The 2023-24 NBA season is right around the corner, and the Milwaukee Bucks have officially put the finishing touches on their roster.
With 18 players in town, the salaries from player to player vary quite a bit. With the Bucks having a nice chunk of their salary invested into the core four, some Milwaukee Bucks players on the roster are somewhat underpaid in NBA terms. With that said, let us rank the three most underpaid Bucks for the 2023-24 NBA season.
Most underpaid Milwaukee Bucks: No. 3 – Giannis Antetokounmpo
Right off the bat, this one may seem a bit strange. With a salary of $45.6 million for this season, Giannis Antetokounmpo is certainly not in a bad position financially. However, he’s currently tied for the seventh-highest salary in the entire NBA next season. Given Antetokounmpo’s stature in this league, that’s certainly a bit of an underpay.
The Greek Freak is arguably the best player in the NBA. At the absolute bare minimum, he’s the third-best player league-wide on his worst day. For a player whose resume is as glowing as it is, including two MVPs, a Defensive Player of the Year, a Finals MVP, and much more, ranking as the seventh highest-paid player across the league is certainly not a bad investment for the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo will get his money, even if it might not be anytime soon. When the time comes, Antetokounmpo will get a new historic deal, and his underpaid status will vanish. Right now, he is very much focused on the 2023-24 NBA season and helping get the Milwaukee Bucks back to the promised land rather than his “underpaid” status, and that’s for the best.
Most underpaid Milwaukee Bucks: No. 2 – Jae Crowder
Many fans were surprised when Jae Crowder re-signed with the Bucks on a one-year deal worth $3.2 million this past off-season. Not only did it seem like the forward would go elsewhere, but it also seemed like he would command much more on the open market. Instead, he’s back with the Milwaukee Bucks on an insanely team-friendly deal.
Listen, Crowder wasn’t too good with the Bucks last season. After coming over at the deadline via trade, he struggled to regain his footing after missing all of the season before that. Yet, even then, this is a great deal, as Crowder should be better next season. Rather than sitting out for most of the year, Crowder will begin the year with the Bucks and aim to find his footing right away.
Looking at the current state of the wing market across the NBA, the deal the Bucks gave Crowder is a steal. LA Clippers forward Robert Covington will make $11.7 million next season. P.J. Tucker of the Philadelphia 76ers will make $11 million. These 3-and-D wings do not come cheap, but there is a very experienced one in Milwaukee on a veteran minimum deal, which is a massive steal.
Crowder is on the ultimate prove-it deal. If he plays well, he’ll have the opportunity to cash out on a much more lucrative deal next off-season. The Bucks will likely give him a key role from the jump next season, giving the forward a platform to showcase his skills. If all goes well, he will be the big wing defender they have longed for over the past few years.
If Jae Crowder can indeed bounce back, this could end up being one of Jon Horst’s best free agent signings in recent memory.
Most underpaid Milwaukee Bucks: No. 1 – Malik Beasley
When it was announced that Malik Beasley had signed a one-year deal with the Bucks, fans were pleased. When it came out that it was worth the veteran minimum, fans were outright thrilled. The guard seemed destined to get a much bigger deal than that in free agency, so it was surprising to see him settle for a minimum. It’s a huge steal for the Bucks.
Beasley is one of the best long-range shooters in the entire NBA, having made the most triples off of the bench by any player last season. Snatching a player like that in free agency for the minimum is quite a steal for Milwaukee, especially when considering how big of a role he may play. Beasley could be the perfect complement to Giannis Antetokounmpo due to that sweet outside shooting.
Like Crowder, Beasley is looking to prove himself this coming season. He’s coming off a very poor playoff showing with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he found himself out of the rotation as time went on. He’ll look to bounce back with another championship contender this coming season and earn himself some money in free agency next off-season, perhaps with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.