The Milwaukee Bucks have had some success recently finding undervalued yet available talent and giving them an opportunity to shine.
Ryan Rollins was a free agent who signed on as a two-way player before earning a standard contract. The Bucks acquired Kevin Porter Jr. at the trade deadline for MarJon Beauchamp, who scarcely saw any meaningful minutes, straight up. Milwaukee traded Delon Wright to the New York Knicks and was able to snag big man Jericho Sims in return.
All three players who were nice success stories for the Milwaukee Bucks this past season, and they should serve as an example of what this team should be looking for as they fill out their roster.
The Milwaukee Bucks must strike gold on some hidden gems
The Milwaukee Bucks have four players under contract heading into the offseason, and one of them is Damian Lillard, who very well may be out for all of next year. Jon Horst, fresh off an extension to keep him in Milwaukee, will have plenty of spots to fill, and he must change up the formula from years past and adopt what has been working recently.
The days of bringing in recognizable players simply based on name value may need to come to an end. Last offseason, Taurean Prince and Delon Wright were initially solid pickups, but in time, both of them lost their spots in the rotation and became expendable, with one of them being traded away, while the young, less recognizable faces dazzled.
Those players were low-cost, so it didn't break Milwaukee, but in past years, trades for Jae Crowder, Serge Ibaka and, to a lesser degree, Patrick Beverley, have all cost the team valuable assets without making much of a difference in the end. Trades aren't bad, of course, but they've had much more success finding and developing talent rather than trading for established veterans recently.
As Milwaukee's financial restraints loom, this team must find more undervalued talent, such as giving a two-way player a promotion or adding a player who isn't featured much in their current situation. If those players are young, even better, as the loss to the Pacers highlighted just how important having youth, energy and athleticism is in today's ever-changing NBA.
Sometimes, a player is just stuck in a situation where they simply need a fresh start. Jericho Sims, for example, was stuck on New York's bench but played well once landing in Milwaukee because the team desperately needed an athletic big man. Kevin Porter Jr. played much better in Milwaukee than he did in Los Angeles because he took on a more important role.
This offseason, finding low-cost players who are seeking an opportunity or a fresh start should be a point of emphasis for Jon Horst. He very well may have already gotten off to a nice start, bringing in Pete Nance on a two-way last season. With so much uncertainty at the center spot, Nance, who was sitting down in the G-League, could earn himself some time. He could be the next hidden gem find.
It all should start with retaining players who brought forth this article in the first place, such as Rollins, Porter and Sims, but it cannot stop there. Horst must snag a steal late in the draft, find a trade for an underrated piece, give a free agent a change of scenery or even promote some internal talent looking for a shot. It should be a busy offseason for Milwaukee's leading voice.