With the Bucks pivoting away from traditional point guards, a return to Milwaukee may be in the cards for Malcolm Brogdon. Jake Fischer, via a recent iteration of the Stein Line, reports that the Bucks are among the teams interested in the guard.
The roster has slowly started to come together, with Ryan Rollins being the latest to re-sign with Milwaukee, but the Bucks aren't done just yet. With Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. as the lone point guards, they are not a finished product. Bringing in Brogdon would add a solid player with a veteran presence in the backcourt. He also fits the identity as the team is moving towards combo guards.
Adding Brogdon would leave the Bucks with three combo guards
Last season, the veteran averaged 12.7 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.8 rebounds on shooting splits of .433/.286/.880. A concern with the former Washington Wizards guard is his injury record. Milwaukee has been hampered by injuries at pivotal points in recent years, and Brogdon has only played 63 games over the last two seasons.
If the Bucks are to add another guard, they need someone who will be there when it matters.
Rollins showed real glimpses of quality point guard play last season, with his 3-point shooting and defensive skills shining on a team that missed Damian Lillard for large parts of the year. Porter was a great trade deadline addition, with his ability to score from all three levels being key to the Bucks having a solid second half of the season.
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal has been in the headlines recently, with the former All-Star closing in on a buyout and becoming a free agent. Milwaukee has been one of the teams interested in Beal, and if he were to sign, finding a more traditional point guard may suit the team better instead of Brogdon as a third combo guard.
What could be an issue for the Bucks is the lack of free-agent guards now available. Tre Jones, Tyus Jones, and Dennis Schroder were all targets, and all three signed deals the Bucks wouldn't have been able to offer. That does leave the veterans such as Brogdon, Chris Paul, and Russell Westbrook. Brogdon is perhaps the best of the three, but the Bucks have made a real effort to get younger and more athletic.
It would be a low-cost risk for the Bucks to bring Brogdon back. He offers the solidity and consistency that they need in the backcourt, but his injury history is a real question mark that may steer the Bucks away from him.
Also, going for all combo guards can backfire when the team needs a facilitator to slow the game down and get other players involved. Giannis Antetokounmpo attracts attention and can create for his teammates, but what happens when he sits?
Brogdon would be a solid addition for Milwaukee. There are questions over his availability and, once again, how the roster is constructed.