9 Former Milwaukee Bucks still unsigned in 2023 NBA Free Agency

Former Milwaukee Bucks still unsigned in free agency – Big men

Christian Wood: Wood is a 27-year-old big man who is a good scorer and rebounder. He is a career 35.2 percent 3-point shooter and averaged 17.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game last season. His history with the Milwaukee Bucks was brief, but it was memorable. He was signed by the Bucks in the middle of August 2018, and he stuck with the team until he made his NBA debut. Wood played in 13 games for the Bucks during the 2018-19 season, averaging a paltry 2.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.2 assists per game.

He was mostly used as a reserve for the Milwaukee Bucks, and he spent a significant amount of time playing for their G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd. In 28 games with the Herd, Wood averaged 29.3 points, 14 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game. An argument could be made that Milwaukee was where Wood truly showed out for the first time in his young career after he went undrafted.

Wood’s time with the Milwaukee Bucks was short, but he showed flashes of potential. He is a talented scorer and rebounder, and he has since become a valuable player in the NBA. It’s not likely the Bucks can snag him (or even have any need for his services), but added talent on a championship roster is always a good thing if he can agree to the kind of deal they can offer.

Mamadi Diakite: Diakite is a 25-year-old big man who is a good defender and rebounder who won a championship with Milwaukee just a few years ago. Most notably, he was one of the few players Giannis Antetokounmpo wholeheartedly took under his wing. He never developed quite the way we wanted him to, but Mamadi was a well-loved member of the locker room and a consistent source of publishable social media antics for the Bucks Twitter admin. He is a career 31.7 percent 3-point shooter and averaged 2.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last season and is a serviceable big man at best.

Meyers Leonard: Leonard is a big man who can shoot the three-ball. He averaged 2.8 points and two rebounds per game in just five appearances last season. He was signed by the Bucks in February 2023 after spending nearly two years away from basketball due to his use of an antisemitic slur during an online gaming session.

Say what you want about his reputation, but it’s hard to argue that Leonard didn’t make a positive impression on his teammates and coaches. He was a hard worker and a good teammate, and he was always willing to learn. It’s for that reason that Leonard’s tenure with the Bucks was a success, both on and off the court. He was able to redeem himself after his use of the slur, and he showed that he is still a serviceable (if not sluggish) player in the NBA.

These are just a few of the former Milwaukee Bucks who could potentially come back for another run with the franchise. The Bucks will have to decide which players they think would be the best fit for their team and their current roster, but a return for any of these players would certainly make for a good storyline.

Stay tuned for more analysis as the Milwaukee Bucks look to finalize their roster ahead of the upcoming season.