The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly eyeing free agent Jalen Duren, and they have the asset stash to make a compelling offer. If the Detroit Pistons concede and send their restricted free agent, who is seeking a huge payday, to Milwaukee, the Bucks won't have to reinvent the wheel to get the best out of him; they can just use the same formula that made Giannis Antetokounmpo successful for years by surrounding him with an array of excellent perimeter shooters to free up space in the interior.
Antetokounmpo, Duren love to dominate interior
For the past decade, Antetokounmpo was the NBA's most dominant force within five feet of the rim, terrorizing opponents down low. Part of what made that so successful was that the Milwaukee Bucks always priorized putting enough spacing around him, as it would draw defenses out to the perimeter, giving the Greek Freak a clearer runway to the hoop.
No one is saying that Duren is on the same level as Antetokounmpo, but he's also an excellent threat close to the hoop. This past season, Antetokounmpo ranked first in points per game in the restricted area NBA-wide, while Duren came in third. Just like he's been doing for years, General Manager Jon Horst could continue chasing perimeter shooters to strategically put around his star big man.
With a title to his name, it's proven to work for Horst before.
Bucks have excellent shooting from top to bottom
Looking at the roster, the Milwaukee Bucks are built to shoot the ball. AJ Green is one of the best in the business in this regard. The backcourt trio of Tyler Herro, Ryan Rollins, and Kevin Porter Jr. can all light it up from distance. Gary Trent Jr. can get hot. Kel'el Ware is finding his stride as a floor spacer. Youngsters like Brayden Burries and Kasparas Jakucionis are not shy about letting it fly.
There is no telling who would be left in the aftermath of a sign-and-trade—except it's a given that Myles Turner would be gone—but the Milwaukee Bucks would still have plenty of outside shooting. Duren had the best year of his career last year, earning All-NBA and All-Star nods, with the Pistons ranking 17th in 3-point percentage. Imagine what he could do with this sweet-shooting group.
Between the draft picks, the players, and the spending power, the Milwaukee Bucks have everything they need to get a Duren deal across the finish line. For now, the ball is in Detroit's court, but it is not surprising that Milwaukee seems legitimately interested.
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