The Milwaukee Bucks are a team that needs to improve at every position on the floor. They had the worst record in the league last season and that’s not because they tanked. Luckily for the Bucks, they have the number two pick in the draft in a year where they will more than likely get a franchise player who they can build around.
First off, with the number two overall pick in the draft it looks like the Bucks will be picking Jabari Parker. He will give them instant scoring and provide them with a centerpiece guy who they can put other players around. They already have Josh Henson, Brandon Knight, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, so add Parker to those four and you have a good young core of players to build around.
The main thing the Bucks front office needs to do this offseason is shed salary and don’t spend money in free agency. The mistake they have made in the past is over paying in free agency for a player who will slightly improve the team or not improve the team at all. They can accomplish this by getting rid of three people: O.J. Mayo, Zaza Pachulia and Ersan Ilyasova. If they move these three, they will have freed 21.6 million dollars in cap space.
Now, that will be easier said than done. Mayo will be the hardest to move out of the three, just because he doesn’t have much room to get better and his contract is worth 16 million over two years. Not many teams will want to take on that contract. Pachulia on the other hand will be easier to deal. He could be a solid backup center for someone and his contract is only worth 10.4 million over two years. The easiest of the three will be moving Ilyasova. He is a solid stretch four who can knock down the three. Even better, a team could get that value for 7.9 million a year.
Aside from moving players, there is one guy who they do not need to move; Larry Sanders. Sanders value is at an all time low right now. The catch to this is that his value will more than likely improve over the next year or so. He has the potential to be a good starting center in the league. They aren’t going to get anything for him right now, so wait until his value rises, which it will, and deal him.
The Bucks have the potential to be a playoff team in the coming years. Now, whether or not they will remains to be seen. With the right moves they could be a 50 win team. With the wrong moves, they will stay in the low-mid tier range.
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