Because their season ended prematurely, Milwaukee Bucks are already in the planning stages of the 2024-25 NBA season. This morning it was reported that head coach Doc Rivers had fired three assistant coaches: Josh Oppenheimer, Sidney Dobner and DJ Bakker. There is no doubt that there will be further changes in his coaching staff soon.
Of course, the bigger offseason questions revolve around the Bucks’ lineup. While stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard have already made it clear that neither will be looking to leave Milwaukee this offseason, the rest of the roster is still up in the air.
The Milwaukee Bucks have stern questions regarding their roster for the 2024-25 NBA season
While the Bucks don’t have to worry about losing any of their players for the NBA’s 75th anniversary, the amount of money they pay their core players makes replenishing the roster extremely complex. Because Milwaukee will be in the latter part of the salary cap spend, it won’t have any mid-level exceptions to employ nor will it be able to get back more money in a trade than it sent.
This means that any veterans the Bucks want to sign in free agency will have to sign on veteran minimum contracts. Malik Beasley is an example of a player who signed this type of contract last season. Another is Jae Crowder, who hinted in a cryptic social media post on Friday that his time in Milwaukee is over.
The Bucks also have the 23rd pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. As mentioned, due to expenses, they cannot trade this type of player for another player unless the team adds one of their players who is already under contract, and the salaries will be they had to match. This does not give them many opportunities to explore the trade market.
Therefore, it is clear that Milwaukee intends to employ its draft capital this year in an attempt to provide younger and faster players to its aging core.
On Friday, Wisconsin Badgers star Tyler Wahl worked out for the Milwaukee Bucks
One of Milwaukee’s obvious deficits this year has been a lack of depth in the frontcourt, especially at power forward and center. While Giannis, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis have their strengths, there was no good player on the bench behind or alongside them.
As Lopez ages and Portis postpones his contract for another year, the Bucks must start planning for life without the pair, even if they return in the 2024-2025 season.
So it makes sense that the team is already looking for players to potentially add to their roster. According to Wisconsin Badgers insider Jeff Potrykus, Tyler Wahl practiced for the team on Friday before returning to Madison to receive his MBA:
I received a note from a JS employee regarding Tyler Wahl. Were #Badgers stands out in the middle of a busy Friday. First, training with the Bucks, and then I returned to Madison to get my MBA.
— Jeff Potrykus (@jaypo1961) May 10, 2024
Wahl just finished his fifth year at Wisconsin, averaging 10.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
What would Tyler Wahl bring to the Milwaukee Bucks?
At six-foot-nine, Wahl has the perfect physique to be a three-and-D wing in the NBA. The problem is that he lacks a good three-point shot. He shot a terrible 18.8% from beyond the arc last season and has shot 23.2% from three in his career. Wahl is also a destitute free throw shooter, making just 63.7% of his attempts.
However, what he brings to the pitch is tenacious defense. He has averaged over a steal per game in each of the last three seasons.
But without a good three-point shot, it’s strenuous to imagine he can do everything the Bucks want him to do.
With that being said, perhaps the Milwaukee coaching staff will feel there are a few things that can be fixed.
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