Even after his poor playoff showing, the Milwaukee Bucks' faith in Taurean Prince didn't falter, as they re-upped him on a new two-year contract. One of Prince's staunchest supporters is Jon Horst, none other than the general manager who handed him that new deal. In an interview with The Athletic's Eric Nehm (subscription required), Horst didn't mince words about his belief in Prince.
"I think continuity is going to be good for TP. And I think our roster … is better suited for Taurean this year than it was last year."
Bucks need Prince to patch one of roster's biggest holes
Horst does make a valid point talking about the roster. Last year, the starting lineup felt crammed due to Kyle Kuzma taking the starting small forward spot, which slid Taurean Prince to the two guard slot. Out of his natural position, Prince had his moments, but it was an awkward fit, especially defensively. This year, he will likely be at the three more often, whether that's as a starter or coming off the bench.
With Kuzma likely to play more power forward than small forward, something else Horst hinted at in this interview, Prince can play his natural position as well. That could be the key to bringing out the best in him, especially defensively. Prince is at his best when he's guarding other small forwards rather than chasing around faster, more athletic guards.
Offensively, all Prince has to do is what he did last season, and that's space the floor, especially for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The forward, who was open more often than not, thrived as a perimeter kick-out threat, shooting 49.8 percent on his catch-and-shoot threes, the best percentage in the entire NBA among players to heave at least 65 tries. He's more than capable of doing that again.
The Milwaukee Bucks absolutely need Horst to be correct. Right now, the small forward position is the one glaring roster question mark. Aside from Prince, Milwaukee's only other names at the spot are Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Chris Livingston. Amir Coffey could be there, but he's not on the actual roster yet. For now, most of those minutes will likely go to Prince, who must step up.
No matter how well Prince plays for the Milwaukee Bucks during the regular season, the true test remains the NBA Playoffs. Throughout his entire career, his numbers have always dipped on the biggest stage. After hitting 43.9 percent of his 3-pointers during the regular season, that number dipped down to 22.2 percent during five playoff games. That cannot happen again.
Set to make $3.3 million this coming season, Prince won't be much of a financial burden. If he lives up to the expectations Jon Horst has placed on him, he could end up being a steal.
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