Offseason Grades - Milwaukee Bucks

[bondom34]

OK...so apparently I never posted this, and thanks for the assist gom because I'd have never noticed lol. Apparently deleted the draft without posting.

K_Chile22's offseason grade:

Milwaukee Bucks transactions

Front office
Extended Mike Budenholzer (3 years)
Draft
Drafted Sandro Mamukelashvili at #54 (acquired from IND).
Drafted Georgios Kalaitzakis at #60 (acquired from IND).

Trades
Traded pick #31 for picks #54, #60, and two future 2nds.
Traded Sam Merrill, two future 2nds for Grayson Allen.

Free agency
Re-signed Bobby Portis, 2/$9M.
Signed George Hill, 2/$8M.
Signed Rodney Hood, 1/min.
Signed Semi Ojeleye, 1/min.
Signed Georgios Kalaitzakis, 3/$4.32M
Extened Thanasis Antetokounmpo, 2/$3.61 (2nd year PO)

Offseason Thoughts
Draft day trade seems like a tax move, could have probably gotten good value at 31, so don't really like that for them. Merrill for Allen is pretty solid though and maybe makes that deal look a bit better.
Did well to keep Portis and bring back Hill, didn't splurge (which led to tucker walking), but also didn't cheap out. Wish they would have paid Tucker to keep him around, but he's starting to really fall off offensively so maybe it ends up not mattering.

Grade
B. Didn't like the draft trade or letting Tucker go, but really like being able to hold onto portis and bring in Hill
2022 Prediction
Top 3 seed in the east.
Offseason in gif form



Mamba4goat's offseason grade:

Milwaukee Bucks transactions

Front office
Extended Mike Budenholzer (3 years)
Draft
Drafted Sandro Mamukelashvili at #54 (acquired from IND).
Drafted Georgios Kalaitzakis at #60 (acquired from IND).

Trades
Traded pick #31 for picks #54, #60, and two future 2nds.
Traded Sam Merrill, two future 2nds for Grayson Allen.

Free agency
Re-signed Bobby Portis, 2/$9M.
Signed George Hill, 2/$8M.
Signed Rodney Hood, 1/min.
Signed Semi Ojeleye, 1/min.
Signed Georgios Kalaitzakis, 3/$4.32M
Extened Thanasis Antetokounmpo, 2/$3.61 (2nd year PO)

Offseason Thoughts
Man...Bud was so close to getting fired. Winning a title is obviously worth it but the extension wasn't the right move. I liked their draft flyer on Sandro Mamukelashvili--he's a very intriguing prospect and getting a lad like that at 54 is good value.
Retaining Portis and not using the MLE to do it was huge. Getting George Hill back is also great for them. Hood and Ojeleye are two very underrated min depth piece acquisitions too.

Grade
B+. It would be an A but...Bud.
2022 Prediction
Top 2 seed in the east.
Offseason in gif form


bondom34's offseason grade:

Milwaukee Bucks transactions

Front office
Extended Mike Budenholzer (3 years)
Draft
Drafted Sandro Mamukelashvili at #54 (acquired from IND).
Drafted Georgios Kalaitzakis at #60 (acquired from IND).

Trades
Traded pick #31 for picks #54, #60, and two future 2nds.
Traded Sam Merrill, two future 2nds for Grayson Allen.

Free agency
Re-signed Bobby Portis, 2/$9M.
Signed George Hill, 2/$8M.
Signed Rodney Hood, 1/min.
Signed Semi Ojeleye, 1/min.
Signed Georgios Kalaitzakis, 3/$4.32M
Extened Thanasis Antetokounmpo, 2/$3.61 (2nd year PO)

Offseason Thoughts
First, locking up a coach after a title is just a good move organizationally so keeping Bud around after he showed willingness to adjust in the postseason was a good call. After rumors over the last few years they got over the hump and like others before when you win a ring keep the coach around.

After that the trade of 31 seems like a tax move, but really no huge issues there even if you'd probably rather see a team use the pick, and I'm assuming both draftees will be stashes.

Trading for Allen was a move I liked after he had a really solid season and could be a legit rotation wing for them if DDV isn't entirely healthy. I've heard it said he could be a backup plan if DDV walks next year and I don't like that as a thought but he could at least be a stand in and another option for them off the bench for a pretty low price via trade.

In free agency Portis was one of the best contracts this summer I thought, and Hill was fine even after his playoff struggles at this price. Getting Hood and Ojelye on the min was solid to fine and I'm not against Tucker walking at the contract he got because even though he had some value I think he's a bit done at this point and riding a little more on past reputation than current production as the trendy "underappreciated" guy he once was. Really the only thing here that's a negative is the PO for Thanasis Antetokounmpo's 2nd year but really we're arguing the FMVP's brother's contract and if you're making him happy here who am I to complain.

