4 Milwaukee Bucks who can fill Wesley Matthews’ shoes in 2023-24

4 Milwaukee Bucks who can fill Wesley Matthews’ shoes in 2023-24: Jae Crowder

The Bucks envisioned Jae Crowder being a key piece defensively on the wing when they traded for him at the deadline this past season. While things didn’t quite pan out that way due to injuries and Crowder not having much time to get his legs under him, the forward will have a chance to redeem himself next season, having signed a one-year deal to return for 2023-24.

There’s a reason why the Bucks spent months pursuing Crowder last season before finally getting him at the trade deadline. He’s a 6-foot-6 wing who is bulky at 235 lbs, giving the Bucks that ideal versatile small-ball four who can defend a slew of different positions. On top of his defense, he’s a fine outside shooter, having hit 37.4 percent of his perimeter shots over the past three seasons.

With a legitimate off-season under his belt and not having to worry about sitting out for most of the season like he did last year, Crowder should be better in 2023-24. Having just turned 33, he’s still got plenty of fuel left in the tank, but it’ll be up to him to bounce back. If he can, he’s certainly the player most will expect to fill the hole left behind by Wesley Matthews on the wing.