3 Remaining free agents the Milwaukee Bucks should make room for
By Dalton Sell
Despite having limited resources to do so, the Milwaukee Bucks have done a wonderful job of filling out their 18-man roster.
Highlighted by the Gary Trent Jr. signing, general manager Jon Horst has addressed several of the team's needs without breaking the bank financially. Now, the question is whether the Bucks will stroll into the season with this roster or if they still plan to make some tweaks. Considering there are still a handful of quality free agents left on the market, the team may be wise to keep retooling.
If the Milwaukee Bucks bring aboard one of these free agents, they would first have to shed one of their current contracts. The two likeliest names if that were to happen are Pat Connaughton and MarJon Beauchamp, given Connaughton's contract and Beauchamp's value dipping following his sluggish Summer League stint.
If the Bucks were to clear a roster spot by salary dumping either of these two or any other player, here are three remaining free agents they should pursue.
Dennis Smith Jr.
The Milwaukee Bucks beefed up their backcourt this offseason by signing Delon Wright to a one-year deal. Although Wright could play backup point guard, he's also no stranger to sliding to the two-guard slot and playing off the ball. If the Bucks were to continue strengthening their backcourt by signing an energetic player in former Nets guard Dennis Smith Jr., Wright would play shooting guard.
On impact, Smith would bring more defense, athleticism and youth, three things the Milwaukee Bucks clearly made a priority to add this offseason. At 6-foot-2, the 26-year-old isn't the largest, but he's still a hound on the defensive end, making every possession difficult for his matchup. He can also create a highlight at any given moment, as he's become known for his high-flying dunks.
In Milwaukee, Smith, who is a former teammate of Bucks point guard Damian Lillard from their time in Portland, would give this team a second-unit sparkplug. A team can never have too many perimeter defenders on the roster, so if the Milwaukee Bucks were to free up a roster spot, aiming to fill it with Smith would be justifiable.