Milwaukee Bucks: Who will be the starting point guard next year?

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CHARLOTTE, NC – OCTOBER 17: Head coach Mike Budenholzer of the Milwaukee Bucks watches on against the Charlotte Hornets during their game at Spectrum Center on October 17, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Prediction

I don’t think there is a path to retaining Bledsoe and I also don’t think they should considering on his price and age. I also don’t think any of the realistic free agents for the Bucks would make a significant impact over guys they already have like Brogdon.

So I think the Bucks will plan on Malcolm Brogdon being their starting point guard in 2019, but may start to give DiVincenzo some looks. I also think they will draft a point guard to develop. The other real factor here is that the Bucks will have much more flexibility in 2020 with Dellavedova and Henson officially coming off the books. So taking a year to develop guys and biding their time would make a lot of sense.

The real interesting thing to consider here is trading Malcolm and/or Bledsoe. If you look at the cap sheet for the Bucks in 2020, they should have about $26 million in cap space (assuming Middleton for $30 mil and Brogdon for $10+ mil). That means they will be about $10 million short for a maximum free agent.

Brogdon’s salary may be the difference in the Buck’s ability to sign a max free agent in 2020. There’s a real case to be made to trade Brogdon now so you don’t have to pay him in 2020, then you can roll with DiVincenzo and the first round pick for a year and try to sign a max guy the following year. Or hope DiVincenzo turns into a quality starting point guard and then still have the space to sign a max free agent at another position.

I’m not for making huge changes this season especially if the Bucks are going to have 50+ wins and have a real shot at the Eastern Conference finals, but if the goal is a championship the front office needs to be planning this far ahead. 2020 also just happens to be the year where Antetokounmpo can sign his next extension, so the state of the team will be imperative to lock Giannis up long term.

The Bucks still need that third guy to go along with Antetokounmpo and Middelton and a good point guard would make perfect sense. The decisions next year will be very interesting to follow.

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