The Milwaukee Bucks ended their disappointing season in a fitting way, losing a seemingly unlosable game to the Pacers in Game 5. Despite being up by seven in the final 45 seconds in overtime, the Bucks completely collapsed down the stretch and flamed out in the first round to the Pacers for the second straight season.
Perhaps more devastating than the elimination is the bleak future of the Bucks. Damian Lillard tore his Achilles tendon and will miss the entirety of next season. Milwaukee doesn't look anywhere near contending and will have to make tough decisions this offseason. Regardless of those decisions, the following five Bucks will likely not return to Milwaukee for another season.
1. Taurean Prince
After being one of the better three-point shooters in the league in the regular season, hitting over 43% of his threes, Prince turned into a wallflower in the playoffs. He couldn't make his shots and was inevitably benched because he has been a cone defensively since joining the Bucks.
Prince averaged 27.1 minutes of action in the regular season but was barely part of the rotation against the Pacers. At this point in his career, Prince is not a difference maker. When he hits free agency this summer, the Bucks should show no interest in retaining him.
Milwaukee should be looking ahead and trying to find younger talents with some potential. Prince simply doesn't fit the Bucks' future plans.
2. Kevin Porter Jr.
Porter Jr. performed better than expected after he was acquired at the trade deadline. He averaged 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals in 20 minutes per game while hitting over 40% of his threes. He went on to increase his role in the postseason, seeing over 30 minutes of action per game and starting Game 5.
For a team devoid of shot creation, especially in Damian Lillard's absence, KPJ proved to be a valuable option. While the Bucks may want to keep him around for longer, they may not be able to.
Porter Jr. has a player option for $2.5 million next season. Considering how he performed above expectations, he will likely decline that option and look for a lucrative, long-term deal. The Bucks aren't in a financial situation to offer that to him, especially now that they will presumably look to get cheaper as a result of their non-contender status.
3. Brook Lopez
Father Time has finally arrived for the seemingly ageless Brook Lopez. In his age-37 season, the big man showed signs of decline, especially in the playoffs. He struggled against Indiana's high-tempo offense with elite spacing, steadily losing his minutes as the series went on. He was eventually benched in Game 5 and only played eight minutes.
Lopez is a free agent this summer. He can still contribute to a contender off the bench as he provides quality rim protection and solid shooting. Finding two-way centers who can provide spacing and rim defense is very difficult. However, his time as a high-end starter is over. The Bucks should find a younger center with upside and let Lopez sign with a contender in the final stretch of his career.
4. Doc Rivers
It's safe to declare the Doc Rivers era a massive failure. While it has always been easy to dunk on Doc Rivers' playoff struggles, there was simply not much he could have done this time around. His roster was severely outmatched against the talented and deep Pacers side.
At the same time, two first-round exits in two seasons and an underwhelming performance in the regular season despite having Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are deeply disappointing. Considering that the Bucks will likely enter a new era this offseason, it doesn't make sense to keep a veteran head coach like Rivers around. It's time Milwaukee found its head coach of the future.
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo
This is obviously one no Bucks fans want to see. One of the best Bucks of all-time, Giannis Antetokounmpo's time in Milwaukee may unfortunately be coming to an end.
The 30-year-old superstar has previously revealed his desire to play for championships but has never hinted at an exit. Now, more than ever, the writing is on the wall: the Bucks don't have a path to championship contention over the next few years.
Unless Antetokounmpo specifically asks for a trade, the Bucks aren't moving him as he is under contract for three more seasons. Yet, it's hard to imagine the two-time MVP returning with Damian Lillard sidelined, Brook Lopez looking like a shell of himself, and the rest of the roster lacking in any sort of upside.
As painful as it is, the Bucks will at least get a massive haul of young talent and draft capital for Antetokounmpo this offseason and kickstart a new era in Milwaukee.