11 Way too early 2024 free agent targets for the Milwaukee Bucks

As the NBA Playoffs continue, members of the Milwaukee Bucks front office are likely hard at work planning ahead for what should be a busy off-season.

With general manager Jon Horst confirmed to stay put, the top half of Milwaukee's roster secured on contracts and Doc Rivers not going anywhere, the focus will be on sharpening the roster. Though the Bucks will not have a large amount of spending money, they will have a chance to add faces, new or old, with minimum contracts.

That doesn't sound too enticing, but nice players can be found with those. Look at the type of crucial production contending teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks got this season from low-cost guys like Kelly Oubre Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr. Heck, the Bucks got great production from Malik Beasley, but he didn't really fit their needs after the Damian Lillard trade.

The Bucks absolutely have to find a gem with a minimum deal this off-season. Let us highlight several possible candidates with free agency growing closer each day.

Patrick Beverley

After coming in at the trade deadline, Patrick Beverley played good enough basketball for the Bucks that he ended up becoming a full-time starter. Most Milwaukee fans are seemingly on board with the idea of bringing him back for another go-round next season, and reasonably so.

Though retaining the soon-to-be 36-year-old would not help Milwaukee's need for more youth this off-season, he does help them in a lot of other areas. He's an irritating perimeter defender, and the Bucks should take as many of those as they can get. He's also a strong outside shooter and capable ball-handler with boatloads of hard-earned experience.

Beverley returning to Milwaukee seemed like a natural fit until the guard said on a recent episode of his podcast, The Pat Bev Podcast, that he believes he's deserving of a bump in pay this off-season. With their limited spending money, the Bucks just might not be willing to offer that. A team with a lot more cash could easily poach him with a much more enticing offer.

If the Bucks can get him on a minimum, great. If they can't, they may have to look elsewhere for help in the backcourt.

Lonnie Walker IV

Adding athleticism should be one of Milwaukee's top priorities this off-season. It was apparent time and time again this past year that the roster severely lacked it, and opposing teams took advantage constantly, particularly in transition. In their quest for athletes, the Milwaukee Bucks should make a run at Lonnie Walker IV.

It's been an eventful few years for Walker, who has bounced around the association. Yet, during all of his stops, he's shown glimpses of being a stellar athlete with highlight-level dunks and eye-catching plays on the defensive end. All of it has come in spurts, as he's never truly been able to stay in a rotation completely, but the potential is there.

Walker could immediately become a second-unit sparkplug for Milwaukee. In addition to simply being an infusion of athleticism, he could provide needed scoring as well, having averaged 9.8 points while shooting 35.6 percent from deep in his career. Given just how hot and cold this bench is known to be, another player who can put points on the board would not hurt.

Coming off a year where he averaged 17.4 minutes per game, his fewest in four years, Walker will not be due for a raise. He'll likely be looking at another minimum, and perhaps he could take the approach of Malik Beasley, who signed with Milwaukee on a minimum to show his value on a contender to try to get paid the following off-season.

At 25, Walker is still young and could be a low-risk addition to this second unit on a cheap contract.

Kris Dunn

Again, the Bucks could very well lose Patrick Beverley in free agency. If they do, one of the names near the top of their wish list to replace him should be Kris Dunn. Milwaukee's front office is quite familiar with Dunn, as Yahoo Sports' NBA insider Jake Fischer reported before the Bucks got Patrick Beverley that he was one of the names the team was eyeing.

Dunn would be a nice fit for the Bucks. The 6-foot-3, 205-lb. guard has excellent size, which he uses to be a stout defender on the perimeter. The former fifth-overall pick isn't the youngest player on the market, having just turned 30, but he could still be of great use to this team due to his defense, passing and ability to lead the bench brigade when Damian Lillard catches his breath.

It'll be interesting to see what happens with Dunn in free agency. Though he showed signs of being a great contributor for the Utah Jazz, he will likely not be among their bigger priorities in a room full of ball-handling guards. If he's looking for a new home and is willing to take a prove-it deal, he'd be a nice pickup for the Milwaukee Bucks, especially if Patrick Beverley walks.

Milwaukee's previous interest in him cannot be ignored here.

Naji Marshall

In addition to Kris Dunn, the Bucks were also reportedly looking into New Orleans Pelicans forward Naji Marshall around the trade deadline, per that same report from Fischer. Just like with Dunn, the interest was justifiable back then, and it will be justifiable again this off-season once the small forward enters the open market in free agency.

