They've tried, but the Milwaukee Bucks haven't been able to find an adequate P.J. Tucker replacement ever since the forward's efforts during the title run. Hunting for a tough, bulky forward who can space the floor, defend multiple positions, and consistently make hustle plays, it wouldn't be surprising if the Bucks made an offer to 76ers free agent Guerschon Yabusele, who will be in high demand.
Bucks should go after 76ers forward in free agency
NBA insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein (subscription required) recently reported that the 76ers may not be able to re-sign their fan-favorite forward this summer due to financial reasons. With the trio of Eric Gordon, Andre Drummond, and Kelly Oubre Jr. all expected to accept their player options, they will have little wiggle room to re-sign Yabusele.
Plenty of teams will look to offer the 29-year-old a raise compared to the minimum he played on this past season, and the Milwaukee Bucks should be one of them.
Playing in the NBA for the first time since 2018-19, Yabusele dazzled with Philadelphia, averaging a line of 11 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 38 percent from distance. At 6-foot-8, 260 lbs, the 29-year-old is a brutish forward who can defend players of all shapes and sizes on the defensive end. The Milwaukee Bucks could use all of that as they retool the roster this summer.
Specifically regarding Milwaukee, one of the reasons Tucker left such an imprint during his short time with the team was his versatility. When the Bucks wanted to go small with Giannis Antetokounmpo at the five, they could put Tucker at the four, forming one of their most dangerous lineups. Yabusele could help reignite that spark and make those formations so formidable once again.
It's unclear how much Yabusele may want, but the Milwaukee Bucks may have some flexibility to make a competitive offer. There has been chatter that Gary Trent Jr. could command somewhere between $8-$10 million in free agency. If the Bucks gave him that, they'd have around $4-$6 million to offer another player with their midlevel exception. Yabusele could be that player.
There are certainly teams out there who could outbid the Milwaukee Bucks for Yabusele's services, but that shouldn't stop them from trying to lure him to the 414. Perhaps he could be the spark this team needs to get over the hump like P.J. Ticker was in 2021.
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