3 Milwaukee Bucks who definitely will not be back next season
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks saw their 2024 title hopes come crashing down on Thursday with a gutting loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6.
As the defeat settles in, the Bucks will now have a much longer off-season than they hoped for, giving the players a chance to recover and the front office to plot their next steps. Though no moves will be coming anytime soon, this roster is destined to go through some changes. That said, let's highlight a few Milwaukee Bucks who almost certainly will not be back in the 414 for the 2024-25 NBA season.
Jae Crowder
Even dating back to last season, the entire Jae Crowder experience has not gone according to plan for the Milwaukee Bucks. The front office traded away five second-round picks, including two to the Brooklyn Nets and three to the Indiana Pacers to shed salary to add a player they thought may be the ultimate missing piece.
On paper, Crowder was what Milwaukee needed, giving them a sturdy wing defender who could take on tough matchups and hit occasional 3-pointers. Unfortunately, he never lived up to that potential in Milwaukee, particularly in his two postseason runs. Even with the Bucks banged up beyond belief at the moment, it was hard for him to get on the floor against the Indiana Pacers at all.
In four playoff appearances this season, Crowder played just 10.5 minutes per game; he didn't even get on the floor for two of the games. The 10.5 mark is the second-fewest of his career, trailing only last year's average of 10.3 per game in the first round against the Miami Heat. He just never had the impact the Milwaukee Bucks expected from a player with his resume and reputation.
It wouldn't be surprising if the two parties went their separate ways this off-season. The Bucks need to focus more on youth rather than a veteran, and Crowder may be looking for an opportunity where he can play minutes on a more consistent basis. It hurts that this one didn't work out, as Crowder had all of the tools to help the Milwaukee Bucks in a big way and they gave up a ton to get him in town.