Barring an out-of-left-field transaction, the Milwaukee Bucks have likely put the finishing touches on their roster for the upcoming season.
After being bombarded with constant criticism over the last year due to Milwaukee's roster issues - which were largely caused by the timing of the Damian Lillard trade - general manager Jon Horst set out to retool this roster to fit better, and he did so marvelously. On paper, this 18-man group already fits together much better than last year's group.
That said, let's analyze why exactly that is by breaking down three upgrades they made.
Jae Crowder to Taurean Prince
It feels safe to categorize Milwaukee's 2023 trade for Jae Crowder as a swing and a miss. During his season-and-a-half with the team, the hope was that Crowder could be the versatile veteran 3-and-D forward the Bucks so desperately needed. They clearly thought he could push them over the edge, having given up a whopping five second-round picks to get the deal done. Yet, it didn't quite work out.
In the NBA Playoffs, where the team needed Crowder the most, he appeared in eight games over two seasons, averaging 10.4 minutes per contest. In those minutes, he averaged a line of two points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.6 assists while shooting 24 percent from the floor and 7.7 percent (!!!) from distance. He just never lived up to the expectations the Milwaukee Bucks had for him.
Taurean Prince, a forward the Bucks added on a minimum deal earlier this offseason, will take over Crowder's role in the rotation. On paper, the two share plenty of similarities as 6-foot-6 forwards who are known for their perimeter shooting and defense. However, there's little controversy in saying that Prince, who is nearly four years younger than Crowder, is the better player at this stage.
Over the last two years, Prince has averaged nine points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per matchup while shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and 39.1 percent from three. In that same span, Crowder averaged 6.4 points, 3.4 boards and 1.4 assists while shooting 43.7 percent from the floor and 37.1 percent from deep. Prince has the edge statistically.
If Taurean Prince can play the role the Milwaukee Bucks thought they'd be getting from Jae Crowder when they forfeited five second round picks to get him, his importance will know no bounds.
Malik Beasley to Gary Trent Jr.
Circling back to Milwaukee's roster flaws last season, Malik Beasley didn't play the role he signed up for initially. He thought he'd be playing next to Jrue Holiday, a more defensive-minded guard, but the Damian Lillard trade made Beasley the primary defender in the backcourt. That was a role he never had to embrace previously, so it dropped him into uncharted, oftentimes shark-infested, waters.
Despite the added workload defensively, Beasley put together a quality year for the Milwaukee Bucks statistically. Starting 77 of 79 regular season games, the two-guard averaged 11.3 points, 3.7 boards, 1.4 assists and 0.7 steals while shooting 44.3 percent from the floor and 41.3 percent from distance.
Despite his strong play, few people would argue he's better than Bucks' newcomer Gary Trent Jr.
Even in his least productive season with the Toronto Raptors in 2023-24, Trent averaged 13.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 42.6 percent from the floor and 39.3 percent from 3-point territory. Beasley has the edge in a few departments, but the sizeable difference between the two is the steals and scoring.
Trent is a better scorer than Beasley, and alongside Milwaukee's talented group of stars, there's a good chance he can have his best 3-point shooting season yet just like Beasley did. Defensively, Trent is the stronger defender. Steals don't define defensive impact, but one of Trent's greatest attributes is his activeness on that end, constantly getting steals to create plays on the other end.
Trent, who is taking Beasley's No. 5 jersey, is one of the best bang-for-buck signings of the offseason across the entire league.
Patrick Beverley to Delon Wright
All things considered, Patrick Beverley played well with the Milwaukee Bucks after coming over at the NBA Trade Deadline last season. After initially coming off the bench, he wiggled into the starting five by the time the playoffs kicked off due to the team's need for more defenders. Yet, the Bucks opted to pivot and sign Delon Wright to fill Beverley's shoes quickly into free agency.
Career-wise, there's no denying that Beverley is the better player. However, with Beverley just turning 36 years old, there were questions regarding how much he had left in the tank, especially on a roster that needed to get younger. That's one of the reasons why signing Wright, 32, made sense, providing the Milwaukee Bucks with a younger alternative who has plenty of good basketball left.
Another thing Wright has over Beverley is versatility. At 6-foot-2, bigger wings and guards could try and target Beverley due to his size despite his strong reputation as a defender. Wright, on the other hand, stands tall at 6-foot-5, allowing him to hold his own and not always be at a height disadvantage and not have opponents shoot over him constantly in situations that call for switching.
Statistically, Beverley does have the advantage. Last season, he averaged 6.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, while Wright put up 4.5 points, 2.5 assists and 1.8 rebounds. It should be noted that Beverley played nearly five more minutes per game, but Wright is also the type of player who can make an impact without stuffing the stat sheet, especially as a defender.
After years of rolling with undersized backup point guards, most of who are also in the latter portion of their NBA careers, Wright could be a nice change of pace.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.