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What could the Milwaukee Bucks roster look like in 3 years?

By Kenny Jilek

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 04: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks waits for a free throw during a game against the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum on March 04, 2020 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 04: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks waits for a free throw during a game against the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum on March 04, 2020 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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Milwaukee Bucks
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks, (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Players Already Under Contract

The three players that already have contracts through the 2022-23 season are Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe, and Brook Lopez. All three are starters and important members of the Milwaukee Bucks core group.

Eric Bledsoe

Eric Bledsoe was the first to sign as he did it in the middle of the 2018-19 season. For a player of his caliber that can create in the half-court on offense,  lockdown almost any point guard in the league, and get out on the fast break, his $17.5 million average salary is fairly modest, seeing as guys like Chandler Parsons, Tyler Johnson, and Evan Turner are making more money than him.

There is one caveat in his contract, however, that only $3.9 million is guaranteed in 2022-23. If he can’t figure out how to produce better than he has in the playoffs, he could be let go to save about $15 million in cap space for the Bucks to go after a different target in free agency.

Brook Lopez

Brook Lopez is currently in his first year of a 4-year, $52 million contract which averages out to $13 million per year. Unlike Bledsoe, his contract is fully guaranteed so, barring a trade, he will be staying with the Milwaukee Bucks for its duration.

Lopez has been up and down from three after he was one of the best shooters on the team in his first year in Milwaukee at 36.5 from deep, but has since dipped to just 29.6 percent this season. Even without his shooting touch, he contributes heavily to this team on the defensive end. He is one of the best rim protectors in the league this season at 2.4 blocks per game and has one of the lowest opponent field goal percentages around the rim at 51.7 percent.

Khris Middleton

Finally, there’s Khris Middleton who signed a monster near-max deal of 5 years, $177.5 million with a player option for his fifth year. That player option is irrelevant for our purposes, though, as it falls in the 2023-24 season. Like Lopez, he will be here for the duration, unless something catastrophic happens.

Middleton exceeded expectations this year, with career highs in points per game, rebounds per game, free throw percentage, and effective field goal percentage. He’s scoring more and doing it more efficiently. He is painfully short of the elusive 50/40/90 club sitting at 49.9 percent from the field, 41.8 percent from beyond the arc, and 90.8 percent from the line. If he keeps producing like this for the rest of his contract, that will be a huge win for the Bucks and keep them a contending force for at least the next few years.

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