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The Bucks are the 2021 NBA Champions—their first title in 50 years. After going down 0-2 against the Suns, they pulled a reverse sweep and won 4 straight games to win the championship. It was a tough series for both teams.
Bucks offseason preview 2021
The Bucks offseason will focus mainly on running it back and maintaining their championship roster. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton are already locked in for next season. Now, it’s time for them to shift their focus on some key contributors outside the trio.
Here are four things the Bucks should take a look into in the offseason…
Portis and Forbes’ player option
Bobby Portis outperformed his contract in the 2020-2021 season. He averaged 11.4 points per game on 47.1% shooting from three. His impact as an energy guy off the bench was felt especially in the NBA Finals. With the way he played in the playoffs, he may be looking for some major money in the upcoming free agency.
The same goes with Bryn Forbes. He shot the ball well in the regular season—shooting 45.2% from three and averaging 10 points per game. The sharpshooter could also have some suitors in free agency.
It’ll be tricky for Milwaukee to renegotiate their contracts. After all, they can only offer up to 120% raise of their salaries which would be relatively low compared to their performance. It’s most likely that Portis and Forbes will opt out of their player options and bet on themselves in the offseason.
Needless to say, Portis and Forbes should be a priority in the Bucks offseason. It’s up to Milwaukee how to come up with a deal to make them stay.
Upcoming free agents
PJ Tucker is the only upcoming free agent who had a major impact on Milwaukee. His defensive versatility to guard multiple positions is well-documented, especially in the playoffs. At 6’5″, he can hit the three-ball and rebound well. Even at 36 years old, there are teams out there that covet his defense and might offer him a bigger salary in the summer. The question is: Should the Bucks re-sign him and at what cost?
Meanwhile, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Jeff Teague, Justin Jackson, and Axel Toupane had little to no impact. The Bucks may opt not to re-sign these players to free some cap space even a little bit.
DiVincenzo’s return
Donte DiVincenzo suffered a foot injury in the first-round matchup against the Heat. He was then ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs.
Before his injury, he was having a mini-breakout season for Milwaukee. For a 6’4″ shooting guard, DiVincenzo’s rebounding is elite as he averaged 5.8 rebounds in the regular season. His offensive versatility, playmaking, and defense are on-point as well. As you can see, he is more than just a 3 and D guy.
Having him back next season is beneficial for Milwaukee. His rehab is one of the priorities in the Bucks offseason. DiVincenzo will continue to improve and become a solid 4th option. Watch out for him next season.
31st overall pick
The 2021 NBA draft is nearing and the Bucks have the 31st overall pick. It may be a late pick but who cares? There’s a lot of value picks late in the draft board. What the Bucks need is either a backup point guard or a backup power forward/center.
Illinois’ Ayo Dosunmu and Auburn’s Sharife Cooper are some of the notable point guards that can give impact right off the bat. Meanwhile, Auburn’s JT Thor and Utah State’s Neemias Queta are some of the notable big men with tremendous upside.
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