For many years, the Bucks have clearly needed bigger wings, as opposing bigger wings have taken advantage of Milwaukee's smaller ones. Bringing in Marshall, who stands at 6-foot-7, would be a nice change of pace, giving the Bucks a versatile small forward who can provide the height and length to combat what has been one of their biggest issues in recent memory.

Marshall is coming off a solid year with the New Orleans Pelicans, having averaged 7.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game while shooting a career-best 38.7 percent from long distance. Though he might not stuff the stat sheet nightly, he's capable of doing a bit of everything out there, which could make him a valuable piece to this second unit.

Unless someone else is blown away by what Marshall brings to the table, here's seemingly a good shot that the Bucks could get him on a minimum this off-season if the forward is bound to relocate from New Orleans.

Lamar Stevens

Looking for low-cost help on the defensive side of the court, the Milwaukee Bucks should look into forward Lamar Stevens.

Defense has always been Stevens' calling card. At 6-foot-6, 230lbs, he has good size and can play either forward slot while also defending them. He'd be a nice addition to most defensive lineups, but he could especially make for a quality addition to Milwaukee's small-ball lineups when they utilize Giannis Antetokounmpo at center, something they haven't done heavily since the title run.

It was a turbulent year for Stevens, who started off with the Boston Celtics before ending up with the Memphis Grizzlies. In Memphis, he showed real potential and played the best ball of his NBA career, averaging 11.5 points and 5.1 rebounds in 23 minutes per game. Unsurprisingly, those are all the best of his career, so perhaps all he needs is a larger role to show his value on an NBA roster.

Despite his excellent showing in Memphis, Stevens likely will not be hunting for a raise in free agency. If he's out there and willing to take a minimum, the Bucks should swoop him up before anyone else is able to. His poor outside shooting is a concern, shooting 28.6 percent for his career, but the defense could outweigh those concerns, especially if he takes a cheap deal.

Mo Bamba

The Milwaukee Bucks have questions at the center position. Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis manned the ship this past season, but there were plenty of times when their lack of mobility and athleticism hurt the team. It unquestionably didn't help when they added Danilo Gallinari for more size later on. This off-season, they should pursue Mo Bamba to add size and length off the bench.

The 7-foot Bamba has consistently shown potential throughout his career, but after having the best year of his career in 2021-22, his minutes have lessened over the last two years. Having just turned 26, he's still young and has some attributes that could help this team, primarily his shot-blocking and mobility, two things the Milwaukee Bucks would welcome.

His ability to knock down the long-ball also cannot be overlooked. Shooting 36.1 percent from deep on 2.3 attempts per game in his career, he's more than capable of letting it fly. When playing next to Giannis Antetokounmpo, it's key to have a big man who can shoot, which is why Lopez has been so successful. Bamba could provide that same spacing.

After spending most of the season on Philadelphia's sidelines, Bamba will more than likely be in the market for a minimum this off-season. Given Milwaukee's need for size, that could be a bargain, and they should gladly pick him up. With Lopez not getting any younger, perhaps they could mold Bamba into their center of the future in due time. At the bare minimum, more size and depth would not hurt.

De'Anthony Melton

If the Milwaukee Bucks do indeed lose Patrick Beverley and are hunting for a new backup point guard, it would be hard to find one who fits better and could have a bigger impact than De'Anthony Melton.

Melton is a tremendous defender at the guard position. Although he stands at 6-foot-2, he boasts a lengthy 6-foot-8 wingspan, which he utilizes to flat-out hound his opponents. On top of his excellent play on defense, he's a strong offensive player, holding career averages of 9.1 points and 2.8 assists while shooting 36.9 percent from deep. A two-way guard like that could work wonders for this team.

Melton's versatility would be of great use to Milwaukee. He could primarily serve as the team's backup to Damian Lillard, leading the charge off of the bench. However, he could also be used in lineups next to Lillard, providing excellent perimeter defense and taking pressure off of the superstar point guard nightly, allowing him to focus more on his output offensively.

The big uncertainty with Melton is how much he may command in free agency. Though he's coming off an injury-riddled season that saw him play just 38 games for the Philadelphia 76ers, some teams may still be willing to offer him a deal far greater than what the Milwaukee Bucks could. It's something the team will have to play by ear, but he should be on their radar.

