another injury, this time to his ankle.
He played in just 29 games for the Portland Trail Blazers, though he averaged 6.8 points, five rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He shot 40.9 percent from the field and 31.1 percent from 3-point range. These numbers are by no means efficient, but they do mean there’s still decent production there that he’s capable of dishing out in controlled spurts.
Winslow is a versatile player who can defend, rebound, pass, and create his own shot. He is 6-foot-6 and could provide depth at the wing position for the Bucks. However, his injury history is a concern. If the Milwaukee Bucks do sign him, it would be a prove-it deal.
The Bucks are in need of a player like Winslow, who stands at 6-foot-6 and is also a bit of a hybrid defender. Winslow could provide depth at the wing position and even take on tertiary playmaking duties to help carry some of the offensive burden on Milwaukee’s big three. That makes him also another option to replace the playmaking chops of Joe Ingles.
However, Winslow’s injury problems have been a major issue throughout his career. He has missed significant time in each of the past three seasons, and teams may not be keen on giving him another contract to take on a bigger role. But it’s worth pointing out that the Bucks already took a chance on an injured competitor once in Joe Ingles, and that signing paid off quite well, all things considered.
It remains to be seen if Winslow can stay healthy and reach the potential he was drafted for with the 10th pick back in 2015. Playing with a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo could finally be the one final push he needs to find a place in this league.
Free agents whose careers the Milwaukee Bucks can revive: No. 4 – Frank Ntilikina
Frank Ntilikina had a fairly unremarkable season with the Dallas Mavericks in 2022-23. He averaged 2.9 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game in 55 appearances. He shot 36.4 percent from the field and 25 percent from 3-point range, which is all terrible.
At this point, he’s had his chances, and opportunities could be running out as more guards enter the league with every passing year.
But there’s a potential fit at play here with 24-year-old French guard Frank Ntilikina. The Bucks are looking for youth, defense, and a backup point guard, and Ntilikina is just looking for another chance to prove himself. It’s a match made in heaven if the Milwaukee Bucks would consider it.
In Ntilikina’s best moments, he was used primarily as a defensive stopper and a secondary playmaker. He did not have a lot of opportunities to score, but he did a solid job of defending his opponents and making plays for his teammates. His best game of the season came on February 12, when he scored 13 points and had five rebounds in a win over the New York Knicks. He also had a couple of double-digit assist games, including a 10-assist performance on March 11 against the Houston Rockets.
Ntilikina is an interesting player who has shown flashes of potential in his career but has never been able to put it all together consistently. The Bucks are a team that is looking to add depth to their backcourt, and Ntilikina could provide them with some much-needed defense and playmaking.
His offensive game has been inconsistent. He is not a great shooter, and he can be turnover-prone. Ntilikina has not shown much improvement in his game since he was drafted in 2017. He has still not developed a consistent jump shot, and he has not become a more effective playmaker. This has led to some questions about his potential, and it has made it difficult for him to find a role in the NBA. Compounding matters further is that he has missed significant time over the years with ankle and knee injuries, which has only slowed down his development further.
The Bucks are a team that is built to win now, and Ntilikina would not be expected to be a major contributor on offense for the Bucks, which could mitigate some of the risks the team might be taking on. At this age, he still could be a valuable piece off the bench and provide the Bucks with some much-needed defense and playmaking.
While the offense isn’t always (or more likely and truthfully, is never) going to be there, Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin has made it clear that he wants to craft a system that gets after the ball and generates easy offense by getting consistent stops. That bodes well for Frank, who has always had a reputation for being a good defender who can guard multiple positions despite his offensive deficiencies. Since he plays the point guard position, he is also a capable passer who can create for others. If he can get a few stops and assists in around 10 to 15 minutes per game consistently, that could be all he needs to signal to other teams that he deserves a spot in this league.
If Ntilikina can stay healthy and improve his offensive game, he could be a valuable asset for the Bucks. He has the potential to be a solid role player on a championship team.
These are just four players, but there are other interesting names out there who might value opportunity for than financial compensation at this point in their careers. Think of guys who took some time off due to injury or had underperformed for long stretches. There’s Stanley Johnson, TJ Warren, and Meyers Leonard, among others.
If the Milwaukee Bucks are able to take on more guys willing to prove themselves for cheap, they can set themselves up for success in both the short and medium term going forward.
Stay tuned for more updates as the Milwaukee Bucks look to round out their roster for the 2023-24 NBA season.