Signing Korver, and stopping the Sixers getting him, is huge for Bucks

Kyle Korver will sign a one-year deal on the veteran’s minimum with the Milwaukee Bucks, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Korver, Wojnarowski added, had a tough decision between the Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers. His decision to join Milwaukee and Giannis Antetokounmpo is a coup for the Eastern Conference’s 2018/19 number one seed. Korver, of course, rejoins Mike Budenholzer, who revitalised the Bucks last season as Antetokounmpo won MVP. The Lakers, Sixers and Bucks had previously been linked with Korver, and he had quickly become the most valuable role player left in free agency.

Having lost two great shooters in Malcolm Brogdon and Nikola Mirotic, the Bucks were on the market to add perimeter scorers this offseason. Wes Matthews was an important addition in the absence of Brogdon and Mirotic. Bringing in Korver helps to replace some of that floor spacing they lost. He has been above 40% from three for much of his career, and will get a bucket of open looks as Giannis and Eric Bledsoe drive to the basket. Running off screens from both of the Lopez brothers, Korver will be a nightmare for opposing defences.

In three separate seasons, Korver has led the league in three-point percentage. Milwaukee will hope for more of the same this season, and it will be interesting to see how opposing defences match him up if he’s put on the floor with Middleton and Giannis. Put a sub-par defender on Korver and he will make you pay.

Along with the re-signing of George Hill, Middleton and Brook Lopez, and the arrivals of Robin Lopez and Matthews, this completes a very good offseason for the Bucks. It’s disappointing to lose Brogdon and Mirotic, of course, but they were up against it financially and managed to get a return for Brogdon in the sign-and-trade with Indiana.

While the extra shooting is great for Milwaukee, and the scoring off the bench will be nice when Giannis and Middleton sit, stopping Philadelphia getting Korver is pretty significant, too. Denying that additional three-point threat from joining Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid could prove to be massive come playoff time.