Heading into this off-season, the Milwaukee Bucks had lots of questions to be answered but with a lack of financial leeway to make big splashes. Yet, they have still been busy.
The most recent addition is 25-year-old center Liam Robbins, who was converted from an Exhibit 10 deal to a two-way contract, as the 7-footer will get a shot at proving himself with the Wisconsin Herd in the G-League.
There had been rumors of Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez being on the move, but the veterans stayed put, and Jon Horst made moves to build the rotation with younger vets that filled the Bucks' needs. Youth, athleticism and versatility were all skills that desperately needed attention, and Milwaukee has addressed those with a handful of moves.
After the addition of Robbins, let's take rank the moves the Bucks have made this off-season.
No. 7 - Signing Stanley Umude
Stanley Umude was one of the Bucks' first signings of the summer, signing a two-way deal back in early July.
The former Detroit Piston is likely to spend most of his time in the G-League with the Herd but he has some very positive attributes. He is a 6-foot-6 wing that shot an impressive 44.4 percent from deep in his two seasons with the Pistons and has shown ability on the defensive side of the floor, too.
The reason Umude finds himself in the bottom spot is more so due to his competition that is currently occupying the wing positions for the Bucks. Khris Middleton, Taurean Prince and Gary Trent Jr. are all certains to be in the rotation, while Pat Connaughton, MarJon Beauchamp, Andre Jackson Jr. and A.J. Green all struggled in preseason so Doc Rivers will have to figure out who takes what minutes.
For Umude, there is just such a logjam ahead of him that he would have to be seriously impressive in the G-League and then show that again in the NBA for him to find his way into the rotation.
He has lots of potential still, and there is, of course, a promotion available similar to what Green had shown a couple of years ago. If the Bucks still need a wing with the ability to impact the game on both ends, then Umude might feature more than we think.
No. 6. Signing Liam Robbins
In the second to last spot is Umude's fellow two-way teammate in Liam Robbins. What Robbins offers is great depth and a younger option at the center position, something the Milwaukee Bucks haven't had in recent seasons.
They may rely on Bobby Portis or Giannis Antetokounmpo to fill in at the five spot in certain rotations, but having Robbins does give Rivers that option of a specialist center should Brook Lopez be out.
Robbins impressed in preseason, averaging four points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 blocks per game in 12 minutes on the floor. He clearly impressed Rivers and the front office enough for them to waive Anžejs Pasečņiks from his two-way deal in order to sign Robbins.
Impressing in the G-League always brings about opportunity in the association, so for the Wisconsin native, he may well earn his way into the Milwaukee Bucks locker room with Rivers speaking so highly of him recently.
No. 5. Drafting AJ Johnson
AJ Johnson finds himself here more so due to the impact he can have on the Bucks in the short-term. We know that the 19-year old has plenty of potential to grow, but he may not see too much time on the floor for the Milwaukee this season.
Giannis recently backed Johnson on media day, suggesting he can be a real asset to speed up the tempo of the bench unit, which is a very real possibility should the Bucks look to speed the game up.
Johnson had a really good game against the Lakers in preseason, but struggled in the other three, as he averaged 5.3 points, 4.3 assists and three rebounds in 23.6 minutes. Those don't seem awful for the rookie, but his shooting splits landed at .174/.214/.667, which shows how raw of a prospect he is and that there is still plenty to work on.
Many thought the Bucks reached with the selection of Johnson and went in a different direction to the expected win-now draft selections, so there is pressure on the young point guard to some extent. It seems unlikely he will play too much with Lillard taking the bulk and Wright being the backup, but he has assets that make him a different proposition for defenses, which might see him pick up minutes here and there depending on the game situation.
The Bucks and their fans will need to be patient with Johnson, and he may be a very good pick in the long-term, but for this season, it feels like the 23rd overall pick will be watching and learning from his Milwaukee Bucks teammates more often than not.
No. 4. Drafting Tyler Smith
Tyler Smith was drafted in the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks from the G-League Ignite. Similar to Johnson, Smith has experience playing against pro talent, and at 19, is another young prospect who is more of a long-term selection from Milwaukee.
