8 Guards Milwaukee Bucks Could Consider On Buyout Market

The Milwaukee Bucks were one of 28 NBA teams who made a trade before the deadline, acquiring Jae Crowder from the Phoenix…err…Brooklyn Nets. In doing so, they created two open roster spots they can now fill with buyout candidates.

Milwaukee’s roster currently stands at 13 players, meaning they have two weeks from Thursday to sign at least one more guy to their team per NBA rules. They could fill both spots if they so desire.

Over three articles, I’ll dive into the potentially available players at each of the major position categories (guards, wings, and bigs) and rank them in descending order based on their fit on the Bucks. It’s not clear if every one of the players will be bought out, but it’s a possibility or has been rumored with each of the guys listed.

Let’s dive into the guards.

Reggie Jackson

Jackson has already been linked with Milwaukee and would be an intriguing third point guard. He’s always been a high usage guard with a questionable shot selection and low scoring efficiency (even when he averaged nearly 17 points a game just last season). However, he could potentially add a scoring punch off the bench for the Bucks. I initially had Beverley in the top spot, but Jackson brings something different to the team.

Patrick Beverley

Speaking of Beverley, my initial thought process was that he would bring tenacious defense, defend opposing point guards 94 feet from the hoop and play off ball, knocking down just enough shots to keep opponents honest. Sound familiar? That’s exactly what they have in Jevon Carter and I’m not sure an older version of him would be as helpful as a Reggie Jackson with a different skill set.

John Wall

The Bucks have a plethora of playmakers and ball-handlers including Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, Joe Ingles, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. They could add another tertiary playmaker in Wall via the buyout market to compliment their stars. He’s just a shadow of his former self, but there are flashes of what he once was.

Seth Curry

Contrary to Wall, Curry wouldn’t be asked to handle the rock or create shots for others. Instead, he’d space the floor and provide maximum room for the Bucks’ stars to work with. He’s a career 43.8 percent three-point shooter and can knock down shots while spotting up and on the move. The Bucks would have to figure out how to hide him on defense though.

Cory Joseph

Joseph will probably be a backup plan for Milwaukee if they can’t get one of the other players ahead of him on this list. He plays hard and will grind on defense, something that can’t be said about other guys in this article. He’s got decent size as well. He’s only making 31.5 percent of his threes this season and is a career 34.5 percent three-point shooter, however, he knocked down 41.4 percent last year.

Goran Dragic

The Bucks were reportedly in the market for Dragic last season and missed out. They might have another chance. The Chicago Bulls are in the market for the next guy on this list and could waive Dragic to create room for him. If they do so, Dragic would add another tertiary playmaker similar to Wall.

Russell Westbrook

Westbrook has more individual talent than, perhaps, any player on this list. However, it’s his fit I dislike the most. He still sees himself as a superstar and MVP-caliber player. I’m not sure that mentality fits with the Bucks who rely on everyone to embrace their role.

Derrick Rose

Milwaukee was connected to Rose before the trade deadline, a move that made very little to no sense. Rose is washed, but can still provide some impact on offense. He attacks the rim and can get hot with his mid-range/floater game. However, he’s a liability from the outside and would provide very little spacing. His defense is also below average and Milwaukee would have to hide him on that end of the court.