It has been a summer of change for the Milwaukee Bucks, with many names from the 2025-26 roster departing. Before the season, the Amir Coffey signing looked like a steal, but after that move didn't work out, the wing is now heading to Europe after signing a one-year deal with Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Bucks signing Coffey looked like a steal
As the Bucks were looking to build a younger and more athletic roster, having been bounced out of the playoffs in consecutive seasons, Coffey's addition felt like a much-needed one that should have bolstered their wing defense. His performances for the Los Angeles Clippers pointed towards the Bucks having a real steal of a signing, but things didn't work out that way.
Coffey never really had much of a shot on the Bucks, as he averaged just 2.4 points in 8.8 minutes in 30 games, having previously averaged 24.3 minutes during the 2024-25 season as part of the Clippers. His 3-point shooting dropped from 40.9 percent in his final year in LA to just a measly 28 percent in Milwaukee.
He failed to make an impact before being traded to Phoenix alongside Cole Anthony, as the Bucks landed Ousmane Dieng, and what a brilliant trade that has turned out to be.
He initially signed a camp deal in August of last year, and he fought off fellow wings to earn himself a spot on the roster. A down year now sees him head to Israel to team up with former Bucks Tyler Ennis and Elijah Bryant.
Bucks wing depth is in a much better spot a year on
Overall, many will look at the Bucks as being one of the basement teams in the Eastern Conference this upcoming season, but the wing positions are in a far better spot than they were a year ago.
The wing has been a problem for Milwaukee for a number of seasons as they struggled to add any defensive stoppers. Last season, we saw Doc Rivers try several players; Kyle Kuzma was in and out of the lineup, with Gary Trent Jr. and A.J. Green even playing the small-ball three.
Drafting Nate Ament gives the Bucks someone to look to in the long term. Jaime Jaquez Jr. was the runner-up in the Sixth Man of the Year voting last season, and Dieng showed flashes of great defense on the wing if the Bucks wanted to go with a bigger lineup. The present and future on the wing are already looking much more promising.
At the time, it was a positive move for the Bucks to bring in Amir Coffey; things didn't work out for a multitude of reasons, and now he looks to continue his basketball career overseas.
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