Taurean Prince could patch a flaw the Bucks have been trying to fix for years

Addressing the Bucks' perimeter weakness

In the 6-foot-6 wing’s rookie season with Atlanta, Taurean Prince checking into the game meant opposing offense scorers would be scoring -5.8 points fewer per 100 possessions and -3.2 percentage points less in effective field goal efficiency, according to Cleaning the Glass — statistics that had Prince in the 92nd and 93rd percentiles for his position, respectively. The flashes were there as early as then.

Most recently, in 2023, Prince’s minutes for the Los Angeles Lakers saw the opposition turning the ball over for an additional +1.4 percent of their possessions versus when Prince was on the bench; he was good for the 82nd percentile among wings in turnover percentage that season.

Just look at the names at the top of his matchup data on NBA.com, which includes Kevin Durant and Luka Doncic. It’s clear that Prince was not only a competent defender but that he’s also consistently handed the responsibility of guarding the opposing team’s best scorer.

None of this is to say that Prince is the next great perimeter defender in Milwaukee, but neither was P.J. Tucker or Wesley Matthews.

The consensus among analysts and fans alike was that his time in Los Angeles betrayed a severe lack of the kind of physicality or quickness needed to be a real defensive stopper. The numbers do show that, as he held the two names mentioned earlier to efficiency numbers of 43.8 percent and 50.0 percent field goal shooting. That's not to say he doesn't have good matchups; he's held the likes of Jaylen Brown, Jordan Clarkson and Lauri Markkanen to field goal percentages of 40 and below.

It's tough to pin Los Angeles' defensive woes on Prince, of course - they were sporting a backcourt of D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves, after all. But according to Cleaning the Glass, he was most certainly a net negative on the defensive side of the ball. Opposing teams actually scored +6.1 more points per 100 possessions in the minutes that Prince was playing versus when he was on the bench. So, while evidence of his ability on that end is clear, along with his potential to be a competent player, there are also signs of aging or a lack of consistency there.

One of the most critical aspects of Prince's game is his defensive versatility. His ability to guard multiple positions is a rare commodity in today's NBA. The Bucks have often struggled to match up with smaller, quicker guards, and Prince's length and athleticism could be a game-changer in this regard.

Per tracking data on NBA.com/stats, Prince spent 49.4 percent of his time defending guards, 43.7 percent on forwards, and even seven percent guarding centers, which should give you an idea of the trust former Lakers head coach Darvin Ham had in Prince’s ability to defend multiple positions.

Imagine a lineup with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Taurean Prince. The defensive potential of this quartet is staggering. Prince's ability to guard positions one through four would allow the Bucks to switch seamlessly on screens, a defensive strategy that has proven highly effective for the Bucks in recent years — especially in the playoffs.

This defensive flexibility would also reduce the strain on Giannis, allowing him to focus more on his offensive responsibilities without having to expend as much energy on the defensive end.

Prince's defensive acumen, while limited, offers a tantalizing prospect. His length, athleticism and defensive instincts are precisely the qualities the Milwaukee Bucks have sought, even if he isn't the most elite ball hawk out there.

His ability to guard multiple positions allows for greater defensive flexibility, enabling the Bucks to switch seamlessly and disrupt opposing offenses. At this point, his overall effect on the team might be more important than what he can actually do one-on-one, and for a team already sporting multiple plus-defenders like Milwaukee, maybe that’s okay.