One of the better offseasons out there by one of the best teams in the league. Overall any complaints were mostly fringe.
Grade
A-, was between this or A and can't remember what I gave when I first wrote this so stole from the other reviewers. Think it was originally A- so going with this
2022 Prediction
Top 2 seed in the east.
Offseason in gif form

[babyjax13]

I think they needed to do something different with their backup power forward position. I realize you have Giannis, but Semi Ojeleye seems underwhelming as his primary backup - unless you are intending Portis to play the remainder... But then there is also the issue of what you do there if Giannis has to miss a game? I don't think they need someone fantastic, but Paul Millsap was just sitting there ages available for the minimum and I have to think he'd be a good addition. Someone like Mike Scott could have been nice, etc. Regardless, you won the championship, you kept the crew together, so that's a B+ in my book (didn't increase their odds of winning again, but didn't decrease them).

[AussieBuck]

I think they needed to do something different with their backup power forward position. I realize you have Giannis, but Semi Ojeleye seems underwhelming as his primary backup - unless you are intending Portis to play the remainder... But then there is also the issue of what you do there if Giannis has to miss a game? I don't think they need someone fantastic, but Paul Millsap was just sitting there ages available for the minimum and I have to think he'd be a good addition. Someone like Mike Scott could have been nice, etc. Regardless, you won the championship, you kept the crew together, so that's a B+ in my book (didn't increase their odds of winning again, but didn't decrease them).

Guessing we'll use small ball, Pat, Semi, Thanasis etc during the season. In the playoffs it'll be like the finals with Brook starting and Giannis at the 5 when Lopez gets played off the floor. Bobby will be the backup PF.

PF: Giannis 16/Bobby 24/Connaughton 8
C: Brook 24/Giannis 24

Semi and Thanasis in the mix too. Could use a better guy but it's not for many minutes. Pat looks like a SG/SF but his game is PF/SF.

[AussieBuck]

I would have liked to keep PJ as insurance but I don't know if he'd want the reduction in role that would be on the cards if the team is all available. Bobby coming back is massive, he can soak up all the backup C minutes for the regular season and slide over next to Giannis at PF in the playoffs. That combo really came together right at the end.

Also going from Jrue and PJ and nobody else in the playoffs at guard (and Tucker has no business at guard) to having Jrue, Hill, Donte and G Allen is a huge upgrade.

[slos]

- Extending Bud for three seasons after he won the championship

- Bringing back Portis without even touching the tax-MLE

- Trading Merrill + two future SRPs for Allen

are all moves that had Milwaukee on track for an A+ offseason given the limited sources they had. But…

- Trading #31 for spare pieces

- Using the tax-MLE for Hill

- Losing Tucker

were moves you don’t hate, but you won’t love either.

- Bucks lack young talent and their core is only getting older. They should have rolled the dice with #31 and there were good looks at this range.

- Hill is solid, but you expect something more fancy with the tax-MLE from the champions. Bobby was a steal, I had hopes for another one there.

- Tucker is washed and not paying him a 2/20 to keep him out of Miami was a good call. But it still hurts. No bad feelings though since it was the only cheaping out move.

Overall it’s an A- offseason for me too. I just feel that Bucks should have had an A+ offseason to win it all again. Hill and Allen replacing Teague and Forbes should be huge, healthy DDV should be better than 35y/o PJ at SG, Bucks are still the team to beat in the East.

[gom]

I really like the extension for Bud & signing Portis and Ojeleye The draft was well played too. They did a great job, but a repeat this season is going to be difficult with so many other good teams afoot, especially the Nets, Nuggets, Hawks, Knicks, and others.

[Ruzious]

Did someone actually bash the Bucks for re-signing Coach Bud? It's amazing that a coach can win an NBA Championship, and some fans will still think they know better.

Anyway, I do think the Bucks screwed up the 31st pick - there's several early and mid and late 2nd rounders that will become useful players.

Smart to not fall for the idea that they need Tucker - and letting him go. Yeah, he played great D, but it was playing with 4 players on offense.

Overall, I think they could have helped their bench more - not a huge fan of Hill at this age or Hood or Ojeleye. Sandro Mamukelashvili is interesting but may be too slow for the NBA. That was a decent but unspectacular trade for Allen - assuming he hits a lot of 3's. Great gesture by fan fav Bobby Portis to not demand more.

They won the world last season, so just the carryover and keeping the coach gives them an A.

[giannis and 1]

I would give their offseason a D as a Bucks fan. Did not like trading #31 for 4 late seconds. Did not like letting Tucker go, did not like Merrill + 2nds for Allen, did not like the Hood and Hill signings.

Only things I like were bringing back Portis & Thanasis, and signing Ojeleye.