The Bucks are staring down the barrel of a brutal offseason, and their shallow guard rotation might force a move nobody expected: a reunion with former Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon.
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Milwaukee is likely to duck the first apron and preserve flexibility around the $14 million midlevel exception. That could open the door to targeting a veteran point guard, particularly if Damian Lillard isn't healthy to start the season. Among the names floated: Dennis Schroder, Tyus Jones… and Brogdon himself.
Now naturally, that last name is bound to raise a few eyebrows.
To recall, the Bucks, who drafted Brogdon in the second round, eventually let him walk in 2019 after a promising start to his career, and his departure was one of the first signs of the team’s cost-conscious limits during the Giannis era. At the time, the move was seen as Jon Horst choosing Eric Bledsoe and George Hill over the younger Brogdon.
A reunion once felt improbable. But now? It might be practical.
The Bucks might finally fix a past mistake, and it could save their offseason
Kevin Porter Jr. just opted out, which is an obvious sign that he wants more money (or a larger role) than Milwaukee can promise. Gary Trent Jr. is also a question mark. The Bucks are left with a gutted guard corps that lacks stability, defense, or dependable secondary creation. And the only way to attenuate their lack of depth is to look at the minimum free agent market.
Enter Brogdon, who (while no longer the same two-way force) is still a steady ball-handler, a capable defender, and a player who understands the ecosystem in Milwaukee. He's coming off a $22.5 million contract with the Wizards, but at this juncture in his career, he may be looking for a more active role.
Just this last season, the Wizards' offensive rating, effective field goal percentage, and free-throw rate all rose whenever Brogdon stepped on the floor, putting him in the 77th percentile among guards in offensive rating, according to Cleaning the Glass.
If the Bucks can get him on a value deal, it would be a low-risk play for a team starving for functional, unsexy solutions.
Obviously, Brogdon wouldn’t solve all their problems. He’s been injury-prone, and his days as an offensive fulcrum are long gone. But he can shore up Milwaukee’s backcourt, provide structure while Lillard convalesces, and restore some semblance of perimeter balance.
He doesn't come without risks. Signing the longtime point guard, should it backfire, would only continue their trend of betting on aged veterans only for the latter to hit their decline on the Bucks. Drafting and developing young talent is still preferable, but the Bucks don't have the luxury of time either; not with Giannis still in town and intent on competing for a title.
It’s a humbling situation, trying to reassemble the parts they once let loose. But that’s where the Bucks are right now. After years of swinging for the fences, they may have to start making smarter contact plays. A Brogdon reunion wouldn’t be glamorous. But it might be necessary for a team trying to weather through the loss of Damian Lillard.