The Milwaukee Bucks are one of the most cash strapped teams in the NBA, so they'll have to be very creative at re-tooling the roster to get back to the expected level of contention.
The 2024 free agency class is a somewhat weak one. However, there may be a few names that the Bucks could target with a minimum contract that have skill sets that could be valuable to the team. That said, let us break down three under the radar targets.
Mo Bamba
When Mo Bamba was on the Orlando Magic, he seemed good enough to be a future star big man in the NBA. He played the first four years of his career with the Magic before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the trade deadline in his fifth season. The trade was a four team trade involving both Los Angeles teams as well as the Denver Nuggets.
Bamba found himself in purple and gold and played just 9.8 minutes per game in nine games total for the Lakers and barely saw the court in the playoffs. Following the 2022-23 season, the Lakers waived Bamba, and he signed a one-year veteran minimum deal with the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2023-24 season.
Bamba played 13 minutes per game for the 76ers this past season, so why should someone who has seen his role diminish over the last two seasons be of interest to the Milwaukee Bucks?
The short answer is that he would be a great backup to Brook Lopez.
The longer answer is that in addition to being a good backup to Lopez, he could also be an insurance policy should Lopez's age catch up to him, the injury bug bite him, or he is traded. What skills does Mo Bamba possess that might make one think this?
First, Bamba is a career 36.1 percent 3-point shooter. Secondly, he averages 1.3 blocks per game (on previously mentioned limited minutes). Also worth noting is that his career defensive rating is 107.3, per StatMuse. Essentially, Bamba would bring a similar skill set to Lopez as a shooting threat, floor-spacing big man and shot blocker.
Lonnie Walker IV
Lonnie Walker IV has a somewhat similar career path to Mo Bamba, spending time with the team that drafted him, the San Antonio Spurs, looking like his career was on a trajectory to lead him to some modest stardom. While he wasn't included in a trade like Bamba, Walker did end up with the Los Angeles Lakers for a year in 2022-23.
Last season, Walker played with the Brooklyn Nets, who are currently navigating their remnants of the Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden trades after their failed attempt at winning a title with a super-team.
Lonnie Walker IV would give the Milwaukee Bucks an injection of youth at the shooting guard position, as he'll turn 26 in December.
Last season, Walker shot 38.4 percent on 3-point shots, and there can never be too many shooters around Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton to keep defenses honest.
Walker isn't known for his defense, so his potential addition to the Milwaukee Bucks would essentially be exclusively to take advantage of his shot-making ability. With the Bucks only being able to offer veteran minimum contracts in free agency because of where they stand with the salary cap, adding a capable shooter like Walker wouldn't be a bad move.
Dario Saric
Possibly the biggest sleeper free agent target the Milwaukee Bucks could/should consider is Dario Saric. The Bucks saw plenty of Saric in the 2021 NBA Finals when he was a member of the Phoenix Suns, who the Bucks defeated to win their championship.
Saric has become a bit of a journeyman in the NBA, playing with five different teams in his career, three of the five for just one season. Why should he be of interest to the Milwaukee Bucks?
Dario Saric really doesn't get credit for how decent of an all-around player he is. Saric doesn't necessarily exceed at any one major thing. However, being able to do multiple things well does offer benefits as a versatile addition to the depth of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Looking at his per-36 minutes numbers, the picture of a really solid basketball player can be painted. For his career, Saric averages 16.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and three assists per 36 minutes.
Saric is a career 36.2 percent 3-point shooter, including 37.6 percent last season with the Golden State Warriors. As previously mentioned with Lonnie Walker IV, you can never have too much shooting around the Bucks' Big 3. Saric is also a career 83.9 percent free throw shooter.
Dario Saric isn't going to turn up on any All-NBA defense lists. Yet, his career 110.9 defensive rating could certainly be a lot worse. For reference, Bobby Portis' career defensive rating is 110.3; in his four seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, it's 111.
Also, a major reason for including Dario Saric on a list of sleeper free agents is the very real possibility that Bobby Portis could be traded this off-season. Portis does so much for the culture of the Bucks, but there is a possibility that in an effort to upgrade the roster, he could be moved.
If Bobby Portis were to be traded this off-season and the return doesn't include a power forward, Dario Saric would be a no-brainer to bring to the Milwaukee Bucks' second unit as a big man.