Despite not having much financial leeway, the Milwaukee Bucks have been very busy this off-season as they retool their roster.
Following the impressive signing of Gary Trent Jr., the Bucks have filled out every available spot on their roster. Of course, they could free things up at any moment with a trade, which is still very much on the table. Yet, only time will tell what else general manager Jon Horst has up his sleeve.
For now, let's rank all six moves the Milwaukee Bucks have made this off-season based on how they will help the team during the 2024-25 NBA season.
No. 6 - Signing Stanley Umude
The Bucks beefed up their wing depth this off-season by signing Stanley Umude. Given that he was signed via a two-way deal, this is more of a flyer, as he likely won't see too much time on the court as a Milwaukee Buck. Umude, more than likely, will spend most of this upcoming season as a member of the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee's G-League affiliate.
This is an under the radar move. Sure, Umude isn't the flashiest name, as he didn't dazzle during his two seasons with the Detroit Pistons, but he showed glimpses of potential on both sides of the floor, playing tough defense while shooting 44.4 percent from 3-point range. At 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, he's a lengthy wing with the tools to develop into a solid contributor on both ends.
The signing of Umude comes in last on this particular list solely because he might not help the Bucks a great amount this coming season. There's potential for him to earn a promotion and make his way onto the official roster at some point, but he'll have to work hard to get there. This team could always use a wing with two-way upside.
No. 5 - Drafting Tyler Smith
With their second-rounder in the NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks selected potential-filled youngster Tyler Smith. Coming from the G-League Ignite instead of college, Smith didn't have a traditional path to the league, just like their other pick in this draft, as he's been playing against pro talent for quite a while now. He's an interesting long-term prospect for the Bucks.
Smith's most desirable attributes are his shooting and athleticism. At 6-foot-11, he has a nice stroke from the outside, knocking down 36.4 percent of his triples this past season. He's also a freak athlete for a player of that size, flying all over the court to fight for rebounds and throw down lobs. Both of those are attributes this Milwaukee Bucks team needed more of this off-season.
At 19, Smith is pretty raw and is unlikely to see a prominent role this coming season. Most of his time will likely be spent on the sidelines, picking the brains of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez if that trio is still intact when the season begins. If he can keep developing his skills and improve by the day, there's no denying that he has the skill set to leap into this rotation down the line.
At the time of this writing, Smith very well could be Milwaukee's break glass in case of an emergency big man, as they don't have any roster space to add another body in the frontcourt, so it shouldn't be ruled out entirely that he could get on the court at some point this coming season. Of course, having everyone healthy would be the prefered outcome, though.
No. 4 - Drafting AJ Johnson
Now that the draft night hysteria has settled and Milwaukee Bucks fans have actually seen the pick in action on the basketball court, many are buying stock on AJ Johnson. Though the 19-year-old won't see too much time on the floor this coming season, in all likelihood, it's hard to ignore the potential he possesses as a player, signaling that his future may be bright.
Though it's a small sample size, Johnson has shown glimpses of his potential in the Summer League. He's dazzled with his quickness and shiftiness, flying up and down the court every single possession. One of the primary concerns with Johnson was his 160-pound frame, but that hasn't hindered him a great deal in these games. He could still bulk up a tad, but he's played good basketball at his size.
This coming season, Johnson likely won't be on the floor much. This was a selection that was made with the future in mind, so this season will be about soaking up as much knowledge as he can as if he were a sponge. In a backcourt room with Damian Lillard, Gary Trent Jr. and Delon Wright, Johnson will be around a great group of veterans who can help him work on his craft.
A strong showing in the Summer League thus far has Milwaukee Bucks fans dreaming about what Johnson could become, but it will likely take time.
No. 3 - Signing Delon Wright
The Milwaukee Bucks began NBA Free Agency by signing Delon Wright, shoring up their backcourt depth with a player who can help this team in a big way. The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor reported that getting more versatile was a rumored objective for the Bucks, and Wright can help with that.
Right off the bat, Wright stands at 6-foot-5 and is capable of playing both guard positions. When the Bucks need him to run the second unit, he can. When they need him to play next to Damian Lillard, he can. Having players who are willing to embrace whatever role they are given in different situations is a coach's dream, so he should quickly become a favorite for head coach Doc Rivers.
Defensively, Wright's height will allow him to guard multiple different positions and hold his own better than some of Milwaukee's previous backup point guards. On offense, he won't be tasked with doing a ton outside of knocking down his open triples. If he can do both of those things very well, there's not a single doubt that he can be a key cog for this team as they try to win a championship next season.
With Patrick Beverley officially heading overseas to continue his playing career, Wright replaces him in the backup point guard slot and offers plenty of intrigue. On a minimum deal, this is a strong signing by the Milwaukee Bucks.
No. 2 - Signing Taurean Prince
For years, the Milwaukee Bucks have been trying to find a playable forward who can make them more versatile on both ends. Since the departure of P.J. Tucker, they haven't had much luck, but the newest player they are looking at to fill this role has plenty of promise. After spending last year as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, Taurean Prince reunites with assistant coach Darvin Ham in the 414.
Prince can serve as a Swiss Army knife off of the bench. Offensively, he'll mostly be tasked with being a perimeter threat, and as a career 37.6 percent 3-point shooter, that's a role he can play very well. On defense, he gives Milwaukee a 6-foot-6 combo forward who can defend players of all shapes and sizes when called upon, something this team obviously could always use more of.
Perhaps the biggest thing Prince can do for the Bucks is make them more versatile, which, as noted in the previous section, is something this team wants. Prince can fit into endless lineup combinations in Milwaukee and serve as the team's small-ball power forward when Giannis Antetokounmpo moves to the center spot, something they haven't had the personnel to do in recent memory.
On a minimum deal, this is an excellent pickup for the Milwaukee Bucks, but it comes in at second on this ranking, speaking to the quality of the signing just above it.
No. 1 - Signing Gary Trent Jr.
When free agency first opened, this would have seemed impossible. However, a market simply never materialized for two-guard Gary Trent Jr., paving the way for the Milwaukee Bucks to bring him in on a minimum deal. Unless something unforeseen happens, Trent could be the best bang for your buck signing across the entire NBA this off-season.
Trent will immediately claim Milwaukee's starting two-guard job, and there's certainly an argument to be made that he's the best player to hold that mantle in a long time. To highlight what Trent can do on the floor, perhaps no stat captures it better than the fact that Trent is one of four players with at least 500 made 3-pointers and 300 steals over the last three seasons, per ESPN's Matt Williams.
Alongside Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, Trent will get no shortage of open looks from deep, and he should thrive offensively. Defensively, he won't be a wing-stopper or a top-tier threat, but he has the necessary size and length to hold his own against other wings. Being active on that end helps him generate such a high rate of steals nightly.
On a minimum contract, this is an incredible pickup for the Milwaukee Bucks. Unless something crazy happens over the next couple of months, this move will likely stay atop this list firmly.
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