Texas Chuck wrote:I don't think he plays elite defense. I think Giannis (and BroLo) made a lot of role players advanced stats look really good. It's part of why certain posters have such a disconnect on Eric Bledsoe who has been totally exposed against teams that scheme the Bucks.
I don't want to trash the guy. I'd love to have him in Dallas. But I think this is a significant upgrade for the Bucks and I don't see him going to the Kings and becoming a 34 mpg starter. I'll eat crow if I'm wrong, but I'm having a great off-season on some positions I held and took a bunch of flack on so I'm feeling confident and getting my shots up.

He had the best on/off net rating of any of the Bucks' other rotation players did in minutes played without Giannis (+9.7 when the next highest was around +5). His three-point shot improved from last year, and if it continues to he'll be a very high-end role player who would definitely make Hield expendable. RAPM has a lot of noise, but when a second-year player is sitting there at #7 there's at least something to it.
In giving up Divincenzo, the Bucks paid a premium for a better shooter alongside Giannis and an older player who fits their timeline; that's probably why they asked for Justin James in return because they need some playable minimum contract players to fill out the roster.