1 Roster concern the Bucks haven't addressed (It's not backup point guard)

Jun 09, 2023

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 01 (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

Following an embarrassing first round loss in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, many wondered how the Milwaukee Bucks would go about improving the roster.

As most expected, the team hasn’t made many drastic changes. They re-signed Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez while also adding a pair of role players in Malik Beasley and Robin Lopez. That goes without mentioning the solid haul they got from the 2023 NBA Draft. With their roster now full following the re-signing of Thanasis Antetokounmpo, many more moves are unlikely to come. Yet, there’s still one glaring issue with the current roster, and that’s even looking past the need for a backup point guard.

Last season, the Bucks ranked 29th in the NBA in points per possession on isolation plays, per NBA.com. The only team below them was the San Antonio Spurs, who just landed the top pick in the draft and took Victor Wembanyama. The Bucks still had a rather nice flowing offense during the regular season, having ranked sixth in offensive rating. However, in today’s NBA, teams are relying more and more on iso scorers, and the Bucks just do not have many outside of their Big 3.

One could argue that the Bucks’ isolation points per possession would be higher had they had Khris Middleton for most of the season. Of course, he missed significant time with injuries and struggled when he did play because of them. Still, even with the top trio healthy, this team does not have many isolation scorers and shot-creators. As fans have seen over the past few years, the Bucks have been hindered in the playoffs due to a lack of reliable complementary scorers.

They haven’t done much to address it this off-season. Malik Beasley will be an excellent addition to the offense, but he’s more of a perimeter catch-and-shoot threat, while Robin Lopez will be an insurance policy at the center position. Milwaukee’s recent draft picks were taken more so due to what they can provide on the defensive end as 6-foot-6 wings. The Bucks should aim to change their lack of iso scorers and shot creators, and their likeliest avenue to do so is through a trade.

The main target fans have been clamoring for is Collin Sexton of the Utah Jazz, who is rumored to be available for the right price. Not only would Sexton give the Bucks the guard they need to shore up their backcourt depth, but he’d also be the perfect complementary scorer to the Big 3 alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday. Two other options for the Bucks could be Bojan Bogdanovic and Bogdan Bogdanovic, who have both been linked to the team previously.

Any of those players could come in and give the Bucks the shot-creator and iso scorer they need. Milwaukee simply needs another player to take some of the pressure off of the leading trio on the offensive end. Sexton or either Bogdanovic could certainly do that, but there are plenty of others who could do so as well. It will be interesting to see if the Bucks address this issue or roll into the season without addressing it. If it’s the latter, it could possibly come back to haunt them.

At this point, the Bucks look like they will be very strong on defense next season, but there are questions as to how they will perform offensively.

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