The Milwaukee Bucks would clearly like an upgrade at the forward position before the summer ends, given their heavy ties to free agent Peyton Watson. However, given the interest in him by a handful of other teams, the Bucks should have some sort of backup plan in place. Perhaps one option they may have on the list is former first overall pick and All-Star Ben Simmons.
Simmons would make sense for Bucks
Per Andscape's Marc J. Spears, Simmons is eyeing an NBA comeback after taking off all of last year to recover from injuries. In that same breath, Spears notes that several teams have expressed some level of interest in Simmons. It wouldn't be surprising if the Milwaukee Bucks were one of the teams keeping tabs on the point forward.
Milwaukee's power forward spot is thin right now, headlined by Kyle Kuzma, Pete Nance, Nate Ament, and Bogoljub Markovic. If the Bucks could use an upgrade at any position on their roster, it is clearly right there. Watson remains the dream addition, but Simmons could be a low-cost pickup to provide some competition to the other players eyeing a big role.
Simmons has his flaws, without question, but if he has indeed fully recovered from his injury woes, he could be a useful piece. The two-time All-Defensive honoree was always a matchup nightmare, given his versatility and ability to guard multiple positions. It wouldn't hurt to have another stout defender in the mix, especially with his stellar rebounding and passing ability as well.
Bucks need clarity on roster/Watson first
It feels like no one across the NBA will blink until Watson's situation is resolved. Everyone wants to know where he's going before they make their next move, and it's holding up the free agent market. Movement is expected soon, which will then lead to the Milwaukee Bucks cutting their roster down to 15 standard contracts—they sit at 17.
Once clarity arises there, it wouldn't be surprising if the Bucks pondered bringing in Simmons to fill their power forward depth out.
For now, though, the Milwaukee Bucks should be fully locked in on trying to acquire Watson. He is far younger, more durable, and would fit in the team's new younger timeline better. Adding him would give the team a long-term option at power forward, while Simmons would be more of a stopgap option to give Milwaukee a reclamation project for next season.
No matter what, the Bucks beefing up their forward position before the summer ends feels likely.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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