The Milwaukee Bucks, who had the best record in the NBA this season, were left to pick up the pieces after an early playoff exit. And despite the misfortune of their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks lost to the eighth-seeded Miami Heat, who edged them out. This would take any team back to the drawing board, particularly the Bucks, who arguably have the best player in the NBA.
Unfortunately, they don’t have a lot of assets, which makes it difficult for them to retool in the off-season. That is, unless they are looking to transfer key players, which they might very well do. With so many question marks surrounding the roster, it’s hard to say who will return next season.
Which Milwaukee Bucks player could be on the move?
A new report suggests that three-time all-star Khris Middleton may be one player who may not return next season.
Middleton has been an excellent player for the past 10 seasons and has been the second best player on the team for most of that period. However, he struggled with injuries dating back to the playoffs last year and had a down season.
At 31, he has a player option for the final year of his contract. Assuming he chooses to participate, Milwaukee could decide to trade Middleton rather than extend it or leave him for free after next season. They may not be able to trade him for another superstar, but so do the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets You are expected to have an interestgiving Milwaukee options if they look to move him.
If Milwaukee is considering moving Middleton, they can also move All-Star Jrue Holiday, especially since they know he’ll be retiring soon.
Despite being only 32 years old, Holiday has already played 14 years in the NBA. Holiday is still a great defensive player, but his offense in the postseason tends to leave a lot to be desired.
At this point in his career, he could take a step back next season, especially in the field of defense, which will greatly reduce his value. With two seasons left on his contract and his value fairly high, this summer could be the right time to transfer him. The Bucks also have seven free agents, allowing them to rearrange the rest of the roster around Antetokounmpo
The Bucks will likely look different next season.
Jae Crowder was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets for five second-round picks, but played a limited role, something he obviously objected to. He was even quoted as saying “I’ve never been in a situation like this. Eleven years. Check my resume.”
While Crowder has had little impact, the Bucks will have the potential to bring him back, but it seems unlikely he’ll be back next season at the moment. Then there’s starting center Brook Lopez. Lopez has had a great season, and it will be hard to replace him. Fortunately, Milwaukee can use the bird rights to bring Lopez back, and it seems likely that he will return.
The same cannot be said of Coach Mike Budenholzer. After leading the Bucks to the championship in 2021 and the best record in the NBA this season, he may have coached his final game for the team. Having said that, while he’s been outdone by Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, it can be hard to upgrade from him. Not to mention, he’s been dealing with personal issues throughout the series.
However, Budenholzer’s teams have a history of excelling in the regular season and underperforming in the postseason. The Bucks have become the number one fifth seed losing to the number eight seed certainly doesn’t look good, and the Milwaukee manager may decide to go in a different direction.
All in all, there are likely to be some significant changes for next season’s Bucks. However, they might be better served by basically restarting it in hopes of better luck.