Point guard remains a void on the Milwaukee Bucks' roster. Re-signing Kevin Porter Jr. was a start, but they still need to find a backup or potential starter ahead of him. Although free agency targets are dwindling, viable options linger in the open market, alongside several names to avoid. The Bucks must decide whether to pursue or pass on each of the following free agents, plus a bonus pair of buyout candidates.
Ryan Rollins - Pursue
Let's start with an obvious choice, one of Milwaukee's own free agents. Rollins showed excellent promise in his first shot at playing time in 2024-25, providing a combination of defense and spot-up shooting (40.8 3-point percentage) that matches roster needs around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
His volume stats aren't striking (6.2 points per game, 1.9 assists), but those will go up naturally with an increased role. Although his skill set might be somewhat capped, he has room to grow as a scorer and passer. By adding some size, he can expand his defensive versatility. Just turning 23 on July 3, Rollins could be a high-value investment if the Bucks lock him up now at a relatively low cost.
Chris Paul - Pass
A point guard's point guard, Paul is a figure some fans are interested in bringing to Milwaukee. He remains an elite passer despite his age. At 40, though, Paul is a poor fit for the Bucks' goal to surround Giannis with youth and athleticism. While he still comes up with steals, he struggles to stay in front of ball handlers. He is vulnerable to switches and blow-bys, a blinking red target.
Moreover, he no longer packs a scoring punch, something the Bucks should look for in some form or fashion to alleviate Damian Lillard's departure. He also wants to start, but inserting him above Porter would be a depth-chart blunder. As far as the Milwaukee Bucks should be concerned, Paul has more name than game.
Malcolm Brogdon - Pursue
Following a mediocre, injury-plagued season in Washington, Brogdon should enjoy a bounce back next year. Better than a 40 percent 3-point shooter in 2023 and 24, he has a track record of providing solid volume at good efficiency. Given adequate health, he should trend closer to his career shooting splits (46.3/38.8/87.4 percent).
As both a scorer and facilitator, he matches the combo-guard prototype that works well on a Giannis-centric offense, where Antetokounmpo is already running the point. Brogdon is not the defender he once was, but he still has the strength and smarts to operate effectively on that end of the floor.
Cam Payne - Pass
This is a reunion the Bucks should not entertain. Signing Payne as a reserve wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but he isn't a needle-mover and became unusable for New York in the playoffs. After a 14-point performance in Game 1 of the first round, he scored 16 points the rest of the way and effectively fell out of the rotation.
Defensively, Payne can be pesky but lacks Brogdon's bulk. His half-season stint in Milwaukee remains his most efficient shooting stretch since 2020-21 with Phoenix. He's fine for a backup, but the Bucks already have questions about Porter as a starter. If it isn't working, Payne can't bail him out like Brogdon or even Paul could. The last thing the Bucks need is another player who disappears come playoff time. Leave Payne for a team looking to round out its depth, not a reliable contributor.
Markelle Fultz - Pursue, but only as a third option
The Bucks have not given themselves much margin for error. Porter is their only point guard signing. He himself is closer to a combo guard than a pure facilitator. The Bucks did not take a point guard in the draft. Coming off a lost season in Sacramento, with two instances of 60-plus games played in an eight-year career, Fultz is a reclamation project. He isn't a guy to bank on as the roster's go-to backup at this point.
Still, he's shown flashes of productivity, averaging 13.9 points and 5.7 assists on 51.4 percent shooting in 2022-23. He isn't much of a marksman beyond the arc, but he was a legitimate facilitator when healthy in Orlando. Given a fairly shallow free agency pool, the Bucks could make a partial-solution signing and then add Fultz as a side project. Under the right circumstances, he could be worth a minimum salary flyer.
Russell Westbrook - Pass
Unless the market grows extremely depleted, Westbrook has to be a hard pass for the Bucks. His lack of shooting makes him a suboptimal Giannis pairing, especially if they can't unload Kuzma. Playing more than one non-shooter alongside Antetokounmpo would awkwardly clog the floor and force 3-point attempts from inefficient shooters. In fact, trading Kuzma would almost have to be a prerequisite for acquiring Westbrook.
One thing Westbrook does have, even at 36, is energy, plus athleticism and durability. He is still a good rebounder (4.9 per game last year), which, in theory, would allow the Bucks to crash the glass while running three-guard lineups with Westbrook, Porter, and Gary Trent Jr.
In non-Giannis minutes, his aggressive rim pressure would create opportunities on the perimeter. He is also familiar with coming off the bench, something Paul doesn't seem open to. One can argue that Westbrook is the better of those two undesirable options. That said, the Milwaukee Bucks should avoid them both.
Bradley Beal, pending buyout from Suns - Pursue
Detached from a $50 million salary, Beal is still a quality player. Like many of the Bucks' choices, he isn't a real point guard, but he can lead a second unit. Rumors increasingly suggest Beal and the Suns are headed toward a buyout.
If that happens, Beal would become the most efficient volume scorer on the market. His 17 points per game last season came on 49.7/38.6/80.3 percent splits. He also averaged 3.7 assists.
Beal's health issues are a drawback. He hasn't played more than 60 games in six years. By signing Beal, teams would essentially agree to 50-55 games' production, maybe less. At a reduced salary, however, that is a more feasible compromise.
Because the Suns already have dead money on the books, Beal would have to sacrifice around $14 million in a buyout. He is still a productive player. Even if he wants to make up the full difference in earnings this season, he would be worth considering in a sparse market.
Cole Anthony, pending buyout from Grizzlies - Pursue
Flipped to Memphis in the Desmond Bane deal, Anthony seems poised to reach a buyout. Despite a much smaller salary than Beal's, he drew little trade interest. Depending on how much he gives up to get off the Grizzlies, he could be a minimum-salary candidate.
Compared to Beal, of course, Anthony has a lot less upside. However, he should also attract less competition in free agency, making him more available and likely at a lower cost. In 18 minutes per night last season, he averaged 9.4 points and 2.9 assists, starting in one-third of his games.
Anthony is only a 34 percent career 3-point shooter, but better than Fultz or Westbrook. Although he isn't an elite defender, he has expressed commitment to improving. Similar to Porter, he may fall short of starting-caliber status but is an above-average reserve. Combining those two would give the Bucks a decent tandem. Once a full-time Magic starter, Anthony could also fill in for Porter in a pinch or if the latter proves unequipped for a starting role.
Whoever the Milwaukee Bucks sign, they should target a blend of efficient scoring, ball handling, and defense. Hopefully those parameters will steer them away from unhelpful fits and toward skillsets that align with roster needs.