In the offseason prior to the 2024-25 NBA season, the Milwaukee Bucks made a plethora of moves despite their second apron restrictions. Now, at the halfway point of the season, those decisions have had a variety of results, and we will break down all the moves and grade them at the halfway point of the season.
The Bucks have taken their time to finally get going, but a four-game win streak shows that they can still be a threat in the postseason. They will need to overcome those teams at the top of the East, and that has led to rumors of further moves being made by Jon Horst and the front office to improve their chances.
Let's dive into the offseason moves and grade, going in time order.
AJ Johnson - 23rd overall pick in 2024 NBA Draft
The biggest surprise of the offseason was the Bucks taking the then 19-year-old guard AJ Johnson with their first-round pick. Coming off of a season in Australia where he played very little basketball, Johnson was not well received by many, with the Bucks deciding not to take a more experienced and NBA-ready prospect who could help now.
However, his time with the Wisconsin Herd has shown there is plenty of potential with the young guard and that in a couple of seasons, he could be a key piece of the roster. Johnson has played 18 games in the G League, averaging 14.2 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and a steal on solid shooting splits of .448/.341/.852.
It was clearly a pick for the future, and despite a rough start to his time in Wisconsin, Johnson is finding his feet and can be a good part of the future for the Milwaukee Bucks.
BTBP grade: B
Tyler Smith - 33rd overall pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Tyler Smith was another young player taken by the Bucks in that draft. Coming from the G-League Ignite, Smith had a more NBA-ready skillset than Johnson, with his brilliant athleticism and the ability to stretch the floor serving as key attributes.
He is another player who has spent time with the Herd, playing 20 games and averaging 11.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and a block per game. Smith has shown his ability to score outside by shooting 31.9 percent from deep and also showing off his bounce with some impressive highlight dunks.
With the Milwaukee Bucks crying out for athleticism in the frontcourt, Smith is more likely to feature for them in the latter stages of the season and will be a valuable piece moving forward.
BTBP grade: A-
Delon Wright - 1-year $3 million veteran minimum deal
The first free agency acquisition for the Bucks was one that many liked as an addition to aid with their difficulties of defending opposing backcourts in Delon Wright. A defensive specialist with a great ability to not turn the ball over felt like the perfect move for Milwaukee.
It is difficult to say that a veteran minimum deal can not go well, but the deal with Wright hasn't been successful. The veteran has played the same number of games as two-way guard Ryan Rollins, with the latter being trusted more by Doc Rivers to start when Damian Lillard is out. A really poor field goal percentage of 28.2 and a 3-point percentage of 26.1 sums up how difficult Wright of a time the guard has had finding his footing.
BTBP grade: D
Stanley Umude - Two-way contract
Stanley Umude was added to a two-way contract in July and was one of the more NBA-experienced players available for a two-way deal. It looked like a solid move from the Bucks. He has featured in 15 games this season but has failed to make a real impression, scoring points in just two NBA games.
Umude has played just three games with the Herd and has shown glimpses of what he can do. It feels like more of a bench filler move, and I'm not sure there is a future for him with the Milwaukee Bucks.
BTBP grade: C-
Taurean Prince - 1-year $2.9 million veteran minimum deal
Alongside Brook Lopez, Taurean Prince is the only player to have featured in every game for the Bucks so far this season. He is another well-received addition on a minimum deal as the Bucks looked for a two-way wing that could hit shots from deep following the exit of Jae Crowder.
Prince was in the starting lineup, dropped out due to the return of Khris Middleton but has now again swapped places with the former All-Star and continues to be a good addition. Playing 25 minutes per game, Prince is averaging 7.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists with really good shooting splits of .457/.463/.773. The ability to hit shots from 3-point range has been invaluable to the Bucks.
A 113.4 defensive rating is also a bonus when you consider he is guarding the opposition's best wings on a nightly basis.
BTBP grade: A
Gary Trent Jr. - 1-year $2.6 million veteran minimum deal
The highlight of the Bucks' offseason was adding three level scorer Gary Trent Jr. on a veteran minimum deal. Adding another flamethrower scorer to the roster has been a real weight off the shoulders of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton.
Trent is averaging 9.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, one assist and a steal per game on splits of .434/.424/.906. He began the season in the starting lineup alongside Lillard. but the 2-9 slow start led to him making his way to the bench with Andre Jackson Jr. starting, which has been a huge benefit to the team and both players, as Trent is not required to guard opposing lead guards all evening.
It is still a steal of an addition, and alongside Prince, they have both been very good for the Bucks. Trent signed a prove-it-type deal, and next season, we may not see him in a Bucks jersey, but for now, he has been great.
BTBP grade: A-
Liam Robbins - two-way contract
Center Liam Robbins signed with the Bucks back in August before having his deal converted into a two-way contract in October. He has only featured in 13 games for the Milwaukee Bucks and has struggled to make an impact, but was also the star of their NBA Cup triumph as Giannis promised to help Robbins buy a house with the winnings from the cup.
For the Herd, he has played 10 times, averaging 8.4 points, five rebounds and an assist per game. Similar to Umude, he has spent most of his time in Milwaukee on the end of the bench as a much-needed depth piece just in case one of the veterans goes down injured.
BTBP grade: C
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