Josh Okogie

As the Bucks attempt to sharpen their wing rotation, one name on their radar should be Josh Okogie. A former first-round pick, he has made a living in the NBA due to his defense, constantly hounding his opponent on that end. In addition to defense, Okogie possesses athleticism that this bench brigade desperately needs an infusion of this off-season.

Okogie could be the type of high-energy player that Jevon Carter was for the Bucks a few years ago. Carter checked in and left his all out there every single play, picking players up the full length of the court and sprinting back in transition to make a play. That type of energy was valuable, and Okogie could bring that same type of flavor.

Two concerns with Okogie are his height and lack of offensive output. He stands at 6-foot-4, and it's no secret Milwaukee's shorter wings have been tormented over the years, as noted in the slot about Naji Marshall. Offensively, Okogie has never shown much development, and his perimeter shooting is essentially non-existent. Those could both be red flags.

Despite the concerns, Okogie would be worth a flyer for the Bucks on a minimum due to the defense and athleticism alone. To hit the market in the first place, Okogie would have to decline his upcoming player option with the Phoenix Suns. After playing scarcely in the playoffs, it seems feasible that he could opt out to seek a larger opportunity. Perhaps the Bucks could give it to him.

Kelly Oubre Jr.

The Philadelphia 76ers getting Kelly Oubre Jr. on a minimum last off-season was an absolute steal, as he was one of their best players. After his impressive 2023-24 season, he's likely due for a raise, and the 76ers would love to keep him, but if, for whatever reason, that does not work, the Bucks should be all over him.

This particular writer has been high on Kelly Oubre Jr. for a long time for plenty of reasons. He's an uber-athletic 6-foot-7 wing who can defend almost anyone on the floor. With his height and length, he'd give the Bucks plenty of versatile lineup combinations, especially when they go to their smaller lineups situationally.

Offensively, he's not a great 3-point shooter - 32.7 percent for his career - but he's still got the tools to make an impact on that end, averaging 15.4 points per game this past season. He could give the Bucks another needed complementary scorer, something this roster lacks outside of Bobby Portis. Oubre is a legitimate two-way threat.

After playing on a cheap deal this season, one would not fault Oubre if cashing out was high on his priorities list this off-season. However, many expected him to earn a raise last off-season, and he ultimately settled for the minimum. If there's any shot he does the same this off-season, he needs to be a primary target for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Delon Wright

Before picking up Patrick Beverley, Yahoo Sports' insider Jake Fischer linked the Bucks to veteran guard Delon Wright before the NBA Trade Deadline. Now, with Beverley's return to the 414 uncertain, it would make sense if the team was linked to Wright again as they potentially look to replenish their backcourt depth.

At 6-foot-5, Wright boasts great size and length, which he utilizes to be a pest on the defensive end. With that height, he could break the trend of the Bucks using undersized backup point guards over the years, giving them someone with size who's capable of holding their own against others at the position. That would certainly be a welcoming boost on the perimeter.

Like the aforementioned Melton, Wright could give the Bucks a combo guard who could lead things off of the bench or play alongside Damian Lillard in an off-ball role. Offensively, he's a strong facilitator who can put points on the board and shoot it well enough from the outside to make him a nice fit for this Milwaukee Bucks team.

After averaging the fewest minutes per game of his career since his rookie campaign, Wright could likely be available for a minimum this off-season. If Beverley does depart for a raise this off-season, Wright could be a nice fill-in on a cheaper deal.

Derrick Jones Jr.

As mentioned in the opening, the Milwaukee Bucks must find their version of Derrick Jones Jr. in the NBA off-season. Perhaps they could do so by targeting... Derrick Jones Jr.

The 6-foot-5 forward has been a tremendous pickup for Dallas, providing quality play on both sides of the floor with his athleticism, length and basketball IQ. He's been masterful in the playoffs, helping Dallas reach the NBA Finals by putting up 9.9 points and 1.1 blocks per matchup while knocking down 39.6 of his shots from percent from long range. The Bucks need a player who can do exactly this.

Jones would be an excellent addition to this Milwaukee roster, giving them a forward with legitimate height and length who can hold their own defensively. On the other end, it would be nice to have an athlete who can catch lobs, sky for rebounds and simply get back in transition, something this roster has not had outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo in a while.

Yet, Jones may be a pipe dream, as he could be due for a significant raise once free agency opens after helping Dallas reach the NBA Finals. If they win it all and he plays a big part, it could be the final nail in the coffin for Milwaukee's odds of prying him away. Still, given all of the boxes he checks off, it would be wrong not to mention him here at the very least.

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