Rival Free Agent Rejected Damian Lillard's Bucks Pitch
The Milwaukee Bucks made a splashy trade last offseason when they acquired Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers.
They rolled into the 2023-24 campaign with high hopes surrounding the new duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard but things unraveled during the second half of the year.
With an early first-round exit in the playoffs, the Bucks know they need to make some tweaks to the roster. Lillard attempted to lure a free agent to Milwaukee but he declined and decided to stay with an Eastern Conference rival.
Bucks and Suns offered minimum deals. Damian Lillard called Haywood to lobby him. Heat ended up being fortunate that he didn't have a higher offer elsewhere while the Heat remained non-committal with him. Worked out for the best; Heat needs his perimeter defense. 14 roster spots… https://t.co/aF0BMIgwSV
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) July 8, 2024
NBA News: Haywood Highsmith Re-Signed With Miami Heat
On July 8, the Miami Heat re-signed forward Haywood Highsmith to a two-year, $11 million deal. The Bucks offered a minimum deal according to Barry Jackson but ultimately he returned to Miami.
Lillard even called Highsmith to persuade him to come over to Milwaukee. That didn't work and the Bucks missed out on making an addition to the frontcourt.
He's a superb wing defender who has quick feet and has a knack for poking the ball loose. Last season, Highsmith averaged a career-high 20.7 minutes with 6.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. He also shot 39.6% from beyond the arc.
The Bucks need to get younger, quicker, and more athletic along the roster, especially in the frontcourt. They missed out on Highsmith, who would have filled in a void but that didn't happen. Even with Lillard getting involved.
Now Milwaukee needs to pivot and tap deeper into the free-agent market. They may need Lillard to get involved again to potentially persuade someone to join the Bucks.
Even though it didn't work out this time, that doesn't mean it will be the same result next time.
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