2024 Roundtable: Exploring Bucks' options to improve via draft, free agency, trade
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks should be busy this NBA off-season.
With the draft and free agency coming up, the Behind the Buck Pass crew has come together to talk about targets the team can pursue to improve. That said, let us get everyone's thoughts. Usernames for X, formerly known as Twitter, are included.
1. What's one reason you have confidence in the Milwaukee Bucks' this off-season?
Dalton Sell (@sell_dalton): The Bucks know they will have Damian Lillard this off-season. Last year, he was brought in at the last minute, which threw everything off, as that roster was more well-fitted for a defensive-minded guard like Jrue Holiday. The roster just didn't fit. This year, they know Lillard will be the floor general, and they can act accordingly. That will unquestionably help Jon Horst.
Will Moxon (@moxon_will): With the Bucks now having a full off-season with Damian Lillard now on the team and the key components more settled, it is the supporting cast that needs tweaking slightly so the changes aren't as drastic as last off-season. GM Jon Horst has now shown multiple times that he is willing to make moves in order to build a championship-winning roster, and I think he is not shy to do the same again. Having two draft picks also gives the Bucks the chance to make the roster younger and more athletic, two things they lacked hugely this season, as well as potentially moving them should a player become available to trade for.
Nathan Marzion (@nathanmarzion): The Bucks now finally have time and a few more assets to fully build around Giannis and Damian Lillard. Jon Horst has consistently been aggressive in trying to improve the roster throughout his tenure as GM, so I am confident they will make the necessary moves to get better.
Tyler Schickert (@tschicket13): I have confidence in tweaking the roster because Jon Horst has consistently done a great job upgrading the team. Say what you will about Jrue Holiday being traded, but the fact that the Milwaukee Bucks were able to swoop in and steal Damian Lillard still doesn't feel real. I'm very interested to see what Horst cooks up this summer.
Rudy LB (@authorrudylb): As someone who plays basketball in their mid-40s, I can tell you one simple truth: playing against someone who is fast and athletic in their early 20s really gives me no chance. The Bucks need some raw, young talent. That is why I have confidence in what the Bucks will do this off-season. The old guys (Horst and Rivers) will be able to grab a few good young guys to fill out the back of the team’s starting line-up and bench. I have a lot of confidence in the Bucks off-season because I have confidence in GM Jon Horst and coach Doc Rivers. This is a team that will be in the mix next year. They might not win it all, but they have to be able to be better than first-round playoff exit. I also think the mission is a little simpler this off-season: get younger and get faster.
Lucas Valind (@RealLucaso345): The Bucks should have an easier time this off-season by eliminating all distractions from a year ago. Last year, even before the blockbuster acquisition of Damian Lillard, the team was in a transition period, moving on from Mike Budenholzer to new head coach Adrian Griffin. As we saw last season, the Bucks lacked a true identity. This off-season, they can discuss what they want their identity to be with Doc Rivers. Making moves around the team Milwaukee aspires to be, in addition to knowing Lillard will be the team’s starting point guard, should help the 2024 off-season be much more successful than the one we saw in 2023.
Aitor Darias (@Aitor_Darias): At this point, the roster's issues are pretty glaring. Last year, after everything fell off against Miami, it was hard to tell why the postseason had turned out so badly, and the Lillard trade was a shocking move that came too late to make him fit. Now, the Bucks can tweak the roster with his presence in mind and address what the team is lacking, which can be made by adding a few rotation players.