3 players Milwaukee Bucks should consider with their only draft pick
By Todd Welter
The Milwaukee Bucks offseason started a lot sooner than expected.
Surprisingly bounced from the NBA playoffs in the first round by the Miami Heat, the Bucks need to find a new head coach after Mike Budenholzer was fired.
They also have seven players set to become unrestricted free agents. Notably, Brook Lopez, Jae Crowder, Joe Ingles, and Wesley Matthews can depart the team in free agency.
In addition, Khris Middleton and Jevon Carter can decline their player options and test free agency.
The Bucks have six players signed for a total of $115 million, so they will already be near the salary cap. If Middleton opts in or is signed to an extension and Lopez is re-signed, the Bucks will go over the salary cap and be in the luxury tax.
Since they will be a luxury tax repeater, the new collective bargaining agreement removes the Bucks’ mid-level exception. It means the Milwaukee Bucks will have limited avenues to upgrade the roster if they hope to overcome Miami next season.
It does not help that the Bucks only have one draft pick, and it is the last pick of the draft. It might be best for general manager Jon Horst to run it back with the current group of core players and see if a new head coach can get the Milwaukee Bucks back to the NBA Finals.
Horst can still use the No. 58 pick to find a future rotation player. There are three players that could be available to see if they can develop into a rotational player down the road.