What Smith offers, however, is a 6-foot-11 frame with the ability to hit threes at a 36.4 percent clip. His ability to play the power forward position could allow the Bucks to have some nice looks with him being able to stretch the floor. He also flies around the court, is great on the glass and throwing down alley-oops, both of which can assist the Milwaukee Bucks.
Again, he is similar to Johnson in being another raw prospect, so finds himself at the five spot here and unlikely to play a ton of minutes for the Bucks. Having Giannis, Portis and Lopez to learn from is great for Tyler Smith, and he can take bits of knowledge and skills from each.
For now, Smith will likely be a DNP or spend most of his time with the Herd, but should the Bucks need it, Smith has skills that may be of use to them. His energy and athleticism is something other players on the roster don't possess.
No. 3. Signing Delon Wright
The signing of Delon Wright to a veteran minimum deal kicked off NBA Free Agency for the Bucks. He adds great depth in the backcourt and versatility to play behind or alongside Lillard, which is needed. Wright is a bit of a journeyman in the NBA, but his 6-foot-5 frame and great defensive capabilities are always something of interest to teams, and he can very well run the bench unit.
Another really good part of Wright's game is that he doesn't turn the ball over with him amassing just 14 turnovers in 47 games last season and that security is of real interest to any team. If the Bucks feel he might be needed alongside Lillard then it is a real option, allowing the star to run the offense but pairing him with a nice defensive partner that is a career 35 percent shooter from 3-point range.
Patrick Beverley headed to Europe to continue his basketball career and Wright is a nice replacement that offers similar skills but with a bigger frame and perhaps a calmer presence on the court. Offensively he won't be tasked with too much other than hitting his shots from deep and just keeping the ball moving.
Wright is as good as you can get as a vet minimum in the backcourt, but there are two additions that still just pip him on this list.
No. 2 Signing Taurean Prince
Since P.J. Tucker departed Milwaukee following the 2021 championship win, the Milwaukee Bucks have struggled to find a forward that can have the same impact on both ends of the floor. Taurean Prince looks like he could be that player, as the 37.6 percent career shooter from deep signed on a minimum deal and gives the Bucks great versatility and much-needed wing defense.
He teams up with his former Lakers coach Darvin Ham, the coach he played in 78 regular season games under in Los Angeles last season. Prince put up 8.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists on splits of .442/.396/.735, which are really good splits. The forward comes to Milwaukee with high expectations in place.
With Khris Middleton likely to miss games as the Bucks try not to overexert him following surgery, Prince could slot in at the small forward position in the starting lineup or feature as the power forward with Giannis Antetokounmpo at the center position.
The big thing the Bucks needed was defensive help at the wing position and versatility. Jae Crowder failed to do that over the past two seasons, but Taurean Prince directly addresses those problems and is a great pickup for the Bucks on a minimum.
No. 1 Signing Gary Trent Jr.
Let's not kid ourselves here. Gary Trent Jr. is a $15 million player, and the Milwaukee Bucks got him on a veteran minimum deal at just $2.6 million. That is just an absolute steal, and with the way the market and second-apron work financially, Trent reuniting in the backcourt with former teammate Lillard is a huge plus for Milwaukee.
He will go straight in as the starting shooting guard, and the offensive firepower he possesses would be ideal for almost any team in the league.
Across his career, he averages 14.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals on splits of .422/.386/.819. The flamethrower ability he has to score from all three levels is a real asset, but don't underestimate his defensive capabilities. Milwaukee was not good defensively for the first half of last season, and Trent is a huge upgrade over Malik Beasley. That also allows further versatility for Rivers to experiement and scheme with.
Trent could go down as the best bargain pickup of free agency with what he can give you and the sensational deal the Bucks got him on. He goes straight in at number one, as this was just an unfathomable type of signing for the Bucks this offseason without having to move a larger contract. Him earning $2.6 million is an absolute steal, and he is going to be so exciting to watch as part of this Bucks team with what he offers.
All of these players will have some sort of impact on the team this season, but Trent clearly takes the top spot. Still, he is closely followed by the other free agent pickups. There is plenty of excitement for Milwaukee, and the season kicks off very soon.
Stay tuned for more Bucks analysis as they head to Philadelphia to kick off the 2024-25 NBA season on Wednesday.