The Milwaukee Bucks continued to bolster their roster with the addition of wing Taurean Prince.
With Jae Crowder and Malik Beasley looking set to move on, acquiring a veteran in Prince is a strong move by the Bucks. It is their third move of NBA Free Agency following the signing of Delon Wright to strengthen the backcourt and the addition Stanley Umude on a two-way deal.
Already this off-season, other contending teams have added to their wing positions following the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship. Boston already has Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The New York Knicks had a strong season and showed their intentions by re-signing OG Anunoby and trading for Mikal Bridges. The Philadelphia 76ers recently added Paul George to their roster.
Prince is not the same caliber as those players mentioned, but he has experience and strong numbers both when defending and as a shooter, two things the Bucks needed to add to their wing position to give them a better chance at winning another chip. The 30-year-old spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, and now, the former 12th overall pick in 2016 will be playing in Milwaukee.
Let's grade the deal.
The financial aspect of Taurean Prince's deal with the Milwaukee Bucks
With the Bucks' financial restrictions, free agency has left them looking for veteran players who can impact the game without costing them more than the minimum. There is yet to be confirmation, but all signs point towards this officially being a veteran's minimum, meaning Prince will earn around the $3 million mark in 2024-25.
For the Bucks, this is a solid deal. Similar to Wright, this is another nine-year veteran joining the team with a skill set that can fulfill the Bucks' needs. In recent years, we have seen the Bucks add players creeping into their late 30s, which has led to them having very little impact on the team and rotations. Wright and Prince both have regularly played every season since they came into the league and are in their primes.
A one-year deal is always a good idea with players like Prince. The Bucks are not tied to him should it not work out, but if it does, it may open the door to him returning for the following season. Crowder is unlikely to return, and Prince coming in as a replacement is a good decision by the Milwaukee Bucks. He may not be as physical as Crowder, but Prince brings the same skills (if not better) and is slightly younger, likely wanting to prove he still deserves a spot in the NBA.
Picking up a veteran wing like Prince is good for the Bucks as they fill out their roster vacancies. On a cheap deal, you still get a dependable player who can be effective on both ends of the floor.
Looking at Taurean Prince’s fit and role with the Milwaukee Bucks
Across the 2023-24 season, the Milwaukee Bucks tried multiple players at the wing positions.
Beasley spent most of the season at the shooting guard position, and Khris Middleton held down the three as expected. Outside of that, there was a real struggle to find consistency from the likes of Andre Jackson Jr., A.J. Green, Pat Connaughton, MarJon Beauchamp and Crowder. Danilo Gallinari was a late addition to the roster and struggled to have any impact on the team as well.
Prince will give the Bucks a dependable player at the wing; they know he can defend and shoot. The Lakers last season were very up and down under new Bucks assistant Darvin Ham, but Prince played 78 games (starting in 49), averaging 8.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.7 steals per game. He did this on very good shooting splits of .442/.396/.735. As a 37.6 percent 3-point shooter over his career, Prince can have a huge impact for the Milwaukee Bucks off the bench.
There is the possibility of him starting and Middleton possibly moving back to the shooting guard position, but it feels highly unlikely. Yet, his flexibility is ideal. At 6-foot-6, he can play the two, three or four positions depending on what lineup the Bucks run.
If Giannis Antetokounmpo plays minutes at center, Prince playing power forward can create good spacing for the Bucks but still be that wing defender they can throw at multiple opposing players.
Reports from The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor suggest that the Bucks are looking to be more versatile on defense moving forward, and adding Prince will help them do that.
With the Lakers, he had a defensive rating of 117.5 and a career rating of 112.6, per StatMuse. That defensive rating was the exact same as Crowder, who played 28 fewer games. Only six Bucks had a better rating than Prince this season. The last two seasons of Prince's career have been the worst in terms of defensive rating, but he has been very consistent throughout, and with a new scheme in place, the Milwaukee Bucks may get the best out of him.
Tyler Smith was the Bucks' second-round draft pick and is likely to learn a thing or two from Prince. His signing, however, does raise questions about Beauchamp and Chris Livingston's roles on the team moving forward. Green and Jackson Jr. were fairly prominent pieces and are expected to be again, but the signings of Wright and Prince, who are still very solid role players in their primes, will open up speculation around the future of some of the Milwaukee Bucks' younger pieces.
If Crowder, Gallinari and Thanasis Antetokounmpo all have moved on, Prince is a very good fit for the Bucks. He is a complementary wing who can work on the roster and has everything the Bucks have been looking to add. His experience and versatility off the bench could be huge in Milwaukee.
Taurean Prince’s long-term outlook with the Milwaukee Bucks
Again, similar to the Wright deal, this is likely a standard veteran's minimum deal. That means it is a one-year deal for them to come in and prove they still belong in the league while bringing their experience and skills to assist the Milwaukee Bucks in their attempt to win another ring.
If the move works out, the two parties could look to work out a deal for the future, or Prince may have other teams looking to pay him more. He has played for five teams across his nine years in the league and has all the tools to assist a contending team.
The Bucks' front office has done a good job so far of getting the average age of the roster down while still adding win-now impact pieces to the team. Prince is younger than previous additions to the roster and brings a level of athleticism and versatility that older players haven't been able to help the Milwaukee Bucks with.
This move is all about the present, and Prince helps tackle some of the issues the roster faces. On a cheap deal, he is as good as you can get for the wing position.
As a pairing, the Bucks and Prince work well, and it is a win-win for both parties. Should the move go well, Prince could stay on for the future or earn a better deal elsewhere. If not, he'll enter free agency again next year.
The verdict on Taurean Prince's deal with the Milwaukee Bucks
This deal for the Milwaukee Bucks is a strong one.
With so much uncertainty regarding some of the younger wings and the team's free agents, bringing in an experienced and reliable player in Prince is exactly what the Bucks needed. Financially, it is perfect and fits within their restrictions. On a veteran's minimum contract, there likely isn't anyone as good as Prince available to fill the role the Milwaukee Bucks are looking for.
Prince joins another contending team and teams up again with Ham, who clearly trusted him last season. His dependability and defensive versatility are ideal, and as a one-year deal, it can work out well for both the team and the player. Both Prince and Wright are known for their defensive ability but can also contribute to the offense thanks to their strong shooting numbers.
The new defensive scheme will allow someone like Prince to thrive, as he has the size and build to guard one through four. He can also play multiple positions but will mainly feature at the small forward position with Middleton off the floor.
For the Bucks, it is a smart, low-risk move that can be of huge benefit to them this coming season. Both parties will be happy with the deal.
BTBP Grade: A-
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis this off-season.