Ranking the 5 best Milwaukee Bucks moments of an eventful 2023
4. Bucks re-sign Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez (June 30-July 1)
There was a brief stretch at the start of the summer when people were not entirely sure that the Bucks' core would be returning. Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez were both free agents, and although it seemed as though both would be best off returning to Milwaukee to compete for a title, there was a chance they could go somewhere else for more money. The Bucks needed to bring them back to prevent losing them for nothing and to keep their championship core intact.
About an hour into free agency, Khris Middleton inked his new three-year contract with the team for about $30M a year. Now, the attention shifted to Lopez, who was rumored to be considering a large offer from the Houston Rockets. Lopez made Bucks fans sweat a little bit by waiting an extra day, but eventually he agreed to a two-year deal worth $48M to return to Milwaukee.
The Bucks had successfully retained two of their core pieces to continue their quest for another championship, and it looked as though they would be running it back with all of the same main players for another season.
3. Damian Lillard drops 39 in his Bucks debut (October 26)
It was a much anticipated Bucks debut for Damian Lillard after his acquisition about two months prior. Lillard had struggled to get going in preseason, but everyone was eager to see how he would look once the real games started, and he did not disappoint.
Dame dropped 39 points in the opener, the most ever in a player's Bucks debut. He made 17-of-17 free throws and instantly treated fans to the great scoring ability he provides. He also showed right away what "Dame Time" looks like, scoring 14 points in the 4th quarter and hitting several clutch buckets to help the Bucks escape with a 118-117 win over the 76ers.
It took only one game for fans to see just how explosive of an offensive player Lillard is, and there was no doubt right away that this new era was going to be an exciting one.