The Milwaukee Bucks finally reached an agreement on a deal with a free agent point guard, but it wasn't one of the top few names linked to the team. For glaring health reasons, choosing Anthony over someone like Brogdon, who was actually connected to the team in rumors, could make all the difference come playoff time.
Perfect fit or not, expecting healthy Brogdon on Bucks would be fantasy
Considering only Brogdon's on-court performance, not as he looked last year in a career-worst season for Washington, but as the player he was before, Milwaukee Bucks fans could conclude that he represented the best of the attainable options left in the offseason market. If he could only perform on the court more often, that might be the case.
The past two seasons, however, Brogdon has played just 63 games, including only 24 last year. Between injuries to his back, hamstring, foot, knee, and forearm, among other ailments, he's been hurt from head to toe in almost a literal sense. In his nine-year career as a whole, he has averaged 51 games per season.
The Bucks just struggled through back-to-back playoff series hampered by injury. Damian Lillard's absence during most of the first round against Indiana this season was keenly felt. He also missed time in the 2024 playoffs, which Giannis Antetokounmpo missed entirely. The torn Achilles that would have held out Lillard until the stretch run of 2025-26 motivated waive-and-stretching him in order to sign Myles Turner.
This team needs fresh legs for the postseason.
To be clear, Anthony is no iron man himself. After missing time last year with a toe injury, he has reached 70 games only once since his injury-shortened rookie campaign, but averaged a solid 68 per year across the last four seasons. That's better than what a lot of players manage in this day and age.
Anthony has youth, natural tools on his side
At 25, he's also a lot younger than the 32-year-old Brogdon, which both fits the Milwaukee Bucks' vision of a more youthful, energetic roster and bodes well for his future durability. Brogdon may have his healthiest days behind him.
Anthony is at a disadvantage in size. Standing 6-foot-2, he also has less bulk. He's improving but still something of a target on defense, subject to bully-ball at the hands of bigger, more physical opponents.
Nonetheless, he has produced more than adequately in his role. Since taking second-unit duties in 2022-23, Anthony has averaged 11.3 points and 3.2 assists while shooting more efficiently from 3-point range and from the field overall. He is more of a point guard than either Kevin Porter Jr. or Ryan Rollins. Assuming Porter starts, Anthony could help stabilize secondary lineups as a facilitator.
With the Lillard era suddenly extinct, the Bucks have committed to a different approach. Brogdon has been more productive than Anthony when both are healthy, not by much, but closer to what the team had with Lillard. Milwaukee doesn't want to go back down the path of having a key scorer injured for the most meaningful games. In this new roster model of Giannis plus role players, the Bucks need their guys healthy. Anthony has a better chance of being there to contribute when it counts.