Post-Mortem: 2021-22 Milwaukee Bucks

[ElectricMayhem]

The Milwaukee Books took Boston to 7 without their second best player. Are changes needed? We shall now cut them open and see what's inside...

Here is the data from last year's Post-Mortems:
Post-Mortem Results I: GM Confidence Meter
Post-Mortem Results II: Coaching Confidence Meter
Post-Mortem Results III: Performance Compared to Expectations
Post-Mortem Results IV: Rising/Treadmill/Waning

Team Name: Milwaukee Bucks
Record at Time of Death: 51-31 (.622)
GM: Jon Horst (2017-)
Coach: Mike Budenholzer (2018-)

Offensive Rating: 3rd
Defensive Rating: 14th
Rebound %: 6th
Turnover %: 10th

GM: Change or keep?
Coach: Change or keep?
Relative to expectations, how did they fare this year?
Rising, falling, or treadmill?
If you were in charge, what would you do this offseason?

Notes:
Players under contract next year:
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($42m)
Khris Middleton ($38m)
Jrue Holiday ($32m)
Brook Lopez ($14m)
Grayson Allen ($10m)
George Hill ($4m)
Rayjon Tucker ($2m) (Partially Guaranteed)
Luca Vildoza ($2m) (Partially Guaranteed)

Team Options:

Player Options:
Pat Connaughton ($6m)
Bobby Portis ($5m)
Thanasis Antetokounmpo ($2m)

Free Agents:
Serge Ibaka
Wesley Matthews
Jordan Nwora
Jevon Carter
Lindell Wigginton
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Dead Money:

Previous Post-Mortems:
30. Orlando Magic
29. Detroit Pistons
28. Houston Rockets
27. Indiana Pacers
26. Oklahoma City Thunder
25. Washington Wizards
24. New York Knicks
23. Portland Trailblazers
22. Sacramento Kings
21. Los Angeles Lakers
20. Charlotte Hornets
19. San Antonio Spurs
18. Cleveland Cavaliers
17. Los Angeles Clippers
16. Brooklyn Nets
15. Atlanta Hawks
14. Chicago Bulls
13. Denver Nuggets
12. Toronto Raptors
11. New Orleans Pelicans
10. Utah Jazz
9. Minnesota Timberwolves
8. Philadelphia 76ers
7. Memphis Grizzlies
6. Milwaukee Bucks

[Statlanta]

Keep
Keep
Below expectations
Treadmill
Resign Jevon and Bobby let the washed FA go.

[Chanel Bomber]

They need to replace Bud. He's a dinosaur in today's NBA with the emergence of this new wave of pragmatic, flexible coaches. He's too dogmatic and stubborn.

[smythep]

Am I allowed to criticize Bud even if he won a title last year? Because man it's tempting. Embarrassing game plan today.

[Rapaz]

Blow it up

[Chanel Bomber]

Am I allowed to criticize Bud even if he won a title last year? Because man it's tempting. Embarrassing game plan today.

He almost cost them the Nets series last year with the absurd drop coverage on Durant.

[Sidthekid87]

I honestly still think bud is an average to below average coach. Ran into bad luck with the Middleton injury, if he doesn't get hurt they probably repeat, but injuries are a part of the game, that's how they got over the hump last year. Just run it back next season, Tinker with the role players and they should be okay.

[Wolfgang630]

Really just need Middleton back. I mean he’s a big time scorer for them

[Lilseb93]

I'm not a fan of their coach, but basically you just roll with the same team next year for the most part with some tinkering and hope to stay healthy. They could have won the whole thing this year.

[AIfan3]

I don't know if I'd go so far as to fire Bud, but he coached the Bucks out of this series.

Game 4, Hill's first game back from injury and he's playing crucial minutes in the 4th guarding Tatum. Celtics go on a run and Bucks end up losing.

Game 6, Bucks making a run, get it to within 4, and Bud again goes to a 3 guard lineup featuring a Hill vs. Tatum matchup. Tatum goes off, Celtics go on a run to close that game.

Great coaches don't make lineup mistakes like that, even if you "trust" a guy.

Outside of that, I don't know how much better the Bucks can get. They're not a big market team, and their owners are penny pinchers. You can try to get rid of Allen, but what can they get in that same range to replace him?

[whatisacenter]

this is the first time I couldn't pick a choice for rising, treadmill and waning. they are a contending team IMO.

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

I really don't think Milwaukee has a ton of work to do. They have the best player in the league, a solid bench and a Middleton plays this could have been a different outcome.

Milwaukee will be there again next year

[picc]

Bucks are fine, the fact they almost beat Boston without Middleton is amazing. If they run it back next year they will be title contenders as much as anyone else.

[PierceFan4ever]

Bucks are not going away. They’ll be fine. Every year injuries happen which is unfortunate, this year the bucks had to deal with losing their key player just like the Nets last season. As a Celtics fan I’ve seen too much of that which is frustrating. Next season unfortunately it will happen to another team. It’s just the way it is come playoff time. The bucks healthy are always going to be a big threat

[Joshyjess]

Bucks are in great shape right now. It sucked for them not having one of their best players at such a critical time. I do think they need to make some minor changes to some role players, but the team as it stands now is well-positioned to make another deep playoff run next season. Most teams would LOVE to be in the position that the Bucks are right now.
Keep everybody, and just make some small tweaks to some of the role players. Also they need to get rid of Greyson Allen. That guy just brings bad mojo to the team.
Oh, and one more thing - FInd a color scheme that they can claim as their own. Green and White already belongs to the Celtics!

[giberish]

Injury fortune has always been important in winning titles, and it's becoming even more important recently. The Bucks benefitted from this last year and were hurt by it this year. That doesn't mean last year's title wasn't legit, or that this year's won't be legit just because no one beat a fully healthy Bucks team. At this point that's just the way things are.

At this point the challenge is keeping credible depth as the core gets older and more expensive (losing Tucker over finances hurt). In a year or two as Holiday and eventually Middleton drop off they'll have bigger problems as I don't see how they bring in new talent to cover for that.

This offseason the simple stay the course with moves around the edges offseason is the clear plan, hopefully with owners willing to pay some more luxury tax money during the short time they have before falling away from short-list title contender status.

[Statlanta]

this is the first time I couldn't pick a choice for rising, treadmill and waning. they are a contending team IMO.

Treadmill for me means staying in the contender area, for the purposes of this thread series, it doesn't mean they are a 8-10th seed with no way of getting better.

[Ballerhogger]

Pretty much a run back . Not having Middleton hurt . I don’t see any assets outside of Jrue and Giannias so…

[Phish Tank]

They probably gotta get rid of some dead weight as many of the role players exposed themselves this series (hill, Wes, gray).

I also think the bucks should request khris undergo some sweat gland surgery. 2nd time he’s missed crucial, significant time due to slipping on wet spots


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[hamncheese]

Keep Bud for continuity, but look to change assistants to get some other voices/ideas in the staff. Getting Middleton healthy will make a difference. Find a way to replace Allen.