When the Milwaukee Bucks play in the NBA in 2024–2025, a lot of issues will be raised about their squad. Milwaukee was expected to be a club that was made for the NBA Playoffs after dealing Damian Lillard for Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen during the previous offseason. It’s possible that they could have been, if Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury hadn’t occurred.
Giannis wasn’t the only player injured during the Bucks’ brief postseason run before the Indiana Pacers eliminated them, of course. Later in the series, Lillard suffered another Achilles injury that kept him very limited and even kept him out of a game. Despite continuing to play with an injured leg, Khris Middleton was able to participate in the entire series.
The Bucks found it difficult to put together a squad that could compete with the younger and quicker Pacers team without Giannis participating at all in the series and without Lillard at full strength. With an average of 24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, Middleton had an outstanding performance. In the series, he earned four double-doubles and finished with 42 points in a defeat in Game Three.
Regretfully, Middleton was the only member on the Bucks squad to step up to the same level. Malik Beasley was terribly exposed on defense (as he was all regular season), Bobby Portis got himself ejected from a game, and the rest of Milwaukee’s backups were just not good enough.
The Bucks had particular difficulty stopping the Pacers’ three-pointers and keeping up with their transition attack. Although the Pacers were so dominant from beyond the arc that it was irrelevant during the series, Brook Lopez is still a top rim protector.
Strong defense was offered by Patrick Beverley, but as a free agent, his price is probably higher than Milwaukee can pay. Due to their history of spending large sums of money on second-tier players, the majority of free agents will actually be more expensive than the Bucks can afford.
Milwaukee may search the trade market for a three-and-D wing because they are unable to pay for a high-profile player in free agency. Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report thinks Marcus Smart of the Memphis Grizzlies would be the Bucks’ ideal trade target if they decide to go that route:
“Marcus Smart is a couple seasons removed from his Defensive Player of the Year title, but even with that, he is still the Milwaukee Bucks’ best perimeter defenseman right now.
The Bucks’ defensive ranking after the 2018 season was just 19th. Smart, who spent 108 games in the playoffs with the Boston Celtics, provides Milwaukee with a defensive stopper when he starts in the backcourt alongside Damian Lillard. Additionally, it would be the ideal retaliation for Boston’s offseason trade of Jrue Holiday.
Due to their lack of trade assets, Milwaukee may need to convert one of their veterans—Break Lopez, Bobby Portis, or Chris Middleton—into many players. Depth became a serious problem after Lillard was traded.
“This team ought to still be aiming for a championship with Giannis Antetokounmpo.” While injuries may have derailed their 2023–24 campaign, the Bucks might still be in the running for the championship with a few personnel changes and defensive support.
According to Swartz, the Bucks would lose at least one of their key players if they traded for Smart. Milwaukee’s chances of acquiring the former Defensive Player of the Year are likewise doubtful given that he was only able to play in 20 games the previous campaign.
It is important to remember, though, that Smart was scoring the most points in his career—14.5 points per game—prior to his injury. He was also averaging 2.1 steals per game, which was a career high.
To be honest, one of the NBA’s most formidable starting lineups would have Lillard, Smart, Middleton, Giannis, and Lopez.
But that wouldn’t address the depth issue either.
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